Modesty Isn't About Rules

I know you love getting girly with like-minded girls.  It's a precious thing to have sisters and/or girlfriends who share our values and make time to be with us.

In those girly times, has one of you brought up the topic of modesty? How did it go? It's so easy for friendly discussions to turn into arguments over hemlines.  Were you able to get past the technical do's and don'ts and dig to the core of the matter?

If you did, you know that modesty isn't about rules. Modest is a heart issue, and it effects our relationships.

I know you care about your relationships with the people around you. Take six minutes to find out how you can enhance yours by listening to Elizabeth Inrig in this video answering

What is modesty? who cares? why bother?

Bargain Hunters Plan Ahead, updated

Bargain hunters plan ahead -- we get on the mailing list of stores that provide clothing we like! That way we get first dibs on sale and super-sale items.

Bargain Hunters and Plan Ahead were posted in 2009. The advice still stands, and to make it easier for you to benefit from that advice, I've created a Modesty Mall, Boutique Narelle's list of recommended online stores that have consistently provided MODEST clothing options for women.

Get on the mailing list of your favourite stores
so you know when the bargains are ripe for picking!

Disclaimer: Boutique Narelle personnel have not purchased garments from all stores in the list, so we can not vouch for quality or service, nor do we claim all stock in these stores to be of a modest nature.

Tips for Wearing Wool Fabric

WOOL GARMENT TIPS
(courtesy of newCreationApparel.com)

• Invest in a good wool garment. It will serve you for years.
• Fine wool is naturally insulating, supporting, and resilient, offering great wearability.
• Wool is comfortable and wrinkle-resistant; it breathes and wicks away moisture from the body.
• Never bleach wool. Never put wool clothing in a dryer. Never use strong detergent or direct heat when pressing.
• Best hang in a steamy shower or washroom to refresh a wool garment.

newCreation Apparel is excellent at providing detailed information about the style and fabric content of their garments and how to select the appropriate size, plus an image enlargement option. But if you're not planning on trans-oceanic shopping, take a tip: keep an eye out for wool garments or fabric in stores near you!

A Prince's Dream Girl

Are you internally breath-taking?
Drop-dead gorgeous on the inside?

The physical beautifying obsessions of men and women demonstrate they are not willing to grow old gracefully or fearlessly. We all grow old (27 is the scientific age which this process begins), and we all know physical beauty doesn't last. Surely, if we want a healthy investment portfolio, we will devote our energies to amassing the treasures of a beautiful heart!

She is the most acclaimed and celebrated woman of the world's all-time best selling book, the Bible. Prince Lemuel's dream girl became the millenium Ideal for others to aspire to.

"His princess was loving, faithful, diligent, financially astute, encouraging, disciplined, healthy, positive, compassionate, generous, prudent, stylish, creative, strong, dignified, wise, responsible, and humble. She loved Lemuel, but most of all, she feared God."

Is this the sort of Dream Girl you aspire to be?
What do you need to change in order for that to happen?


Thispost was inspired by Mary Simpson's book 31 Girl. Grateful acknowledgement to Hannah Harward for introducing me, and thanks to Mary for permission to quote a paragraph from the closing chapter of the book.
Ed. Note: While I consider the written content of "31 Girl" to be excellent, many of the photographic illustrations do not meet the standard of modesty this website strives to promote.

Pause at the Mirror: How to Be Confident in Your Appearance

"I looked in the mirror," said the woman, "and it was not my friend."

How often do you encounter a passing mirror and grimace in distress at your image? How often do you apply a quick pat, a twitch, a tweak, a dab of paint, and hope that the world will somehow overlook your flaws and be enchanted by your beauty?

I've learned to laugh at myself and not take my appearance too seriously. I have a chronic illness, I see the accruing damage it's done, and I've had to accept the possibility that the vision of gorgeousness that's surely hidden in me somewhere may never be revealed to the world.

CAN I BE CONFIDENT IN MY APPEARANCE?
Have you ever met a girl who was unwaveringly confident in her appearance? I mean in her private moments as well as the public ones. I've met cocksure gals whose pride in their appearance is a cover for their secret insecurity, and I guarantee there's not a woman on this planet who when honestly examining herself does not flinch. How, then, does a woman develop confidence in her appearance?

THE SECRET I DISCOVERED
The good news is that a priceless, timeless value lies in my inner beauty, beauty that reflects the nature of Christ. Placing primary significance on this gives me a confidence in who I am and how I look that cannot come from what I see in the mirror.

The body passes away. The soul is eternal. When was the last time you peered at your soul? Did you grimace? What attention did you give to it?--as much and as often as you do to the preparations of your outward appearance?

I pray that we'll develop a passion to "put on Christ" as our inner beauty treatment, and be as devoted to it as we are to our outer body care.

Image No. 1: Shadows distort shape and highlight flaws.
Image No. 2: No makeup, just positioned at a different angle to the light source.

Check how you're positioned to the light source, Jesus Christ!


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Note: We are very sorry about the missing images in this post. They were tragically and irreversibly gobbled by Google+.