Best Modest Bridal & Formal, Part 2

There's no need to sacrifice modesty for style when you can have it all in one gorgeous gown!

The difficulty, of course, is finding that gown.

Boutique Narelle hasn't done a formal/prom/wedding dress promotion for a while, so in the Spring I went in search of up-to-date gorgeous gowns to usher modest ladies toward their glamour moment.

Our new discovery was Margene's Bridal, which Boutique Narelle explores here: Best Modest Bridal & Formal, Part 1.

I remember when I first discovered the prom sections of these Latter Day Saints modest fashion stores:

• www.BeautifullyModest.com
• www.LatterDayBride.com

I was speechless with awe and delight. I experienced this all over again as I explored Margene's Bridal. I could easily say (once my speech faculties returned) that the modest gowns from Margene's Bridal are stunningly beautiful with nothing to detract (or distract) from their sweetness.

You can find more modest and beautiful gowns at these LDS stores:

• www.TotallyModest.com
• www.EternityGowns.com *

*See comment at end of post.

That being said, if you're Downunder as I am, you may yet feel frustration, because the featured stores in this post are located in the USA. Both the above stores ship internationally (a refreshing option to find at an American store), but I suggest you use this currency calculator [click here] to help you figure out whether it's worth it.

I took a hopeful spin through www.MaggieSottero.com and was utterly disappointed. Two to three years ago this Australian designer offered several fabulous, modest designs, but no longer. Every single design in their current catalogue is seriously (dangerously!) strapless.

Most of us don't have the cash to buy a designer gown for our special event. Boutique Narelle suggests that you browse the Formal and Bridal sections on the "Labels" section of the sidebar to find helpful tips on how to find a dress that's adorable and modest.

A number of these BN posts feature gowns and links from Modest By Design which is now closed . These links will still allow you to windowshop for inspiration, but their front door won't open. Designer images courtesy of deceased stores are still useful, however, serving as inspiration for you and your seamstress.

Learning of the sad demise of Modest By Design spurred me to check the other links we've recommended here since Boutique Narelle opened four years ago. There have been quite a few shop deaths. I'm happy to report that the following stores and designers are still swishing with a few modest options.

• www.Chadwicks.com
• www.DavidsBridal.com
• www.VenusBridal.com

Most of the modest options at David's Bridal are jacket dresses (an utterly charming range that I would feature here except that this post is long enough). The store also offers a Personalize Your Look sleeves/coverage option for adapting standard dress designs.

Venus Bridal offers Temple Bridal and Temple Maids, available only in the USA, and associated brand www.BellaFormals.com, a catalogue which can be ordered through bridal stores anywhere in the world.

Venus Bridal's Temple collections offer the greatest variety of necklines of any of the modest formal stores BN has seen, but just one sleeve style.

Note: We are very sorry about the missing images. They were unexpectedly and irreversibly gobbled by Google+. 😱😭

Best Modest Bridal & Formal, Part 1: Shopping Tips for Formal Occasions

Pretty dresses make me smile. How about you?

Early in the Spring, I started work on updating Boutique Narelle's wedding/formal promotions. Blissfully have I wallowed in images of gorgeous fabrics and dainty trims.

Are you ready to wallow? Come with me to the amazing

Margene's Bridal, an American store with two outlets in the state of Idaho.

Not every bride has the luxury of 6-12 months to plan her wedding and shop for the perfect details (personally I'm in favour of short engagements), so do you know what colours and styles allow you to look your best? When the bridegroom comes, you want to be ready. Knowing where to get a modest wedding gown or how to make one will be significantly helpful!

I don't expect to be a bride any time soon, but I do know of other occasions when an elegant gown might be required. When I browse formal fashion websites, I love studying the styles and accent details of the prom gowns, and I tend to be distracted by vibrant colours, but I'm learning, from my prowls, to be more discerning in what will work for me. This will simplify future shopping/sewing experiences.

BN's Top Shopping Tips for Formal Occasions

1. Know what suits your figure and complexion.
2. Know what you want. Impulse buys are rarely successful.
3. Know what your modesty standard is and don't compromise.
4. Know your budget, but don't view this as limiting.

