Modesty En Vogue

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

[mlmr]

I only use the basic t shirts from Wal mart or Target. There is nothing baggy about them. They have no writing or pitures on them. If a child is changing clothes because of rebellion, then the issue at hand is the relationship between the parents and the child, not the clothes.

Many teenaged boys think that they are more than worthy to touch what they want. Although we used classic clothing to solidify a worldview and to enhance modesty, the child in the clothes and her relationship and beliefs about herself and her family values trump every time.

[mlmr]

Thank you. Sometimes I feel very alone on this issue.

[netmilsmom]

Speedo makes racing swim suits that are totally modest. My neighbor and I get them at Sams Club.
How did you get the modesty into your girls? My five year old is still a princess but it is coming soon.

[xsmommy]

I've decided that no matter WHAT she puts on she looks almost too good.

that is a big part of the problem, Bonfire. it continues to RAIN in VA, so there hasn't been much bikini action going on here.

i agree, tonto, i thought Hair and the kansas guy were a match made in heaven! ; )

[Guenevere]

I was just having this discussion yesterday with our church's youth leader's wife....(who is co-leader)

Quite often she has to tell the young girls to please pull the tops of their blouses together, they're showing too much skin!

And the lowrider jeans......oh my goodness.

These young girls....are responding to the siren call of the world.....and need decent role models!!!!!

[tickles]

Try Land's End. they have t shirts that are cut larger then anything you'll find in the store. while they may cost more they do wear longer so if your girls aren't really hard on clothes you should be able to do the hand me down with them. (also my 13 yo has a swim suit from Land's End, they are cut more generously also, she has a two piece and the bottom does cover her bottom and actually comes up really close to her belly button)

ps I read that Sears is going to be selling some of their products so you might want to try looking there to.

[ccmay]

Tattoos used to mean "permanent reminders of temporary insanity." Now they serve as an STD early warning system.

This is no joke. Piercings too. Scientific studies have been done which confirm this. Physicians know a tattoo or nipple ring is correlated with up to a 10-fold increased risk of having AIDS-- usually not because of the tattoo or piercing directly, but because people who get tattoos and piercings tend to be promiscuous, drug-taking trash.

There are exceptions, maybe even here on FR, but in general a woman with a tattoo is a filthy slut that I wouldn't touch with the tip of my umbrella, much less take to bed.

We started discussing this with my daughter at about age 9. We told her she'd be kicked out of the house and we wouldn't pay for college if she got a tattoo or a piercing anywhere but her ears-- sure hope we never have to decide whether to follow through on our threat.

-ccm

[Mamzelle]

Newest trend--wearing low-rise jeans with a high-rise thong underwear--a "Y" sign from behind.

[hapsgroupie]

I mom and step mom of four teen girls. It has occasionally been a struggle to keep them in appropriate clothes but I NEVER gave in. I talked modesty and what slut wear does to teenage boys and self-respect and self-expression till their eyes glazed over but its worked. Even my youngest, who at 8 begged me for purple hair, at 14 keeps that tummy covered. We consider ourselves Womanists, not Feminists. I tell them I am their MOTHER, not their FRIEND, and if I dont teach them the right way to be than who will?

I heard my eldest, 16, tell a boy she knows "everybody has tits; it doesnt take anything special to let your tits hang out. I'd rather be known for my personality and brain than my boobs"

They are all knockouts. Mine are like me, super tall size fours with model figures. My steps are petite and with perfect shapes. I have convinced them that they will get plenty of the *right* kind of attention from boys by being *normal*. Its worked very well and I am very proud of all of them.

Gap has the best t-shirts and has flare jeans that arent super low cut. JCrew, Lands End are also great.

[ccmay]

As a mom of 3 girls, I can attest to the fact that it's a nightmare trying to find respectable clothing for them.

My wife says the same thing. It's depressing. They all want to dress like Brittany Spears and that's all you can find in the stores, even for kids younger than 10.

We did have some success on a recent trip to Hawaii. We showed my daughter pictures of pro female surfers who wear 1-piece swimsuits and boy's trunks. She was happy to wear a similar outfit.

-ccm