Guest Post ~ Fresh Modesty

I am SUPER excited to share with you an interview I did with Miss Olivia from Fresh Modesty! 

I have stalked her blog for over a year now and always find it inspiring to see what she posts.  Olivia is a fashion enthusiast and has great tastes for what looks cute AND modest at the same time.  I love the slogan she has posted on her sidebar:  Dress outside the box, but inside His book!

It's the outside the box part that gets me most of the time.  Trying to get out of the eternal denim-skirt and tee shirt rut can be challenging.  Nothing wrong with ruts, if ya like them......but I truly love variety and I think as young ladies, we have a duty to dress in a way that says to the world, "God has made me a woman, and I LOVE it!"  Dressing with elegance and taste is something I'm trying to work on. 

But Olivia seems to already have that down.  Seriously.  :-) So, without further ado, here is the interview!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.  You were homeschooled, right?

Yes, I have been homeschooled my whole life. I'm 19 and moved from a northern neighborhood to a home in the southern boonies about 2 years ago. That event has changed me more than I have cared to admit, but I love it out here and I wouldn't change it for anything. I am a thankful Christian, the oldest of 6 siblings, short, love hard work, have many fashion pet peeves, and am in love with mud. :D

 When and how did you become interested into making modesty fashionable?

Well, until I was 13, it didn't really "click" that if you wanted to look nice, you had to put effort into your outfits, hair, hygiene, ect. Also around that time, I was introduced to the idea of modesty and not just doing it because my parents made me. I've always loved being creative and have watched way too much QVC (you know, the shopping channel) in my day, so the combination of all that just kind of worked itself out! I started my fashion blog shortly after I turned 16, hoping to share what I was learning with others.


What are some fashion tips you could give us, (i.e. what makes an outfit "work", hairstyle ideas, etc.)

Hair is important. What good does a cute outfit do if your hair looks like a rat's nest or a wild waterfall? Or worse- a slicked back ponytail so tight your hairline is completely visible? God calls our hair beautiful, good, so don't neglect it! Volume, practicality, and flatteringness are fundamental.

Proportion. Flowy top or flowy skirt, but not both. Little hair, little earrings. Big hair, big earrings (some exceptions apply for that one...) My rule of thumb is basically, make sure your outfits are tight around your hips. Flowy shirts need belted, skirts should be fitted, etc. Tank tops help sooo much with this, since you can stay modest, but smooth. :)

 How do you go about finding cute clothes that are also modest?

There are a ton of super cute, modest clothes online, if you're willing to pay. I'm not, and so Goodwill and my sewing machine are my best friends. I make a lot of my skirts, and alter most of my shirts at least a little by taking in the sides, etc. Clearance racks are also awesome! When I'm out shopping, I make sure my attitude is, "How can I make these things modest?" rather than "This is such a waste of time! There's nothing here I would be caught dead in." So, I look at what the store mannequins are wearing (at kind of conservative stores like JCPenny's and Sears), and try to find elements I can duplicate modestly. Thankfully layering is still really big, so that helps. :)

 How do you balance being "into" fashion and realizing that inner beauty is what truly counts?

It's a hard thing. But, for me personally, if I want inner beauty, I need to not covet. Keeping up with the latest trends and looking at fashion blogs that focus on those trends is not good for me. I'm naturally very observant about these trends, so I don't need to spend time reading about the details. I think a classy, timeless look is really a key factor of being modest- you can be completely covered, but still immodest by showing off brand names or crazy trends. A smile is your prettiest accessory! And a gentle and quiet spirit is better than a flattering outfit.

(Note:  Love, love, love this outfit.  Boots are great!)

Skirts, pants, or both? Why?

I'm a 85% skirts girl. I have a policy of trying to wear skirts whenever I'm out of the house, especially when I'm running errands- I feel it is a bigger witness and gives me more opportunity to talk to people, since they often compliment my long skirts. But, I live on a "farm", so sometimes wearing pants is much more practical... like when me and my sister were climbing all over scaffolding re-staining our house last fall. :P If I'm working around guys, I try to wear a tunic top that keeps me modest and from always fooling with my jeans as I bend over and stuff. Sometimes in the evening I'll throw on a pair of jeans to be warmer as I sit and blog. :D

I love looking at your blogs for outfit ideas, plus just inspiration to be more creative with how I dress.  Keep up the great work!  Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

Thank you for the opportunity to do this, Rachel! I can't think of much else to say, except keep on fighting the good fight! I'd love it if your readers would stop by my blogs and say hi! Modesty is so important, but so is remembering that we are girls for a reason, and we should love dressing up. :D

Comment and let me know what your thoughts are on the subject of modest fashion!  And here's the link to her blog again, Fresh Modesty.