Allow yourself to be creative in finding ways to stick to your budget. 'Good old Kiwi ingenuity' is the think-outside-the-square factor in my heritage that has taught me to say, "Now how else could we achieve this?"

Next week we'll explore how else you might achieve your goal of a modest and gorgeous gown.

Yay! More wallowing!

Browse these gorgeous gowns at Margene's Bridal

Note: We are very sorry about the missing images. They were unexpectedly and irreversibly gobbled by Google+. 😱😭

Misleading our Girls about Beauty

"Never Too Young? Misleading our Girls about Beauty" by Dr. Albert Mohler


The New York Times reports that even the youngest of girls are being targeted as consumers of cosmetics and beauty treatments. The elementary [primary school] set is showing up in trendy salons for pedicures and manicures.

The intense self-focus that many young women display and their attention to how they present themselves is affecting 6- to 9-year-olds. “We live in a culture of insta-celebrity,” Ms. Skey said. “Our little girls now grow up thinking they need to be ready for their close-up, lest the paparazzi arrive.”

You can read the article by Dr. Albert Mohler here, or listen to or download the audio version here.

Are you training yourself in True Beauty? Are you sharing what you've learned with your daughters, nieces,  younger sisters or friends? Or, are you and they, through neglect, wide open to the destructive influences of the pagan culture in which we live?

Girls are never too young to start learning, and if wise women do not take up the mantle of instruction, they will automatically assume the prevalent characteristics of their environment which flood insidiously from television, movies, the internet, books, magazines, and urban graphics, and are cultivated as attentively in churches as they are in the world. Suicides, eating disorders, and early promiscuity are just some of the tragic results. Now that you're warned, what are you going to do about it?

Modest Swimwear: a Wealth of Choice!

Summer is on its way to the southern hemisphere and we're turning our thoughts to warm-weather clothing. The most challenging of summer wardrobe quandaries is modest swimwear, but fear not! we have an encyclopedia of gorgeous solutions for you!

I recently visited the swimwear links BN has supplied in the past and was saddened to discover several of those modest swimwear stores have closed. On your behalf, I surfed the cyber waves for new resources and am happy to announce the range is exciting.

If you haven't already seen it, check out BNTV's 3-minute video, an in-depth promotion (pardon the pun) of Simply Modest Swimwear, our top recommendation for modest swimwear because of the flexibility of the style and unparalleled fabric choice.

We have discovered other modest swimwear stores providing many creative options. Isn't it wonderful to have a choice in styles? Some of the websites are a little confusing or tedious to navigate, but if you have the patience to explore, you'll find a wealth of style and colour choices.
  
MODEST SWIMWEAR STORES
www.Ahiida.com the burqini; raglan sleeve, optional hood
www.Bodykini.com similar to burqini
www.HydroChic.com large range of active-wear separates; skirts with built-in leggings
www.ModestSwimwear4u.com 3-piece outfits that look like street wear
www.MarSeaModest.com boho to simple sporty styles in prints and plains
www.RadicoolAustralia.com rash vests and leggings
www.SeaSecret.biz modest 'haute couture' makes its show on the beach! love this range
www.Simply-Modest.com 2-piece skirted suit; BN favourite! unparalleled flexibility and fabric choice
www.SwimModest.com above-knee tropical-print sarong one-piece; softcup option
www.WholesomeWear.com spandex/taslon swimmer dresses, 3 styles

These stores are also listed in the Modest Clothing Stores tab beneath the BN header banner.

Let us know how you get on with your shopping!
We wish you happy summer splashing!


Note: Some of these links may be out of date now. Please check the Modesty Mall in the bar at the top of the page for current store links.

Duggars on Modesty

A Public Expression of Modest Femininity

I love meeting people who are courageous and content in modesty. I've been remotely-introduced to these happy, beautiful young ladies whom a TV channel finds interesting enough to make multiple programs about and whom viewers find fascinating. The American family have also published two books which I found to be complete page-turners.

