Tips for Dressing Your Daughters

I’ve had several people ask me lately for advice on clothes. Stop snickering. That’s not nice. Stop it.

In the conservative, homeschooling, reformed circles that I travel in….many of the women are still wearing the denim jumpers of the early 90’s.

The girls and I try to stay with the trends a little….but we don’t sacrifice modesty to do it. So I thought I’d post some of our tips for dressing modestly without sacrificing style.

1. Make a list of standards.

We always stick to the standards we have set. Skirts or dresses only. Below the knee. Nothing tight or form fitting. No sleeveless. No low necklines.

We came up with these by noticing what was attractive to men. We don’t want to draw the eye to our private areas. We want to be noticed for our countenence and not our bodies.

2. We don’t do thrift stores.

I know this one will throw people off. I know that most of my friends are doing most of their shopping at second hand shops. But those are the same friends that are asking for my advice, so hear me out…

I find that when I shop at thrift stores I end up with a big pile of clothes that we don’t use. Instead, I shop sales, clearances or at stores like Cato. We don’t have a lot of clothes, but instead we have a few things that we really like.

3. Mix and match EVERYTHING.

The girls and I like skirts and shirts because we can change around our outfits. We each know what colors look good on us and we try to stay with things that will go with a lot of other things.

Every morning the girls come out in something fresh because they put together something cute that is a new combination. We like to experiment with our outfits….play around with it.

It’s important to have some basics…..black and white tops. Solid skirts and basic shoes. Lately we are into brown. Brown goes with everything. Then it’s easy to add fun stuff to the basics.

4. Know your style.

Each of the five of us has a different personal style. The oldest likes a very tailored, simple look. A couple of the girls like to be more trendy, one likes a western look. Myself, I like a vintage touch. Knowing what it is that you like and what you feel good in helps to weed out most of the merchandise in a store. I let the girls explore their own styles, as long as they stick to the list (#1).

5. Less is more.

I know I kind of said this already, but sometimes you just need one or two things to update your wardrobe. Notice what is new out in the stores (like now it’s scarves) and add that instead of changing everything. If leggings are in….get a pair and wear it with what you already have. Keeping one current trend keeps you looking updated without breaking the bank.

6. Be creative.

For us, we like jewelry. A cute, fun necklace or a fun headband can make an outfit. A funky pair of shoes can add a spark to your outfit. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

That’s it. Happy shopping!

This will be reposted on my second blog.