{Click the button above to read all the posts in the series.}
When I emailed Caroline begging for help, I told her the first thing I wanted was a list of what I would need to own if I was going to wear more skirts. I was looking for a list of the essentials.
Today we are going to talk about that list.
First, I want to give a very simple, take-it-to-the-store, kind of list, then I’ll let Caroline elaborate a bit more along with pictures and bonus video of the skirts I purchased following Caroline’s guidelines and Caroline’s own closet!
{note: all of the pictures below are clickable and will take you to the store site}
——————–
Skirts – 3
1 Black
1 Brown
1 Denim
~
Nice Blouses – 3 for each season
~
Everyday Shirts – 3 for each season
~
Shoes
Sandals
Mary Janes
Boots
——————–
OK, now that we have the basics, Caroline gives us a more in-depth explanation of these essentials:
Trying to decide what you need in your closet can be overwhelming. I€™m sure most would agree, your personality influences your wardrobe. Some women like to have a lot of variety in life and their closet reflects that. Other women prefer not do as much laundry, and want only the basics. Whatever your preference, I€™ve compiled a basic list to help you know what you need in your closet.
Skirts-
3 Skirts are a must. Obviously if you wear skirts/dresses every day you might want more, but I think everyone should have at least three.
*A black skirt for dressy occasions and church. I prefer to have a poly blend material for my black skirt, as I€™m usually holding little ones on my lap at church or events, and my skirt is bound to get wrinkled.
*A khaki or brown skirt for everyday and errands. I love how a khaki skirt can be dressed up with a nice blouse, but also looks great with a knit shirt for everyday!
Brown A-line skirt from themodestmom.com
*A denim skirt for everyday. If you don€™t wear jeans, having a denim skirt is a must. You can wear a button up blouse or a knit shirt during the summer. I have a solid black sweater I wear with my denim skirt in the winter time if I need to dress it up a bit. There are so many different shirt styles that look great with this one skirt. If you are shopping at the thrift store, I find a lot of really old looking skirts. Try to find one that is a bit more up to date (and cute). Here are some examples.
Dark wash denim skirt from junees.com
Denim ruffle skirt from themodestmom.com
To ensure your skirts are modest:
Try them on in front of the mirror and move around.
Is it skin tight?
Thin and form fitting?
Can you see the outline of your underwear?
Try sitting down on the floor and playing with your children.
Can you actually do that, or are you distracted by tugging on your skirt?
Hint: A skirt that comes right at the knee will be too short to sit down on the floor modestly.
Dresses–
A dress is not a required item in a wardrobe, as you could get by with just skirts and tops. It is a nice item though, and if your budget can afford it I would get one. Don€™t rule out the sleeveless dresses that are commonly found in the stores, as you could easily couple it with a short sleeve shrug or sweater to make it modest.
Tops–
3 per season
*3 blouses would be a good start. I would aim for 3 short sleeve for spring and summer, and 3 long sleeve for winter months (if you live where it gets cold enough). A white blouse is a must, as it would go with your black skirt well. The other two you could get solid colors that look good on you, or some nice prints or stripes. You can use these blouses for church and other social events.
Here are some examples of blouses that are modest:
Sateen Blouse
Poplin Blouse
{Amy here: I did not purchase blouses like this as they do not fit “my” style. We’ll talk in a subsequent post about following modest guidelines and still coming out looking uniquely you!}
*I would also suggest several everyday tops. If you are a mom of little ones, chances are you go through seasons of spit up and messes from babies. Sometimes a change of clothes are required throughout the day. Some basic knit tops work well for everyday. To be modest though, you may very well have to buy one size bigger, depending on the store brand. Certain knit tops can be very clingy. You don€™t want the whole outline of your undergarments showing.
When trying tops on, bend over in front of a mirror. What you see is what everyone else will see (including men) when you bend over to pick up your child. I end up putting back about 80-90% of the shirts I try on because of the cut. V-neck shirts are commonly cut pretty low, making it hard to bend over in. Some woman have deeper necklines than others, and can handle a little bit lower of a shirt. Just please be considerate of what you are showing. My undergarments are not up for display!
Shoes-
*Mary Jane type shoes look adorable with skirts. Sandals are great also. There are many fashionable boots that are cute for winter time.
Mary Jane shoe from amazon.com
How much is this going to cost?!?
By now you are probably looking at this list and picturing how expensive it is going to be to purchase all these items. Take heart, it doesn€™t have to blow your budget! Here are some tips:
*Go through your closet and get rid of any items that are stained, ripped, worn out, or you just aren€™t comfortable wearing anymore.
*Take an inventory of what is left. Match up your outfits to see if your shirts really even go with the skirts you have. Write down on a piece of paper exactly what you need to be purchasing. The same goes for your undergarments.
*Head to the thrift store or your local consignment shop! Make sure that you go to a thrift store that has a dressing room, as not all of them do. I normally bring a huge stack of items with me to the fitting room, and return about 90% of them. It€™s not always a guarantee that you will find something. Most of the time the prices are worth the hunt though.
*Hit the clearance racks! Places like JCPenny and Kohls (the latter being my favorite for tops) always seem to have clearance racks. More importantly, try to get into a routine of shopping at the end of the season. Last summer I purchased 6 tops and a skirt at Kohls on clearance for around $50.00. The skirt was the most expensive item, and the shirts were around $3-7 each. That price is better than some thrift stores I€™ve been to, and the clothes are brand new! They sat in a tub all winter, and this spring I€™ve been thrilled to pull out some blouses that are brand new with the tags on them to wear.
*Shop with coupons! A lot of department stores will offer coupons for $10 off your purchase of $25 or $50. Take advantage of those sales. Also, places online will offer coupon codes or sales. Currently at The Modest Mom {Caroline’s shop!} every skirt is on sale for a Mothers Day Special!
*Lastly, don€™t feel like you have to have a huge wardrobe to start with. If you are content with a simple wardrobe, then you can slowly add to it as the money allows. I love receiving gift cards for my Birthday or Christmas for places that I can shop and buy clothes at. I only get to buy new clothes a few times a year as it is somewhat of a luxury.