"The Duggars: 20 and Counting" recounts some of the questions asked by viewers about the way the girls dress, and includes answers from the Duggar parents or their daughters.

e-Mail to the Duggars
Q: Do your daughters always wear long dresses? Why?
A: First, we want to stress that this is our family's practice. We don't put our conditions on other people or tell others what they should wear. Our standards of modesty are based on personal prayer and Bible study. We want to attract others' interest to our faces and our character, rather than to our bodies. For us, that means long pants for the boys and long skirts for the girls and no low-cut tops. Amazingly, some of our older children have developed stronger convictions about dress standards than we have.

Here's a question of which I've heard many variations. I love how 16-year-old Jessa responded to it. (Click image to enlarge.)

Click here to enjoy photos of the Duggar girls and cute girl-outfits. Jessa and Jinger are the family experts on how to dress modernly-modest, and most of their shopping is done at thrift stores. Notice how they use layering.

Thank you, Duggars, for sharing your life with the world!

Their second book, "A Love that Multiples"*, includes modesty links in the Resources section. I had a browse and am delighted to add www.ChristopherandBanks.com to Boutique Narelle's recommended stores list.

This resource link answered a question I'd been longing to ask the Duggar girls: What is that garment you're wearing under your t-shirts?

After studying photos of the way the girls dress, I deciphered that they have access to a layering garment I've never seen in New Zealand or in any online store to date. It has more shoulder coverage than a camisole. It has a crew-neck like a t-shirt, but no sleeves. Its hem is at hip level, so it's not a tee-neck/dickie/modesty panel.

You can purchase them from www.christopherandbanks.com or plus sizes sister-store www.cjbanks.com. The store calls the garment a tank, but it's quite unlike the tanks available here which are nothing more than glorified singlets. My description is a sleeveless crewneck tee. 

Wearing two layers of cotton knit won't be a comfortable solution for hot climates (or those that have summer without air-conditioning). It's a wonderful modesty fixer for mild climates, and it might mean you can wear those pretty blouses made of sheer fabric.

If you'd like to find out more about the fascinating, inspirational Duggar family, their website is www.DuggarFamily.com.

I still have a question for the Duggar ladies: How do you get your hair kinky like that?


Note: We are very sorry for the missing images in this post. They were unexpectedly and irriversibly gobbled by Google+. 😱😭

Where to Find Modest Skirts

Are you looking for modest skirts? 
This catalogue of stores may solve your shopping worries.

Share the video link with your friends! http://youtu.be/5rChosZsCDg

In case viewing YouTube videos isn't something you can do easily, we've listed below the stores and websites featured in the promotion.

Annie Lantz, Australia. Not an online store, but the garments they design are worth getting on their mailing list for. Phone or fax to order their free catalogue. Australian Freecall 1800 817 402 / NZ Freecall 0800 722 203
www.aprilcornell.com, USA
www.bfc.co.nz, Ballentynes, New Zealand
www.chadwicks.com, USA
www.denimskirts.com, Style J, USA
www.ezibuy.com.au, Australia
www.ezibuy.co.nz, New Zealand
www.hannahlise.com, USA
www.hempco.net.au, Australia
www.kooky.co.nz, New Zealand
www.koshercasual.com, online retail around the world, wholesale in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia
www.kosherclothing.com, USA
www.newcreationapparel.com, USA
www.rayannesdesign.com, Australia & International
www.rockmans.com.au, Australia
www.tznius.com, USA
www.victoriahill.com.au, Damart/Innovations, Australia
www.victoriahill.com.au, Damart/Innovations, New Zealand
www.womensuits.com, USA

Bare Bosom Teacher? No Thank You!

When Frances* retired from teaching, she became a student again, learning to play the cello.  She loved her teacher Marie's skill and knack of inspiring her. She also appreciated her ladylike standards.

After two years' collaboration, Marie announced the bad news. She would soon be moving to another city. Frances and the other students would have to find a new teacher or else travel 5-6 hours per lesson.

