It’s Fall and you’re wondering, “Should I even try to go out and find new modest clothes?” We’ve all been there: Standing in a boutique, analyzing the article of clothing in front of us, wondering, “Could this be altered to be modest?”
We, as Latter-day Saints, strive to follow the guidelines that establish what modesty means for us, but sometimes (if not always) that conflicts with what’s trendy or fashionable. At times, this can leave us feeling “frumpy.” So I did what any millennial does in moments of need — I turned to the internet.
What I found was that, yes, beating the frump status is possible.
New modest fashionable clothing does exist.
Not everything cute is also immodest.
Don’t believe me? Here’s 5 ways I can prove it.
1. Catch up on Modest Fashion Blogs
We all spend adequate (if not excessive) time on the internet. Why not use that to your fashion-desperate advantage? My advice? Pause Netflix and click over to the sites below.
Chandler Robertson’s Mormon Fashion Blog, Days of Chandler sports a story of returning to modesty as well as being a top fashion blog.
Not quite your style? Try out another popular blog called Wearing it on my Sleeves for a quirky, fun spin on Mormon fashion and shopping.
Pink Peonies, run by a Salt Lake City fashion blogger, is one you won’t want to pass up. Her website is complete with a bonus recipe tab! (Yes, please!)
If these don’t tickle your trending bone, these bloggers link to other websites as well.
2. Know Whom to Follow on Instagram
Maybe sitting down to read a blog is too time intensive. Do you learn better through seeing and replicating? Then maybe you should try sprucing up your Instagram fashion feed with some fresh outfits. Try out:
- Leanne Barlow, clothing designer, blogger, and instagram fashion inspiration from LA.
- Kailee Wright, fashion chic blogger and mother of two with 72.8 K followers.
- Christine Andrew, Utah resident and highly acclaimed fashionista. 397 K Followers.
- Merrick White, seamstress, stylist, and blogger from SoCal.
3. Take a Walk…into a New Store
Part of the “frump” issue might be due to what my mother lovingly referred to as a “clothing rut.” If you’ve found yourself wearing the same pair of leggings and button-up every week, maybe it’s time to get out and stretch those sales-searching muscles of yours. New boutiques and shops pop up frequently. Often their names get overshadowed by the big names — not that there’s anything wrong with big names. There are excellent savings and cheap trending clothes at H&M, Forever 21, and Old Navy.
But what about the little places? Reach out to your local shops. Smaller shops will always have less inventory, but that can mean one of a kind pieces. Making valuable connections with small business owners never hurts either!
If you don’t want to spend the day window shopping, great online sites include:
- Bella Ella: originally started in Orem, Utah, now a 7 store franchise, believes that you should “Clothe yourself with light, adventure, compassion and self love.”
- ModCloth: started in a college dorm room, now spanning the country, they are dedicated to providing modest clothing that gives both uniqueness and coverage.
- Modbod: “Live true. Be you.” is their motto, and with their wide range of layering pieces, you’re sure to find something with your name on it.
- SexyModest Boutique: Believe themselves to be the best kept secret online, they stock prints and patterns you’ll have over-nighted.
4. Everybody Loves a Good Thrift Find
So, you’re broke, poor, starving in college, husband said bills before clothing? Thrifting does sound good! Go pop some tags at your local thrift shops. Warning to first time thrifters: Nothing good is found if you only spend 5 minutes at the front of the store. Invest some time, since you won’t be investing very much cash. Vintage is back in, seize the day…and that three dollar flannel! But how is modest shopping and thrifting done well, you might ask?
Pro-Tips for Thrifting:
1. Don’t be afraid to try on items outside of your comfort zone or your perceived style. (I’ve fallen in love this way with items I never would have worn otherwise.)
2. Avoid the over-worked racks. This may seem counter-intuitive; after all, if it’s well picked over, shouldn’t that mean the good thrift store shopping stuff is hung there? Not always. Diamonds in the rough are a real thing here! Over-worked racks will only sport left-overs. You deserve better than that.
3. Take your time. Not in the mood to spend a few hours? Pick a different day. The art of thrift store shopping is patience and endurance. Impatience will cause you to overlook items that may be of value.
5. Own your Individuality.
Fashion is always changing, trending, returning to old themes. Don’t want to keep up? Wait a few years and it’ll come back around.
But if you do want a fresh new look, you’d like to spruce things up, or you need to step out of that rut you’ve been in since before the mission, remember that the most important part of fashion is owning your own look.
Giving up your individual style for what is considered ‘in fashion’ is a trade off you don’t have to make. Nature is an endless source of encouragement in this area. Penguins strut their stuff whether or not anyone is watching. Styles and trends are increasingly more diverse. The more it changes, the easier it is to find the shoes that fit you.
Being modest and trendy is completely possible!
But don’t take my word for it, go try it out yourself. You’ll be surprised by just how un-frumpy your look may become if only you take that first step.
If you already have un-frumped your modest wardrobe with fashionable modest clothing, tell us how you did it in the comments below.