Over at The Modest Mom blog I have posted a vlog where I show you my closet and what it looks like. I hope this will encourage you that wearing skirts does not have to be a burden.
I have found that wearing skirts is enjoyable, beautiful and perhaps most importantly, modest.
Amy again…
I hope we haven’t left you too overwhelmed or in information overload! I want to leave you with a video of my purchases to show it really is easy and inexpensive! I went to ONE thrift store. I spent less than $20. Here’s what I got:
So, what do you think? Not so scary, huh? Wearing skirts really can be beautiful, inexpensive, and easy!
She Wears Skirts series:
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Shonda says
So happy to see this up this morning! 🙂 I’m a large (fluffy) lady. I think one of the biggest reasons I’ve been “Lord please don’t call me to this” lol is my thighs and chaffing. Hey, I’m just being honest here!! I would love to hear what would be good undergarments to help with that. I have a few ideas, like maybe cotton running shorts or something, because after all I will be the only one seeing those. Also I’m thankful for this blog on skirts, perfect timing in my life! God bless!!
Caroline-@The Modest Mom says
Shonda- My Mom was a plus size person, and she had the same problem as you. I remember seeing her wear some really light weight cotton shorts underneath. That seemed to help her.
Leah says
There is this great stuff from walmart in the feminine wash area, its made by monistat. Its a product for chaffing, and I love it! its sort of expensive, about 6 a tube, but it last a long time. Its like a gel to powder. Its hot ans sweaty here in the desert southwest and it really does the trick for us fluffy ones. =) Hope that helps!
http://www.monistat.com/soothing-care-powder-gel
Minette says
I always wear white or navy blue cotton shorts under my skirts in the summer because I don’t like that ‘feel’ either. In the winter I wear cotton tights from MP or even long johns or leggings if the skirt is long enough to cover them. My mom made me some basic shorts to wear & occasionally you can find them at Walmart or KMart and places like that. They are a little like ‘biker shorts’ but mostly cotton. I would never wear them except underneath something :o) AWESOME post Amy! Love your blog!
Stephanie says
I too have the same problem and I wear leggings under all my skirts. They are lightweight enough to wear even in summer. I don’t like the shorts since they tend to ride up on my legs. I hope this helps.
Briana says
Shonda~ I have exactly the same problem. But the solution that I have found and seems to work wonderfully for me is spandex running shorts. Even in the very hot weather where I live they seem to work wonderfully. No chaffing whatsoever.
Hope that helps! Briana
Amy says
We will be addressing undergarments! 🙂 And comment away! Others read through these comments looking for more information, so what you offer is very much appreciated!
Mama Mirage says
Hi Shonda! My thighs rub too and I’m a skirt wearer so I have a couple pairs of men’s spandex swimming/exercise shorts which I use for swimming suit bottoms and wear under my skirts. They are very loose-legged and come down to my knees so they dual duty as both a slip under my skirt and they slide against each other smoothly instead of my thighs getting chaffed.
Frances says
Hi!! I just saw the question about how to keep your thighs from chafting. As someone who has worn skirts almost all my life…I finally figured it out!! It’s cheap and effective. DEODORANT!! Yep. The same stuff that keeps your underarms from chafting as they rub all day also works on your thighs!! I do this when I go walking, so I know it really works.
Sonita Lewis says
Now there is something I hadn’t thought of. I’ll have to try that!
mama lieveheersbeestje says
Hi everyone! I love this post about start to wear skirts ! I live in the Netherlands and I wear skirts al arround the year, even in cold and icey winters. But we have some sticky, hot and humid summers overhere too. And I found the perfect solution to the painful tights! Babypowder…
You just powder your tights before getting dressed and that’s it. Maybe you need to powder ones more during a humid day, but it is a great solution. You can try different kinds of babypowder, see what works the best. I use a cheap brand from overhere (about a dollar for one box), you can do a year or even more with one box (depends on your climate of course). This solution realy helped me getting into the dresses and skirts as I was realy getting pain before.
My skirts als come from trift shops (usualy about 2 or 3 dollars each), and as most woman never ever wear skirts overhere, they are mostly in perfect condition. It seems that woman do buy skirts for a special occasion and that never wear it again and give it to the trift shop. Ha, I love to find those skirts. Besides I als made some skirts myself. I only have one dress, I feel more easy with skirts. You can easy put on a clean top that is always getting spotted with little children in the house and wash it easy. A dress always is more work to take care of , so I keep that for special occasions.
Love these series!
Greetings from Mama Lieveheersbeestje.
Shonda says
I’m sorry, but I forgot to say I also like to order from Woman within. Its great for us large ladies, wonderful sales and I’ve found some very modest things there. sorry I had to comment again!
Michelle G says
Shonda,
Bike shorts are good to wear too! I also have spanks and that helps with the rubbing too:) I really struggle finding skirts and dresses at thrift stores because of my size, but just keep looking:)
aurie says
I am so glad to see this post!! I have been thinking that I’d like to get out of my jeans into the practice of wearing skirts – and this is jam packed with lots of wonderful info!
I was lucky to be gifted 2 skirts recently from my amazing mother in law, a blue floral and a denim one 🙂 I’m going to start with those, and then work through my closet to see what I can find.
Also – I really like layering, so I have thin tank tops in all colors, many with a bit of lace above the bust, so that I can pair a lower cut tee with a tank for more coverage.
Melody says
Those are some pretty clothes! I totally agree about the thrift stores and older looking clothes……tops seem to be easy to find at ours but skirts are very outdated looking. You can find them occasionally, but it takes a bit of looking.
My favorite tip for skirts and little ones is to make it long and full. My favorite skirt is an a-line skirt that is almost ankle length and pretty full – and I can get on the floor and wrestle with my boys in it and still stay modest. :O) Well, as modest as one can while wrestling. LOL! It’s so much harder to sit on the floor in a straight skirt – though I don’t have problems with them and do think they look nice. I just can’t move as well in them so usually avoid them.
