A Stylishly Modest Wardrobe

Being a well dressed person involves more than just looking nice. We see through creation that God is a God who loves beauty. He could have made just one type of flower or created the world in black and white but He didn’t. I remember meeting a blind lady who despite her disability, still took the trouble to dress beautifully. Her colourful clothing sent the message that she was grateful to God. Similarly, when we dress modestly yet stylishly, we do more than look nice - we are sending a message that we serve a good God.

Shopping Smart

Why? Many times we walk through the mall and buy whatever catches our eye. However, that results in a wardrobe that has beautiful clothes that don't really go together. Buying basics and shopping smart will eliminate the problem of having a wardrobe full of clothes yet still having to lament “I have nothing to wear!”
How?
  • Only buy a piece of clothing if you can think of other clothes in your wardrobe that you can wear with it. 
  • Learn from your past shopping mistakes to figure out what you like and what you don’t. 
  • Consider your lifestyle and the types of clothes you need. For example, if you seldom attend wedding dinners, you might not need a whole lot of fancy dresses. 
  • Keep a list of things you need to make your closet complete so you know what you really need when you go shopping. Often, it’s better to buy quality clothing over quantity. Buying a $50 skirt that you wear once a week is a better investment than buying a $10 skirt you only wear once in your life. 
  • Shopping requires work! If you see something you like that is too expensive, remember to stop by the store a few weeks later and it might be on sale.

Check out Audrey's series on Building a Remixable Wardrobe for more great ideas!

Clothes for Different Occasions


Why? It’s not so much what your personal style is but figuring out how to be dressed appropriately wherever you go.
How?
  • Observe and take note of what others are wearing. It’s always better to be a little overdressed than underdressed. Some things such as T-shirts and flip flops are commonly worn by people everywhere they go but are not always appropriate. 
  • By changing your accessories and what you match something with, you can often change a piece of clothing from formal to informal or vice versa.

Take Note of Proportions


Why? Especially for skirts, a higher waistline usually looks better. Having the right proportions makes you look put together and also can make you look taller!
How?
  • Tuck in your shirt. 
  • Use a belt to define your waist. 
  • It works a little differently for each person based on your body type so try different things out in front of a full-length mirror to see what works best for you!

Choosing Colours & Patterns


Why? It’s important to have a good mix of colours and neutrals to make your wardrobe interesting.
How?
  • Find out the colours that look good on you. Do you prefer bright colours? Pastel colours? Neutral colours? Black? 
  • Go through your closet and find out what colours you need to add.

Layering & Accessorising

Why? These are easy ways to make an outfit look better!
How?
  • Play with proportions. For example, wear a longer cardigan with a high waist outfit. It’s easy to forget about buying sweaters or blazers since the weather here (in Singapore) is so hot but often you can find short sleeved versions so you can layer while staying cool. 
  • Sometimes, you might be given sleeveless clothing that isn’t modest but looks nice. Keep these for layering!

Lastly…

  1. Always take an extra look at the mirror before leaving the house. If in doubt, change!
  2. Get a Pinterest account, search "Modest Fashion" and pin those that you love. Get ideas from other's modest outfits! Ask yourself, What makes this outfit work? Here's how my Pinterest board looks like!
  3. Visit Polyvore and practice putting together modest outfits for various occasions. 
  4. Take time to read style blogs or observe what you like about the way the people around you dress. I recommend Olivia's blog on Fresh Modesty!

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