Mod(est)ifying Clothing: Making Modern Clothing Modest

One complaint I hear often from people interested in modesty is that not many items of clothing are made for modest but stylish wear. Often, this fact is used as an excuse "I can't find anything modest" or "I can't spend the time to look, so I just won't bother". Well, since I dropped the old-fashioned Mennonite look in favor of more modern and stylish clothing, I have run into the same problem, and decided that I won't let it be an excuse. I will not let up-to-there slits and super low necklines conquer me!

Low- and wide-necked tops are a problem for any modest-minded woman who ever bends over. All of a sudden what formerly hid your assets gaps wide open for all to see what kind of bra you're wearing and whether it fits properly, or not. T-shirt material also has an unfortunate tendency to show every bump and seam right through it, which can be especially troublesome in cold weather-you ladies know exactly what I'm talking about! So, add a few well-fitting, high-necked tank tops to your wardrobe, and you will never have to worry about it again. I know that a double layer sounds unmanageable for hot weather, but if your undershirt is lightweight, and your top shirt is loose enough (as it should be, if you're attempting modesty), you'll find it easy to get used to. Nursing mothers can use a nursing tank top as the under layer, providing an instant nursing garment without having to purchase high-priced specialty nursing tops. You can wear your favorite tops from pre-baby times without having to worry about exposed belly when you lift the shirt to nurse your baby.

Skirts are usually my biggest problem. For my body type, a-line or straight skirts look the best, but although I can find many of these in decent lengths, they almost all have "walking slits" that make them immodest for an active woman. Sitting down, reclining, stepping up into a car, all these kinds of activities make what once seemed to be a long, modest skirt suddenly an indecent one. Many long skirts have slits that run up above the knee, which expose far more if one bends over. There are three solutions I have found to this problem. The first only works if the skirt is wide enough-you can always simply sew up the walking slit. Sometimes they are unnecessary and you can walk perfectly fine without them. Closing a slit is the quickest and easiest-simply whip-stitch the edges together. However, many skirts are designed so that without something opening up at the bottom, any normal length stride is nearly impossible. A long slip might work in a pinch, to cover what the slits expose, but showing one's slip is still viewed by many as tacky. An underskirt is a better option, as it is more obviously intentional, and can be quite pretty.

Even if you have only basic sewing skills, you can whip up an underskirt in no time. Use lightweight fabric, in whatever color you desire (though black, white, and tan should pretty much cover everything). Underskirts work best for very long (ankle or near ankle length) skirts. Measure the length of the skirts you wear, and make your underskirt exactly the same length from the waist-this will ensure that the combination looks tidy and intentional, rather than giving people a "your slip is showing" moment. Making underskirts of several different colors will allow you to coordinate them with your tops, as well.

If you do not like the underskirt look, a more permanent alternative is to to turn those immodest walking slits into kick pleats, which is a fairly simple process of inserting a coordinating or matching piece of fabric into the slits. You want to make sure that the hem of the kick pleat fabric matches the hem of the skirt, again so that the look is one of neatness and intention, and not sloppy. For nicer skirts and dresses, you'll probably want the kick pleat fabric to be well-coordinated so that it's unobtrusive. For prints, choose coordinating plain fabrics for the pleat. For plain denim or khaki, have a little fun if you like-a more noticeable kick pleat will add interest to the skirt in those cases. To allow for movement, the kick pleat fabric should be about 9-12 inches wide at the hem. To avoid bunching, before you sew it into the skirt, pleat and baste the top of the pleat fabric, as it needs to be narrower at the top than at the bottom. Use a little creativity and you can still wear those nice clothes you just bought but didn't try on to check for modesty!