I’m having a MUCH harder time finding nice clothes now that I’m pregnant though. My everyday style is pretty dressy, and most of the maternity stuff at our thrift store is more casual. I love plain tees with a jean skirt, but I work from home and have clients through the house and need dressier tops.
To answer Shonda about chafing – a lady from my church likes to wear the split slips (think they’re called pettipants?) under her skirts. Other women I know wear biker shorts. Personally, I don’t like the extra layers around my waist (get too hot here in the South). I’ve found putting some deodorant (same kind you use under your arms) on that spot on your thighs really helps prevent the chafing. It’s not foolproof but really does help.
Amy says
Did you see that The Modest Mom has maternity skirts?! 🙂
Melody says
I did. I’m mostly set for skirts this time – it’s tops I need (I’m a size bigger this time so my old tops don’t fit). I wish she had more in my size on her site.
Thanks though!
Anita Chamblee says
Don’t forget the clearance racks of your local department stores!! Last year I found several long, full, fun print skirts at our local Belk store for about $10 each. At Old Navy, I found several long tiered skirts that are very feminine and look great just paired with simple t-shirts. I even found one for my very picky 22 yo daughter that she actually likes and wears!! I think we paid around $12 for these as well. We have been organizing clothes for the children in the last few weeks and found that my almost 12 yo daughter has about a dozen skirts!! She thought she needed some new pants and modest shorts to wear on town days, but we told her she could just wear the skirts. Obviously we aren’t wearing skirts every day, but we are wearing them more than just on Sundays now.
Erica says
One caveat I’ve found…be aware of the dangers of slits on skirts. Now I know to be very careful about that, but they can make what would have been a nice, long, modest skirt not modest. And I completely agree…thrift stores are the way to go! One I go to has a “better brands” section where nicer clothes are at a HUGE discount, and if the tag is the right color for the week, it’s an even better deal.
Rebecca says
Amy-I have the same tiered skirt you have (you have the brown one) and I have it in black…so comfy! Mine was a maternity skirt and I just sewed some tucks in at the waist as I lost weight and I continue to use it, only during the warm seasons, it’s really lightweight. I also did WW after the birth of my last child and I lost 80lbs. I would like to lose 15-20lbs more but haven’t made a trip back to WW, instead I am trying to implement what I learned there but I will say the accountability of weighing in is a huge motivator! WW is a little out of my budget too, but I wish my husband and I could do it together! I am loving this series! I love wearing skirts but once it gets cold, always seem to put them up for the winter. I can’t wait to see what else is said, especially about that topic, and I’m glad we have a nice long warm/hot season coming up so I will have time to prepare for winter! I liked your skirts…oh and the shirts were cute but you have to IRON them!! Not my style and I definitely don’t want to iron. :~)
Rebecca
Grateful Grammy says
LOVE this post and all you have written so far on modest dressing! Thank you, too, for adding the practical information about shoes because I’ve seen a lot of “skirt” pictures where the gals are barefoot (as in the sketch at the top of this post, too).
Keep up the good work!!!
Lauree says
I’ve never felt like I could do dresses, but the more you talk about skirts I feel like I might be able to do those. Hmmmm…..Maybe I’ll buy one for Mother’s Day-I will really shock my family. 🙂
Jaime @ Like a Bubbling Brook says
I’ve found many cute skirts at thrift stores, and I have an everyday denim ruffle skirt that I LOVE from Caroline at her Modest Mom store. It’s a fantastic skirt! I’m hoping to get her ruched skirt in the black poplin at some point.
I also have a denim tiered skirt by Ralph Lauren, purchased on sale at Kohls, that I wear with super comfy black Mary Janes. They are Clarks, and somehow make the skirts look even cuter 🙂
Good shoes really make a difference in your total look when you are wearing a skirt!
Love this series, ladies. Thanks for sharing your heart!
Jaime
http://likeabubblingbrook.com
Jaime @ Like a Bubbling Brook says
Enjoying this series!
Lisa H. says
I have a long dress that I paired with a cami underneath it. For long dresses, you have to find the hawaiian style mumus and make sure the size is Large or extra large. They are very comfortable in the summer and I consider them very modest. I think it is a very simple layout. You might be able to find a sewing pattern but I am not sure. The Hawaiian style mumus are not the same as the wrap dresses commonly sold to tourists. I hope that helps a little.
Lisa h.
Autumn Beck says
A little unrelated but is there anyway you could make the links open in a new tab? I clicked one and shopped around then had to backspace a dozen times to get back to the blog….now back to the post lol
Amy says
Should be fixed! 🙂
Kimberly says
I love skirts…but I HATE the way they look with sneakers! I have problems with my feet, that make wearing any other footwear very painful. (when I get dressed up, I suffer through my dress flats, and count the minutes until I can get home to my sneakers!)
I far prefer skirts and Maryjanes…but I am stuck in jeans and sneakers. Drat my arthritic, bunion swollen, high arched feet!
Amy says
We’ll be talking more about shoes in an upcoming post. I despise uncomfortable shoes!
Mama Mirage says
If you don’t mind denim skirts, they look just fine with sneakers. I have been around many dress-wearers who wear sneakers with denim skirts and even when I was not a skirt-wearer the denim looked fine with sneaks. Also skirts that are solid colors and have pleats instead of gathers look better with sneakers than skirts that are patterned, ruffled, or gathered. Skirts that hang down pretty straight are more flattering with sneakers than are fluffy skirts that flare out.
Beth says
I also have foot problems and was frustrated at always having to wear sneakers. I have found the Merrill brand shoes are so comfortable and supportive, although expensive. I bought a pair of maryjane style shoes from them and love them with skirts. Feels as good as my athletic shoes. Also bought sandals from them last year and wore them all summer!
mama4x says
Don’t forget the layering “trick”- if a shirt has too deep a neckline or is a button-down, just layer a camisole or tank top underneath. If a shirt doesn’t pass the bend over test don’t forget layering. Especially in colder weather.
Michelle says
The link for the Mary Janes on Amazon does not appear to be working. When I hover over it, I see that it’s a coding problem. You see to have an extra space and character before the > to close the code.
