A few week ago I was asked to teach a workshop on how to dress for your body shape, and modesty! I was so so excited to have this opportunity! Being modest AND fashionable, which is sometimes seen as impossible, is something that comes after a bit of trial and error. There have been waay too many times I've tried to wear something and realize after I'd been wearing it all day long that it just does not look good on me. At all.
So to start of my workshop I asked the girls to raise their hands if they had insecurities. Yes, every single girl raised their hand--as all girls and most people would do. It's common for human beings to find fault within themselves. But I wanted to let the girls know that they are more than their faults and flaws... Then I showed the girls a video by Elaine S Dalton titled: Deep Beauty. Each of us have deep beauty. A source given to us before we came to this earth. We talked about how we're all valued daughters of God and how He made us perfectly, even though we may not think so. This is important for everyone to know!!
Then I handed them this quiz on finding your body shape. Once they quickly took the quiz I then passed out a packet that I got off of Babble. It's titled, "Celebrate Your Shape" and I totally love that! As women we need to celebrate our bodies! We are amazing!
I have some really great guy friends! I asked them some questions on modesty and girls' personalities. One question was: "What do you think the best quality is in girls?" And here are some of their answers:
Josh: I really love it when a girl is able to have fun and knows what her boundaries are.
Allan: I think that the greatest qualities for girls are kindness and a strong knowledge/testimony of things that are true. I always appreciate it when girls treat everyone kindly and try to show love for those around them through their words and actions, it shows that they really care. Also, I am always grateful when a girl knows what is right, and stands for it, even (and sometimes especially) if the world tells them that they are wrong.
Totally loved their answers. I'd share more, but they are kind of long! And I'll give their answers to the modesty questions in another post at another time...
Then I introduced modesty with this fantastic quote by our beloved Prophet...
Love. Love. Love. Love. LOVE this quote. We can dress attractively while still looking cute and fashionable! It take a bit more to get there, but it's well worth the time and efforts you put in!In the For the Strength of Youth, it states: "The fashions of the world will change, but the Lord’s standards will not change." How TRUE is that. Even though our society is going downhill in a mad craze, we are still asked to stay true to the standards set by the Lord. I went to DC this last week and saw a lot of different styles. I've noticed the Daisy Duke shorts are coming back, and even worse than before! Pockets are coming past the bottom of the shorts themselves... WHAT the heck is going on here people?! If you can see the pockets of your shorts coming out at the bottom, your shorts are too short. Current styles are getting very skimpy... It's realllly sad. So anyways, this quote is really great. It should be framed and put in all young women's rooms across the world. :)
I finished by showing the girls a few of my outfits that I've shown on my blog, and a few prom dresses. I feel like formal occasions offer the idea of getting by with immodest clothes. Again, in the For the Strength of Youth it states: "Never lower your standards of dress. Do not use a special occasion as an excuse to be immodest. When you dress immodestly, you send a message that is contrary to your identity as a son or daughter of God." I find so many girls do this and it's a bit saddening. Girls, you can still be beautiful, gorgeous, and catch peoples attention when you dress modestly!!!! In fact, I went to a High School prom when I was 16 and I got more stares that night than I have ever before in my entire life--just because I was dressed modestly. I was one of about 6 girls who had sleeves of any kind that night. At proms especially, I try to be as modest as possible! I've had many people come up to me, and not just my dates, and thank me for dressing so modestly. It makes me glad to see people notice, and that means being modest is still worth striving for.
I also showed them this video: Significant in Every Way. I am literally obsessed with this video. We are significant, and we show that by dressing modestly and showing our love and respect for our bodies that our Father in Heaven has given us! I'm so thankful for beautiful women who can say things so wonderfully like this young women in this video. They truly radiate!
So, girls, stay modest. Not for the guys only. Not for your parents only. Not for the church's standards only. But for the Lord. He has given you your body, your life, your world to live in. Show Him you are grateful for this and follow the standard He sets for us within the guidelines of the church. Being modest gives you the opportunity to show others that your love the Lord, and that you represent Christ and all that He has done for you.
Stay modest, ladies!! <3
love, megs. :)