We never had it so good.
As women of God, we have always tried to project an image of grace, modesty, and authenticity. We dress to bring glory to our God and to honor the bodies that He gave us. To be honest, though, it’s not always been easy to shop for clothes that met every line item required on our checklist: sleeves, necklines, hemlines, fit … etc.
When I was a teenager, we Pentecostal church girls really had but one option: to take Home Ec and learn how to sew our own clothes. Seriously. What else could we do? Back in the days of miniskirts, the fashion rules were very, very narrow—your individual style was either “IN” or it was frump. The department stores catered to “the world” and almost never carried anything that we could wear—or would want to. But sewing our own clothes wasn’t cheap. You could spend a bundle on nice fabric, a cute Simplicity pattern, and all the necessary notions … and then you still had to MAKE THE DRESS! Yes, and with absolutely no guarantee that your homemade outfit would look even passably “IN” when it was finished.
But … wonder of wonders! We, the women who have for decades been determined to dress modestly, HELD to our standards. Yes, we did, and NOW, though the world didn’t change us, we see that the fashion world has changed around us!
Today, women all over the world, for lots of reasons, are opting for clothes that are less revealing and more honoring … and the global modest clothing market couldn’t be happier. Modesty is now selling, in a BIG way—and transforming what was once a small “niche sector” into a multi-billion-dollar industry. It’s now super easy to find cute dresses, skirts, and activewear that’s modest enough to satisfy any skeptical Church Mother.
My own granddaughters have many more options today than I ever did. In stores, at conferences, and countless online boutiques, they can easily find beautiful, well-made, affordable … AND, yes, modest clothing. (Can I get an AMEN?!) And there’s more good news, girls—the continued investment and popularity among younger consumers suggests that this is a long-term shift rather than just a temporary trend, possibly moving toward reshaping the entire fashion industry.
But, let’s talk about modern modesty. According to Kosher Casual, an Israeli clothing company that’s been selling to the American “modesty market” since 2010, “modesty is no longer just about what we cover. It’s becoming about what we choose. The conversation around modesty—and modest fashion in general—is evolving into something far deeper: a reflection of identity, purpose, and empowerment.”1
It’s true. Feminine modesty is not determined by the length of a sleeve or a hemline, nor is it dressing differently just for the sake of being different. Today’s modest woman doesn’t want to disappear—she wants to project her faith and her values with grace and strength. “When she chooses modesty intentionally—when it’s an act of confidence, not conformity—then it transforms from a boundary into a freedom.”1 The freedom to stand for who—and whose—she is!
In a world that is steadily getting louder and louder, becoming more brash and garish by the day, “modesty feels like a quiet kind of rebellion.”1 It quietly says “no” to a culture growing more promiscuous—it says “no” to those who would blur the lines of our God-given gender identity—it says “no” to those who would cheapen what God calls “precious, honorable, and loved.” (Isaiah 43:4)
At the same time, modesty says “yes” to God’s imperative, “You are to be holy, because I, the LORD, am holy. I’ve separated you from (the world) to be mine.” (Leviticus 20:26) It says “yes” when Paul asks, “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit … and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body which (is) God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJ)
It’s about choosing apparel to reflect what matters more than fashion trends: holiness, integrity, identity, and self-respect without compromise. She who does so learns a valuable secret: living with limits doesn’t embarrass her—it empowers her!
But, there’s also a potential danger. The desire to project an attitude of holiness should never morph into one that is holier than thou. “The very concept of modesty can lead us to being prideful about the way that we modestly dress. It is equally wrong to dress in a way that is provocative … as it is to dress in a way to please people for how modestly we dress, or to look down on those that don’t dress the way that we do.” —“Modesty of the Heart,” The Daily Grace Co.
“Modesty isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a spectrum. It’s a choice.”1 What may be modest for one, may not be considered modest for others. One thing is certain: modesty is more than just complying with a dress code. It MUST be more. It should be an expression of the heart—in authentic humility, self-control, and a desire to honor a holy God. It is a willingness to live within reasonable margins. (Romans 12:1) It’s about boundaries, not bondage—it’s freedom, not force to conform to the world’s standard. It’s more than just about how we dress—it is about how we honor God, ourselves, and others, too.
Even in changing times, true modesty remains what it has always been: a reflection of inner holiness, mindfulness, and grace … “even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” (1 Peter 3:4 KJV)
1Devorah Ohayon, “Modern Modest Fashion and the Meaning Behind It”