Amy says
I think it is fixed now! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Mama Mirage says
Amy I thought I’d mention The Modesty Survey in case you would like to share it with your readers. It was a survey done of over 1,600 teen boys and men about what kind of female atrtire makes them stumble! It is a very enlightening read that I think every woman who cares about her brothers in Christ should see.
http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/
Mama Mirage says
I just dared to post a comment with a link (to The Modesty Survey results- a survey of 1,600 men on modesty) and it must have been filtered out as spam. Just letting you know… I thought it could be helpful to your readers and relevant to the skirt subject.
Amy says
For some reason Akismet has flagged you. I went and grabbed it out of the spam folder, so hopefully it will know better next time! 😉
Mama Mirage says
Thank you sweetie! I don’t know why it hates me every time I post a link! Lol!
Morgan says
Wow this is so fun! I wear skirts everyday, unless I’m working on the farm, then I wear my overalls. For those I just make sure they’re not to tight around the bottom and their not to short (cause if they are the legs are usually fine, but the buttons end up in inappropriate places) I get overalls at FleetFarm and their cheep!
As for my skirts I have (since I wear them everyday) about 15! Some are for more dressy occasions. (Satin or Velvet) but most are my everyday things, which can be dressed up when I need to. I have three wrap skirts! Two are corduroy. (one is Indian red and the other teal) and the other is some kind of thicker fabric…(don’t remember what it’s called) And I’m actually wearing it now! (it’s pretty much my favorite winter/spring/fall skirt!)
I usually pair my skirts with a simple tee shirt, but without advertising or graphics. Especially no advertising (except for the Creation Museum) 😉 I don’t want to be a billboard. Anyway, words on a tee shirt often get women into trouble. I mean Where do I want people looking when they read my shirt? Really comfortable big tee shirts with words I wear like pajamas. (It’s nigh on impossible to find modest night wear for teens in our modern world…)
As for chafing I have this problem. I got a yeast infection and it keeps coming back. Cotton shorts (which go to my knees) can help, but they are often uncomfortable under a skirt, and can easily destroy the line of it. :/ so I like wearing those leggings. You know, the ones made to wear under those (immodest) short shirt/dress things? I NEVER use them for that, but they are really comfortable under a skirt. And since they end just below the knee they are the right length! (they can be a little warm in summer though, when I go with tightish exercise shorts)
🙂
Smile,
Morgan
Elizabeth says
Thanks for sharing this post and for everyone that has commented. I’ve found this information very helpful.
Where do you guys get whatever you get to keep your legs warm in the winter? I don’t like the way tights slide down (maybe I need the next size up?).
Of course, we’re now coming into summer. I’ve often wondered what to do when gardening. Do you just kneel down on something to keep from getting the skirt dirty?
I totally agree about keeping the skirts well past the knees when working with lots of littles. And I’m glad I’m not the only one that has a hard time with tops. I’ve had many given to me and find it incredibly frustrating that I can’t bend over when I wear them. I always put them aside to pass along again (or just wear around my hubby ;).
My absolute favorite skirt is one that I can wear when I’m pregnant and when I’m not. It has elastic in the waist and is made of a knit cotton material. It is a little heavy for summer wear. I wish I had a few more of them though. It sure is nice not to have to change my wardrobe every time my body changes (which is a lot with five kids eight and under). Maybe one of these days I’ll learn how to sew. :/
Anyway, thanks for sharing. I’m looking forward to the discussion of comfortable footwear and whatnot.
Nicole says
I really appreciate this! One thing that I find especially discouraging is having to throw out clothes that you do realize are not as modest as you once thought! I suppose the consignment shop is one option…
Will/could there be a post in the future about remaking clothes or sewing in modesty panels?? Maybe there could be a link up for making clothes modest??
Amy says
There will be a link- up or two along with this series, so that might be a good idea to go with that!
sonya says
just a thought, back when the bible was written both men and women wore robes. i guess that could be considered a dress…in scottland men still wear skirts….but my question is why do some consider wearing dresses/skirts more spiritual than pants?
i read the biblical command as telling women not to dress as men—as in don’t try to look like a man (cross dressing)
I’m all for modesty, and pants can be just as modest as skirts, in some ways more so…i think a skirt could make a lady more vulnerable in alot of ways.
I’m not trying to start an argument I’m just genuinely curious.
Amy says
Have you read the Why Skirts? post in this series? That might answer your questions. You can find it here: https://raisingarrows.net/2011/04/she-wears-skirts-why-skirts.html
Ruby says
Love this series. I used to wear only skirts and dresses when I lived in warmer weather, but now that I’ve moved to New England, I suffered through this winter in sweatpants, corduroy pants and long-johns. It gets below zero here and is always very windy – even if I were to get ankle-length corduroy skirts and put long johns and tights underneath, I’m afraid it just wouldn’t be warm enough to go out in. I guess you could pull it off with leggings, tall Ugg-style boots and long warm coats? But then I’d look twice the size I really am with all those layers :/ Needless to say, I’m looking forward to the warm weather again so I can finally start wearing skirts!
Christine says
I recently came across some skirts that my mom made for me as a teenager that I like but are too short now. I have leftover material from my sewing projects that I’m going to use re-create new skirts using the old (which probably means throwing on some ruffles or layers!). I’m excited to think that I could have 3-4 new skirts pretty soon!
Grateful for Grace says
Love this. It’s all true.
I have a friend who is taking me shopping for my birthday and is helping me learn what looks great on my figure (cylindrical with a diastasis, annoying figure to me 😉 ), what fits my style, and what meets my modesty criteria. I’m very excited to spruce up my wardrobe. I’ve only been wearing skirts for two years, but it’s been a real blessing to me.
Nicki says
I can’t view the video at the ed of this post….any suggestions? Thanks for doing this series, Amy…I’ve tried this several times with the “chaffing issue” my biggest thing. Lots of good suggestions here today, though!
Amy says
Boy, my blog is really misbehaving today! I think I got it fixed. Thanks for letting me know!
Nicki says
Thanks, Amy!
Suanna says
Amy, thanks for the link to Caroline’s store. She has some great selections and I love that you can choose the length on many of her skrits. I bookmarked her site and hope to return to it when I have a chance.