Shortly after this devastating news, Frances attended a regional cello day attended by 45 cellists and their teachers. Frances used the opportunity to survey the one teacher who would live closer than Marie. She was not happy with what she observed and came home with the despairing conviction that she would have to travel for lessons.

What do you think it was that swung her opinion against the teacher? Any guesses? It was something that would be easy to fix and yet seemed insurmountable. The teacher was sharing with the world a vast expanse of her bare bosom.

Frances shuddered at the thought of the woman leaning over her to correct her finger positions or bowing technique. She did not need that distraction.

She remembered Marie's other students who were in search of a teacher. Would the parents of the 11 and 12 year old boys be happy with their sons studying bare breasts along with their music?

You might ask, What's wrong with a male getting an eyeful of public breast? You will find an answer to that in this letter from a Christian male who longs to honour women in his thought life but meets with continual obstacles placed in front of him by the very women he wishes to honour.

Wondering what to do about preventing public eyefuls? Set an example with your own dress, by being consistent in this, then share with other women what immodesty does to the men we profess to care about.

Cello teacher Marie has grimaced over a particular high school who would not permit female students to change out of their A-line uniform skirt into sports trackpants for cello lesson and so they have to hike their skirt way up in order to get their cello between their knees.

What should a modest girl wear when playing cello?

I've viewed footage of world renown cellist Jacqueline du Pre', of actress Emily Watson who played du Pre in the biopic "Hilary and Jackie" (I do not recommend the movie), and of Keri Russell who plays fictional Lyla Novacek in the movie "August Rush". These concert cellists wore full skirted dresses, usually floor length but sometimes knee length, which allowed them to get their knees apart but still kept them covered.

We don't all wear an evening gown when we make music, so how do we handle our everyday situations?

Marie recommends that her female students wear dress trousers, and was stunned to learn that Frances doesn't own any. This is because her shape doesn't make this sort of trouser a comfortable option. She usually wears skirts, but she discovered that her petticoat created a problem. Her solution is to choose skirts made of non-cling, non-transparent fabric and to remove the petticoat before playing cello.

Whether you play cello or some other instrument, or make music with your voice, take a pause and consider: Is my appearance as well as my music to God's glory and man's benefit? If it isn't, what do I need to change?

May God bless you as you walk the narrow path.

*Names changed to protect privacy.


"You are beautiful; yes. That much I can see without you doing anything to convince me. But please do not entice me to notice you. Is it not enough that God endowed you with the beauty you possess? And that He has made you a gift to your present or future husband? Please help me to rejoice with him rather than tempt me to steal from him."
From "A Godly Man Comments on Modesty", Pure Life Ministries Free Resources


Note: We are very sorry for the missing images in this post. They were unexpectedly and irretrievably gobbled by Google+. 😱😭

2 Simple Steps to Find a Modest Fashion Bargain

Are you a modest lady with a tight grip on your purse looking for low cost but good quality clothing that actually covers you?

I know how that feels. For months I've been working hard to solve my own drastic wardrobe situation (I had just one winter-weight skirt!).

THE EASY WAY TO GREAT CLOTHING BARGAINS
Clothes wear out faster than most people can make them, so my best tip at this time is to get yourself on the e-mailing list of your favourite stores. They're doing their utmost to get people to buy, offering huge and frequent discounts to loyal customers.

How do you know which shops provide the kind of clothing you're looking for? Use our Modesty Mall to browse your region for online stores that stock modest garments.

Add your email address to their list via their website, and all you have to do is keep an eye on your Inbox (or mail box) for sales promotions. Reductions are frequently 50% or greater. Stores like Ezibuy offer weekly discount specials, and even high end fashion stores send out 'secret mailers' to preferred customers offering up to 70% discounts for 2-4 days prior to offering what's left to the general public.

THE TWO STEPS YOU CAN TAKE NOW to get your next bargains sooner than you may think:

1. Browse for modest fashion stores using BN's Modesty Mall.
2. Subscribe to the shop's email list or catalogue mailer list.

Every dollar counts when you're trying to save money!

See PLAN AHEAD.