Every woman who tries to dress modestly is fighting an uphill battle in these days of spaghetti straps, bare midriffs, and miniskirts. And if people of normal size think dressing modestly isn’t easy, you can only imagine how hard it is for people who are too small or (horrors!) too big to fit in standard clothing.
Today’s question is posed for all of us who are trying to dress modestly, but especially for those who are hard to fit. What do you do to get modest clothing? Where do you find it?
I’ll let two readers speak for themselves, and I hope you have the help they need. First, we’ll give the larger ladies the podium. After all, the average size woman in America is a size 16:
I have seen all the advertising for the clothing companies that sell modest clothing targeted mostly at LDS women and girls. My daughter loves the clothing.
Here is my problem. I am a sister of a larger size. Most of the clothing these companies sell stops at about a size 16 or 18 (x-large). Don’t they realize that those of us who are larger also want to dress modestly but still be in style? It can be just as hard for me to find modest clothing as it is for my 18-year-old daughter.
I do sew and I have made things for myself, but finding the time to sew can be a challenge and sometimes it costs more to make it yourself then if you could just go and buy clothes ready made. I am not a larger sized woman by choice. Is there anyone else out there who has experienced this situation?
Not your average size but still modest
Is there anyone, indeed! As someone who probably outweighs you by a hefty amount, I can add a hearty “Amen!” to this letter. I have a close friend who once asked why I wear the clothes I do. I told her, “I don’t have a choice. This is the kind of clothing they make for people like me.”
That being the case, I’m excited to see what the readers come up with to help those of us who are generously proportioned. But before we open the call to responses, let’s hear from the other end of the spectrum:
I have recently returned to church activity after many years of not attending church. I have never paid any particular attention to modesty issues before, because I have always dressed in conservative business attire. But now that I am getting ready to go to the temple, I am acutely uncomfortable in my wardrobe. I never wore clothing that I considered to be immodest, but I am tall and thin, and clothing isn’t designed for people like me. The standard skirt length for people who wear size 2 is 21 inches, which falls halfway between my knees and the top of my legs. I feel uncomfortable when I’m walking in such short skirts, but sitting modestly is virtually impossible. I carry a shawl around with me, even in the summer, to put over my knees whenever I sit.
There are friends in the ward who dress in the “Mormon style” of buying what they want and wearing a t-shirt underneath to make it modest, or who buy maxi-skirts to solve the problem of sitting modestly. Although I would never criticize these styles for others, I could never pull it off. I want to continue dressing in conservative business attire — I just want clothes that are long enough to reach my wrists (for jackets) or my knees (for dresses and skirts). Can anybody help?
Leggy in Lincoln
Okay, readers — I’m about to do something I almost never do. I’m going to ask you for names and links and telephone numbers of companies that specialize in modest attire for Latter-day Saints. Send ‘em all to me. Tell me the name of the company, what you like about the company, and how to contact the company. And if the company specializes in clothes for big people or tiny ones (and especially if they don’t gouge customers who happen to be in odd sizes), I especially want to hear from you.
If you’re a legitimate tailor out there who is experienced in making custom clothing, be sure to include references who can be contacted, as well as general prices for the services you provide. I want to help people who need help, but I also don’t want anyone getting fleeced in the name of service.
Send your letters to meridianmagazine@aol.com. We’ll publish your letters next week.
Until next time — Kathy
“Your greatness is measured by your kindness; your education and intellect by your modesty; your ignorance is betrayed by your suspicions and prejudices, and your real caliber is measured by the consideration and tolerance you have for others.”William J.H. Boetcker