Liz says
Thanks for this post series. I have been considering the jump to just skirts, and this is helpful in deciding.
Andrea says
Great post! I wrote a little bit about my transformation to skirts only on this blog post:
http://andreamomm.blogspot.com/2011/04/fabulously-feminine-fridays.html
I love some of these ideas! Boho skirts are a great option for summer, and even winter months with tights. They allow TREMENDOUS freedom of movement, are extremely feminine and I accomplish all of my household tasks in them..AND they work perfectly for maternity (which I do a lot:) )and post partum.
Blessings!
Teresa in WV says
I just found this article via Facebook, and I’d like to chime in. I wear only skirts … at home or away … all year round, indoor or out. I am also, um, “fluffy.” I wear mostly denim A-line 5 pocket skirts from Woman Within. They are about $25 each in my size (smaller sizes are $5 less, I think). They last for years! Unless I get them dirty, I wear them for several days in a row (just like I did back in my tight jeans years). I wear them with tee-shirts for everyday, and a tee w/camp shirt when I go to town. Only on really cold days do I wear long johns or similar pants outside. I use baking soda for chafing, baby powder just doesn’t get it any more. HTH
Amy says
One quick warning – I’ve been a big fan of April Cornell for many years, but sadly had to stop buying her skirts/dresses. The quality of the fabric is seriously lacking and the dresses don’t last long, no matter how carefully you care for them! I had one gorgeous dress that I wore once to church and once to a baby shower. I was horrified to discover that the fabric on the underarm of one sleeve had literally SHREDDED. Since I was wearing a soft sweater both times I just can’t understand how that would have happened, except that the fabric felt very flimsy and VERY poor quality. I expect far better quality when the prices are that high.
Michelle says
I would love to start wearing more skirts too – but I have a couple of concerns:
1. I am overweight, and I find that many skirts make me look even bigger.
2. I hate wearing tights/hose of any sort. I’m okay wearing them bare legged with sandals in the summer, but in the winter what do I do? (We live in a cold climate.)
Caroline-@The Modest Mom says
I would suggest trying cuddleduds. They are so soft, and really warm. My Mom was overweight and really liked wearing those under her skirts. Also, I always thought that skirts were MORE flattering on my Mom than pants, as pants outline every curve on a plus size woman.
Lisa says
What I do in the winter is wear nice socks with a lace up black boot that goes up several inches from the ankle, looks better if you have a long skirt, or high winter snow boots. Also I use a nice pair of tennis shoes w/socks for inbetween weather. I wear leather dress shoes without socks when it’s fairly warm for outings and church. I have some mary jane style shoes by Born from a quality shoe store, black, brown and red. I do not wear tights or nylons ever.
Amy says
We will be addressing these topics. 🙂
Sarah says
I also have a plus sized relative and have thought more than once that a skirt would be way more flattering on her than pants, especially the rear view!
Teresa in WV says
It gets cold where I live, too. Since I wear denim, the skirts are relatively warm anyway. They are also about 35″ long, therefore almost to my ankles (I’m 5’8″). When I go out in the snow, I wear men’s wool insulated socks, which come up to my knees. In the house, I just wear regular socks & shoes.
CharleneM says
I am a bit “fluffy” as others have said (18/20 ish)! LOL I REALLY want to wear skirts and dresses, but so often they make me feel like I’m wearing a tent. My husband doesn’t want me looking like I’m frumpy. Does anyone have any suggestions for skirts that look well on larger bodies?
I really like the idea of dresses, but it is SO hard to find longer ones. All the longer ones have plunging necklines to your belly button. I know I can layer, but I’d prefer not to in the deep South.
Amy says
Charlene,
We will be addressing this very issue! 🙂
CharleneM says
Can’t wait! I did just order a couple of dresses from Roamans and WomanWithin and SoftSourroundings–but it’s all so expensive. But it’s spring and getting hot and I don’t have much. Plus we just started going to a Baptist Church last weekend and ALL the women had on dresses. I’m use pants and a top or jeans and a nice top and heels…
Maybe I’ll have to start sewing…
Angela says
Charlene, I just saw your post after I left a comment talking about woman within, lol…I use their coupons and wait for sales on the outfits I want and so far have been fortunate to score some great prices. I too live in the south and girl, it gets hot and muggy! It realy does challenge the idea of long skirts when capris are so easy. I like gouchos to and admit they have been my compromise so far! I am not happy with my figure since our third baby but, I guess some changes will just take time and the good Lord’s blessings! Hang in there!
Brandy @Brandy's Brood says
Oh I was so glad to see this post today, Amy! As I mentioned in a comment on a previous post here, going back to skirts and dresses (btw, I have found some really cute dresses at thrift stores too — for $20 or less usually). After I read your first 2 posts on this, I really started praying about it … and talked with Jason about how I noticed I’ve been feeling in pants and how I DON’T like other guys checking me out (especially when I’m thinner) when I’m in pants … and mentioned how I had been thinking about doing skirts and dresses again.
Guess what? He felt my heart was entirely in the right place and completely agreed with what I was saying! The girls and I will ALL begin working on getting more skirts and dresses as we have to buy new clothes for everyone {for me, it won’t be until I’m closer to my goal weight}! I am SO excited about this!!!
Amy says
Wow, Brandy! That is wonderful!
Brandy @Brandy's Brood says
I am SO excited about this!!
Already got my oldest a new dress, using a Zulily credit I had! She is SUPER happy.
It’s something I’m going to end up writing a blog post on … but I thought this was funny:
I was a very boyish tomboy. Got into physical fights with boys. I was rough and tough.
After I had my oldest, I started — for the first time — getting interested in more girly things. Our oldest is naturally VERY girly. Pink, dresses, baby dolls. That didn’t come from me, that’s for sure. But she’s inspired me … especially when she tells me she doesn’t like jeans … that she feels more girly wearing dresses/skirts.
