Modesty En Vogue

National Catholic Register ^ | June 8-14, 2003 | BARB EARNSTER

[SevenofNine]

Hey Paul rack your take

I buy majority of my clothing off the net through via JC Penney aka Sweaters and dress NOTHING Like kids wearing now

Belly shirt and mini skit that go up the butt

[homeschool mama]

Lands End is one on-line source that has proved successful for my daughter...*and* me. :o)

[homeschool mama]

Good suggestions, mlmr!

The boys department has great t-shirt colors...the pink and purple in the girls department is enough to make me wanna hurl.

We visit Goodwill too. It's amazing what one can find, huh? :o)

[Paul Atreides]

You can find some great bargains on the net, some of it for a steal. I am currently doing my Christmas shopping on the net.

A few years ago, I began putting together a professional wardrobe for working in an office environment. I got some of the stuff for a song. Also, it is quality stuff that looks NOTHING like the crap found in the department stores. I was in JCPenney the other day and bought a London Fog wool coat, regularly $350, for $70.

[mlmr]

My girls know what I expect and that clothes have to pass the momma-test. They can be flattering but not tight. It is amazing what is passed off for children's clothing.

[A_perfect_lady]

The contemporary dating scene usually consists of fat, sloppy women in hip-hugger pants with 15 pounds of "my cup runneth over,"

LOL! Only 15? You're being very gentlemanly. My latest motto is: Hip-huggers are awful and anorexia is awful, but together they could have worked!

[TontoKowalski]

Modest clothing ping! I've missed you, ladies!

Hey, Hair. How did things work out with you and the Inquistor from Kansas? I really thought you guys had a shot.

[HairOfTheDog]

I really thought you guys had a shot.

Aww... I struck out Tonto.

[TontoKowalski]

I'm so sorry to hear that... y'all had so much in common.

Joking aside, I am encouraged to see that modest clothing seems to be making a little bit of a comeback (in the eyes of teens...I suspect it never went out of favor in the eyes of Moms).

If a girl wants to dress like Brittany, have at it. That's between her an her family. But at least those that don't want to dress that way won't feel so unhip.

I could give a rat's patoot what anyone thinks now (but I think you know that), but I am not now, nor was I ever, a teenage girl.

[SevenofNine]

Hey Paul DUDE I love the JC Penney coat line like Worington Liz Baker coats those are cool

After Christmas I score myself $80 dollar Black Overcoat and hat with it LOLOLOL!!!

[HairOfTheDog]

I am not now, nor was I ever, a teenage girl.

I was.... what hideous creatures they are!

[TontoKowalski]

LOL! OK, be honest. Was peer pressure to "fit in" everything it's cracked up to be? My sister was quite popular, but I don't think she ever made a concious effort to be that way.

[Paul Atreides]

What you said is a big part of the problem. Do the parents of those teens not realize that they are the parents? I mean, who runs their households, the kids?

Kudos to you for being an adult and a parent, rather than part of the kids' peer group.

[HairOfTheDog]

My friends would have rather looked better than me than ever give me fashion advice! "Yeah - you look good in those highwater pants!" [snicker]

[Think free or die]

We're raising boys too, so at least for now we've not had to deal with this issue first hand. Now that our older son is 10, we're beginning to see immodest clothing on some of the girls in his grade. For now, he's allergic to girls, so it's not a big issue. It worries me for the future though. We're trying to raise our sons to be decent, responsible and respectful. When girls dress immodestly, it will be more difficult for them to behave as they should towards them. I'm grateful to any parents of girls who are fighting this difficult battle for modesty. Our boys will have enough temptations without being surrounded by provocatively dressed girls and trashy behavior.

[Think free or die]

I've been pleasantly suprised by JC Penney lately. I dispaired over finding a nice dress recently for an evening event. I finally found a great little turquoise dress at JC Penney for $40. The prices were much higher at the other shops, and the dresses seemed to be matronly, immodest, or largely black. To top it off, the dress was made in USA and had a reply card on it to send them feedback. Of course I lavished them with praise!

[only1percent]

Boys clothes from Wal-Mart seems like it goes a little too far in the opposite direction -- likely, if anything, to provoke a bad rebellion. (A girl's wardrobe is only secure until she gets the first place she can pull out the blouse she stuffed downt he bottom of her back-pack).

J. Crew and Banana Republic (to name a couple of brands) offer classically tailored, very appealling clothing for women ... think preppy, feminine, chic yet traditional. Nothing tackily reveealing, but nothing absurdly clunky or baggy. (Baggy sends a message to the boys, "my mom doesn't want you to touch me." Classic and fitted sends a message to the boys, "I'm a star, and no one unworthy of me can dare to touch." Guess which one is more effectively intimidating to a teenage boy?)

[Desdemona]

Compelling reasons of why girls should learn to sew.

Really, the junior departments right now are unreal. If I had teen-aged girls right now, I'd be dressing them out of misses and petites, not that the clothes are all that great, but at least the shirts go to the waist.

I'm telling you, I want to teach a class - Fashion 101 - featuring the sheath dress and three quarter sleeves with boat and ballet necks. Perfectly modest and feminine and they look good on just about everybody.

[bonfire]

Glad you thought of me because I thought of ALL of you today. Daughter had on a TWO PIECE that I thought might be a bit immodest today. She agreed and changed suits. I've decided that no matter WHAT she puts on she looks almost too good.

[GrandMoM]

bump