Modesty never has to be frumpy

All my life I've felt excluded in one way or another. Weather it be because of how I chose to spend my money, enjoy my weekends or cloth my body, someone has disapproved. While I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, it is never okay to make someone feel badly about themselves for the choices they make. It is perfectly natural as a human to disagree or see topics differently than others around you. It is all about how you choose to handle the subject. We are all different. 

One topic in particular that comes up time and time again is how I dress.  If I had to describe my style, I would say it is: classic, with a touch of preppy, and a heaping cup of modest. Wait a minute, what 20 year old girl wants to describe herself as modest? I do. And I'm proud of it. People seem to have this preconceived notion that dressing modestly means wearing a turtle neck and a floor length skirt. Maybe that works for Little House on the Prairie but it doesn't work for me. 

Last week, the Associated Press reported that Tampa, Florida is host of the first ever Christian fashion week. Their message is simple: modest does not equal frumpy. The show featured 9 designers whose creations ranged from men's fashion to bridal gowns. In addition, not all of the designers were of the Christian faith, but all displayed an immense interest for designing modest, but beautiful clothes. 

While I don't believe you have to be of any particular religion to dress modestly, I applaud the creators of this event. Too often I see girls on campus parading around in low cut tops, short skirts, and their belly button rings clanging about because their midriff is showing. Coincidentally, these same girls complain that boys do not respect them. I wholeheartedly believe that if you do not respect yourself, no one else will. The easiest way to change the way people view you, is to change how you view yourself. Wake up knowing each day that you are beautiful just the way you are and do not have to show off your assets to garner the attention of a boy who only appreciates the appearance of you.