And seeing her face TOTALLY light up when I told her our decision? And her saying “It’s my dream that I get to wear dresses all the time, Momma! My dream came true!!”
well that just sealed the deal even further. lol
Amy says
Oh, how cute! 😉
Muthering Heights says
This has been such a neat series…I’m benefiting from the links you have shared! 🙂
Angela says
Hey Amy, one site I recently found that has great sale prices better than Walmart, Kohls and such is called http://www.womanwithin.com. I am not an overweight mom but I did have our third baby a few months ago. So, I am a little more large than normal. One thing I like about this site is that the tops are longer and cover my toosh better that just about any department store. I am slowly making the change to more femine clothes but admit it’s a little hard to do all at once. 😉 Thanks for all of your post and the sacrifice of time to do so!! Best wishes – AJ
Donna Jdo says
Great post! One way I have lessened the laundry is to wear each skirt 2 days in a row. Then washing, that way 3 skirts turns into 6 days. Most of the time the skirts don’t get dirty (unless doing outside work) and you can wear more than one day. It really helps to have a good variety of tops to dress up or down each skirt. I bought some skirts/tops last year at a huge Belk’s sale in Oct. They were $4-$6 each marked down from $60-$80 ~ those were nicer tiered colorful skirts that I wear for church and I hang them together with the matching top in the closet.
Amanda Sikes @ Our Heart and Home says
I am loving this series!!! Thank you so much for all the ideas and the heart lessons behind wearing skirts. I am a skirt wearer too and it’s so nice to hear from others in a loving and uplifting environment.
Tina @ A Gentle Mother says
Amy! It was SO great to hear from you! I lost your email…can you send me an email so I can have it again? I have REALLY been enjoying your skirt series! LOVE it! I wish you were here to play in the tree fort too ;). I sure do miss you. I know it isn’t *that* far, but it seems like forever away now.
(((HUGS))) my friend!
Lisa says
The Lord has been impressing on my heart for me to be more modest in my apperal. I began praying over this issue about a year and half ago. I started picking up skirts here and there mostly from goodwill and now I have a large collection. I was a jeans only cept on Sunday kind of gal. So I just changed that over to denim skirts. That is the first place I head to when shopping is the denim skirts to see whats new :O) Now after talking with my husband who agress that he enjoys seeing me in more femine attire (dresses & skirts) it confirmed what the Lord was already showing me in my heart! So now I am dresses/skirts only and I am teaching my daughters to be more femine and modest and the Lord seems to have done a work in their hearts also because instead of the complaning I thought I would encounter….I was met by young ladies who realized that we need as Christian women to be set apart in our dressing! Love the post!! Blessings, Lisa
Lisa~ says
This is a great start. I am looking forward to your post on following your own style. For me, I wouldn’t wear the things you showed. I don’t care for denim skirts really and I wouldn’t wear those mary janes. But that’s just my own style, nothing wrong with them. The pictures you show do not represent what you have to look like when you wear dresses only.
As for the topic on chafing, I am also a plus sized girl and I wear Spanx. Spanx fixes chafing and a lot of other problems. LOL! Lisa~
Rebecca says
Just another quick thought….I wear flip flops ALOT with skirts. I don’t think I have noticed that being mentioned but those cheap Old Navy flip flops that they throw on sale for $1….I get as many colors as I can find and especially the basic navy blue, black, brown and they work for me terrificly. I keep them clean with just the water hose and a good rag and store them during winter, pull them out and I’m a happy camper until frost lands on the ground again.
Andrea says
So enjoying this series, we are expecting our 4 th blessing and so I have made a couple of Angela Coffman’s Florinda skirts, they are nice, modest and I feel beautiful in them. (2 denim, 1 tan, 1 print) I also prayed before shopping for shoes and it was a challenge shopping with 3 children but found a pair of black ballerina shoes for church, for 10.00$ I also have a black skirt. Looking forward to the post on maternity and nursing. Thank you again so much for this series.
Anita says
I really love that you are focusing on heart here, and not legalism… I’ve been thinking lots about it, searching and searching my heart, trying to figure out how I feel about it (well, me and God together!!) and I know for sure that I feel more graceful, feminine and soft in skirts and I think it does affect the way I act and my attitude too.
Anyway, I wanted to mention that I once re-fashioned my absolute favourite pair of hot pink, corduroy trousers (which wore through in one small spot on the knees)into a skirt… I unpicked the inside seams on the legs (so all the seams that sit between your legs) and lay it flat on the ground, with the legs of the trousers laid out as they would naturally fall, with a triangular gap between them. I cut some navy blue corduroy with lime green stars (did I mention I like bright?!) to match that gap for both sides and sewed it in (effectively they become the middle of the front and the middle of the back of the skirt), then sewed on some star shapes of the dark blue cord in random places (and as patches on the worn bits!) on the hot pink “ex-trousers”… it turned out awesome, was so easy and I got so many, many compliments on that skirt… people kept asking me where I bought it and it was long and modest and in a situation where someone was changing over to skirts, I imagine you could quite easily re-purpose most pairs of trousers! It would also help with those who feel that their style couldn’t possibly be accommodated by existing modest skirts!
Amy if people were interested, I’d be happy to do a very quick video or pictorial demo on how to do it- once you’ve seen it, it’d be so simple!
Rebecca says
Anita—-I was wondering about this very thing for some jeans I have in my closet. I am having a horrible time finding denim skirts and I know of people doing this (turning pants into skirts) but I was wondering about the thickness of denim….would a regular sewing machine work? I would like to see it being done. I have some khaki pants as well that are nice and a green pair. They would be nice and modest, having started as pants, the length could be as long as a person wanted. Thanks.
Christine says
Rebecca,
I’ve used my regular sewing machine for re-creating outfits out of denim. One I’m working on now is re-creating a denim skirt using another skirt that I *love* that was given to me. The skirt itself is not as long as I would like, but the real issue is the slit in the back. So I’m using some leftover material I had, matched it with some leftover burgundy corduroy, and I’m making a longer ruffled skirt. It looks super cute in my head, so we’ll just have to see if it turns out that way! The key to sewing with denim (that I’ve found) is matching the strength of the needle(s) with the strength of the denim.
