slipping

Slip: c/o ModestPop | Skirt: c/o 9th & Elm | Purse: Urban Blues | Shoes: Urban Blues | Hat: c/o shopathome –Kohl’s | Watch: American Eagle | Belt: Thrifted

This skirt may look like it is down to my knees, but it actually has a marvelous slip extender underneath it from ModestPop. It makes my life so much easier when I can make my outfit modest, work appropriate, or church ready by simply adding a layer. So long are the days of getting things altered or throwing items out because they are not long enough (at 5’9″ this happens frequently). ModestPop offers a variety of modest pieces for ladies that are flattering and definitely NOT from your mother’s closet. Personally, I love this skirt and this blouse.

Today I want to talk modesty. Now, this topic is not for the faint of heart. It may be judged. Other people may curse me for my opinion and beliefs. But modesty is something I work on every. single. day. I grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Some (religious folk) may say this is lucky, because I never had to know any different. Others, may find this terribly unlucky, because they believe I have never known any different. For me, it has been both. I don’t know that if I had not been born into a family of LDS members, that I would have had the chance to get to know the gospel. On the other hand, I don’t want my knowledge of the church to draw any sort of misconception. Like many members of the church, I had to find my way through my beliefs. I  may have learned the principles from a young age, I may have even believed the principles from a young age… but executing said principles are a different story completely.

In high school, I knew what I SHOULD do versus what I WANTED to do. I knew I should wear appropriate clothes. Clothing that would make others admire me for me, rather than my physical attributes. However, I WANTED to fit in. I wanted to look what I deemed as ‘cute’ or ‘cool’. There were days when I would wear one modest outfit out of the house (to get past my parents), only to get to school and change into what I actually wanted to wear. I was living a complete double standard!

Now, I am not saying I have perfect modesty. I enjoy a good bikini. I still think that immodest clothing is ‘cute’ and ‘cool’.  I struggle everyday just to think about my outfits and keep them up to the standards I believe are modest. It is still hard for me to say no to certain clothes, that are fabulous, when I walk by them at the mall, that I know I could certainly not wear and still call myself virtuous. Every. Day.

But there is something I have learned through my trial and error of becoming who I need to be as a women. I have learned that I can command more [adult] respect when I dress appropriately. I have learned it is much easier to wear a tank top that covers my chest, then to worry about pulling up my ever plunging neckline all day (It is just so much less fidgety and more comfortable). I have learned that I don’t desensitize myself to the human body and all that it can actually do, like hike, and play, and move us from place to place. I have also learned that I feel closer to my spiritual self. So I wish that I could go back and tell younger Lauryn to buck up and stand up for modesty. I also wish I could tell future Lauryn that she still looks cute when she is modest.

But everyday is a new day, so we learn from our mistakes and try again tomorrow.