…..My mom also had leftover denim from some jeans that she trimmed (into shorts) for a neighbor. So I just opened up the pant legs, and paired it with some cute brown flower flannel that I had, and I’m making a paneled skirt for my 2.5-yr old. …. This, and my “new” ruffled denim skirt, I found tutorials online that I followed. Some are more detail oriented than others, but just find one that you are happy with! 🙂
Amy says
Anita,
As a visual person, I would absolutely LOVE to see a tutorial on this!
Anita says
Ok Amy, I’ll work on getting that done… I have just been sick the last few days and still getting over it, so I will just say that I will do it when I can without sacrificing family first 🙂
I could do a video or a series of pictures, but I don’t have somewhere I could post them… is there some way I can get it to you?
Amy says
My videos are hosted at Vimeo. Is that something you could do? All you have to do is set up an account there and upload the videos. From there, I can embed your videos here.
Anita says
Sure, will do. I will let you know when it’s done.
Amy says
Thank you!
Sarah says
I’ve very much enjoyed reading your posts on wearing skirts. I actually had been blogging about my own experiences in being convicted over not dressing feminine, and a friend of mine sent me a link to your blog. I’m not to the point where I will never wear pants (like when gardening or running), but I’ve been wearing them more often, and the impact I can see not just in my own life but in that of my kids has blown me away. I hope that my children will see a godly version of femininity in me instead of absorbing the disgusting options the world fosters as feminine.
And btw, I make a lot of my own dresses and skirts from vintage patterns which tend to be more modest in length and upper coverage. I also repurpose jeans that are beyond use. Both of these are an easy and affordable source to bulk up a wardrobe of skirts and dresses.
Andrea says
Just wanted to post an update, my husband complimented me twice already today on how nice I look : ) this just made my day, thankyou for helping me turn frumpy into nice and modest.
Amy says
How wonderful!
Stephanie says
To make shorter dresses and skirts more modest wear an “underskirt”. I am not sure if that is an official name, but it is pretty much a slip or skirt that is longer and meant to show. You can easily make them or alter thrift store finds to work for this purpose. Usually a slimmer fitting skirt body (but with room to move) with a ruffle at the bottom looks best. The ruffle at the bottom would stick out under the dress or skirt. You can buy premade ruffles at fabric stores as well and could possibly even just attach it right to the dress or skirt.
Jessica says
I love my pregnany belly and don’t want to hide it in a skirt and look huge and frumpy. Where can I get a modest maternity skirt at a good price? Also, is “showing off” my pregant belly unmodest?
Jennifer says
Love this article! However, all the Kohl’s links don’t work anymore. Could you show some similar items elsewhere? I need visuals! Thanks so much!
Amy says
Jennifer,
I tried to remember the links that Caroline had there and added them back in. Hope that helps. Don’t know why they suddenly didn’t work! Sorry about that!
Sonita Lewis says
I am just devouring this series! I keep coming back and re-reading it!
While I don’t think skirts (even long ones) are always more modest than pants, nor do I feel it’s more Biblical to wear skirts, I read something somewhere a while back where a young girl told her mother she wanted only skirts because she noticed that it’s mostly Christians that wore skirts out on a daily basis…that was a way the child wanted to witness to others, was through wearing skirts daily.
Wearing more skirts/dresses is something I’ve been contemplating for a while. This series inspired me to buy skits/dresses only instead of shorts/pants on my last trip to the thrift store.
I’ve read many of the comments here and one thing I wanted to bring up was shorter (but still modest) dresses/skirts. I bought a dress on my shopping trip yesterday that is shorter than I normally wear (I prefer ankle length but bought a below the knee dress) I bought it knowing I wouldn’t wear it daily or out and about with my my children, but thought, for $1.20 for an entire outfit….I can wear it if me and the hubby go out alone for dinner or something. While I wouldn’t need a ton of these in my closet, 1-2 are okay I think.
One big problem I have is the mindset. I grew up only wearing skirts to church (which we did not attend regularly) and on special occasions (weddings, funerals, etc) so no matter what I wear a dress makes me feel dressy. We wore our dresses/skirts to where ever then came home and changed. We never cleaned in a skirt or dress! Never played outside in a dress/skirt! I find this mindset is hard for me to overcome.
Even though I bought a skirt specifically for ‘around the house’ that would be okay to ‘mess up’ I still feel to dressy in it to comfortably clean in it. LOL
Anyone else have this problem?
Andrea says
Such a great list, you did an excellent job, enjoying the series.
Tami says
how can I start wearing everday skirts/dresses?
I still wear shorts…not pants really anymore.
What do you “camp” in, do yard work, housework, ect.
I am a stay at home wife–and need a daily start.
I hate housework, clutter..so I have a clean cluttered house. BUT hub and I are attending a pentecostal church and many don’t watch tv..so what do the women do all day? seriously?
Danielle B says
Well MOST women, who SAH, do laundry, dishes, cook, take care of the kids, some homeschool. A TRUE sahm does NOT sit around and watch tv all day. There’s no time for it.
amanda says
Just wanted to share that a good site for modest clothing is Impel…there is a link on my blog…the skirts and dresses are longer, the camis are higher toward the neck, etc…lots of great…and modest clothing…twowild.blogspot.com! loving this series!
Danielle B says
One thing I will NEVER understand, and maybe some of the ladies can explain this to me. I don’t jsut wear skirts and dresses, and I’m modest by my standards. (nothing too low cut, nothing to short, too tight) I have no problem w/wearing sleeveless, halter tops, or strapless dresses.
Many women who do the only dresses and skirts, do it because they feel the Bible says to not dress like men. Okay, I got that. Yet, they wear button down tops. They are MEN’S tops. My husband wears one everyday for his job. They are SLIGHT differences in button down tops for men and women. the cut is a bit different, the buttons button on the other side. but basically they are men’s tops. So how are they justifying that? They are wearing men’s clothes.
Jillian says
Not exactly. Traditionally pants/trousers/jeans were only worn by men. It is a garment that men have been wearing LONG before women. In fact it was actually scandalous for woman to be seen wearing pants. It wasn’t until the 60s that pants became fashionable for women. A button down shirt however is something that has been worn by men and women and so it is not considered a male only clothing item. Just think back to little house on the prairie. Womens dresses/tops often had buttons going down the front. The same way a woman can wear gloves or a hat and no one would think she’s dressing like a man, is how she can wear a button down shirt. Some clothes are unisex. It just doesn’t have the same association as a man’s garment, the way pants/jeans do. Hope I explained that a bit for you. : )
Danielle says
I have a practical question on shoes – I have boots that I really like but they are only slightly above the ankle. Would they look right with a long skirt? What is the “rule of thumb” if you will, on boot height? Now please hear me here. I am not talking “rule” like religi-osity but fashion/common sense. What looks the best?
This is a new journey for me – the girl who from high school to age 31 wore one dress….on her wedding day. Then at 31 I wore dresses b/c being 8 months pregnant is august is no fun in pants.
thanks for your time!
Amy says
In my mind, I wouldn’t wear short boots unless my skirt was quite long. Try it and have someone take pictures of you or look in a full length mirror and decide if it looks strange or seems to be a good match. 🙂
Cara Young says
I’d like to add one more suggestion for checking to see if your skirts are modest. Bend over with your back to the mirror and look in the mirror. Or feel how far the gem comes up on the backs of your legs(or thighs?). Think child’s vision level here. What do your little boys see every time you bend over to pick something up? Yes we should be sqatting to do so (better for our backs, but do you?) This was something I always cringed about with my mom, who always dressed modestly but mostly wore skirts that came to just below the knee.
Andrea says
This information is so helpful, I keep coming back to the basic list, as the weather is changing and I went from summer maternity to post baby and winter coming. Not a lot of time to sew and even less to go shopping, how does a homeschooling mother with young children get time to sew or shop?
Danielle B says
The weekends or evenings when your husband is home. Surely he can handle the children so you can sew or do some shopping.
Marcia @ Takingthyme says
I have recently found a great online shop ~
modest4me.com – – great cami’s to make most shirts modest, and nice dresses
Karri says
I didn’t read through all 107 comments 🙂 But just in case someone has not recommended Style J skirts, I would highly recommend them!! Their website is http://www.denimskirts.com They are a little pricier than some, but they are made in small lots and have extreme attention to detail. I now own 4 of theirs and just adore them! Thanks for your wonderful website, what an uplifting experience!!
Amy says
I just got my first Style J skirt! Love it! Thanks for sharing.
Cassi says
I’m thoroughly enjoying this series; this is actually the second time I’ve read through it. 🙂 It arrived at a particularly . . . fortuitous(?) time in my life, as wearing more skirts has been something I’ve been contemplating recently. Usually, I’m very much a jeans and t-shirt girl. I don’t think much about what I put on, other than does it fit reasonably well and cover my naked body, lol. But I’ve been considering what it means to be a woman, particularly a woman of God, and one thing I’ve always noticed about the rare act of wearing a dress is how it affects me, in mindset and behavior. I feel–and act–more like a lady when I’m dressed like one. And it was from this angle, rather than some belief (which I still don’t hold) that God dictates women should only wear dresses, that I approached the idea of adding more skirts/dresses to my wardrobe, not only for church or special occasions, but also for everyday wear. Then I stumbled upon your series through a blog-hop and random surfing. I think one of the posts was suggested at the end of the linked post, but I digress. I’ve been wearing skirts for four days now. Thank you very much. I now feel strange when I get dressed in the morning, no matter what I put on, lol. Though admittedly, I feel far less so now that I’ve made my own jean skirt (heavens, but I missed my pockets!) by following this tutorial, which I thought some of your other readers might benefit from. http://standbyfaith.com/2012/02/how-to-make-a-skirt-from-two-pair-of-jeans-tutorial/
I NEED my jeans, in whatever form, and just cannot afford to pay $40-50 apiece for jean skirts. After a fervent, but fruitless, search of two towns, I bit the bullet and purchased a sewing machine (and several patterns, lol) and turned two pair of jeans into a perfectly lovely denim skirt. Let me reassure anyone who thinks she can’t possibly do this: This is my first sewing machine project since I had to take one semester of home ec in eighth grade. If I can do it, I’m certain most anyone can! So now I shall return to Goodwill, this time in search of jeans. 🙂 Oh, side note. . . before undertaking this change, I polled my husband–which do you like better on me, pants or a dress? We’ve been married ten years. I fully expected that his answer would be that he did not care one way or the other. But, after some hedging, and clarification that no, this was not a test he had not studied for; I just wanted his honest opinion, he surprised me by saying he prefers a dress! Honestly, I wanted to make sure before I made this change that I wasn’t doing something he would personally find UNattractive, but what do you know? ~shrug~ Live and learn.
Mary Etta says
Hi Amy,
I just started reading your blogs and was interested when I saw your series on “she wears skirts”.
I was wondering where your video of your purchases is as it is not with your comment.
Thank you for taking the time to do this. I have not been convicted to wear skirts as of right now, I do wear them to church but not on a daily basis. I have recently heard a talk given by an older sister that she and her daughters wear skirts to make a statement of femininity; much like you stated. So, it is something that I am thinking/praying about. I completely agree that modesty is all a matter that begins in the heart. What good does it do if I am dressed modestly but my words, attitudes, behavior are not those of godly humility or a gentle and quiet spirit?
Anyhoo, if there is a way to see the video of your shopping trip, I would be grateful!
Blessings!
mary etta
hailey says
I know this blog was like a year ago but this is where i am now. I have felt a need to begin wearing skirts but have a slight bump in the road. I have only ever worn jeans execpt to church. i dont have anything for everyday attire until i have the money and time to go shopping. Please a little advice.
Amy says
Welcome! And you are not late the conversation…people continue to post to here regularly. I started by going to thrift stores. I also had some of my favorite jeans converted to skirts (they are my favorite skirts now!) Here’s the lady who did this for me: http://servantsheartsewing.blogspot.com/ But, if you cannot spend any money right now, do not fret. It’s your heart of modesty, not your wardrobe that truly matters. 🙂