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The Other Extreme of Modesty


model of sister-missionary wear on lds.org
Some girls take modesty to the extreme and wear circus tents as clothes. Although that is not necessarily bad, they don’t look their best and take pride (the good kind) in the glorious gift of their bodies. Do you make these mistakes as you try to look modest?

Dressing like a Nun
It is a fact that humans are visual creatures. In the Church we tend to focus on how that can be a bad quality, especially for men. But there is opposition in all things (2 Nephi 2:11), meaning the quality is good too. We are supposed to appreciate beauty, and hiding it under a tent will make it harder for you to attract a guy, even a righteous one. A man wants to be attracted to his wife, and a woman wants to know her husband finds her beautiful. You can show your beauty and still be modest.

Dressing like a Man
My patriarchal blessing specifically advises me to dress in a feminine manner. It is important that we look and dress like women. That doesn’t mean you have to be trendy or a girly-girl, just that you don’t look like you’re borrowing your brother’s or husband's clothes.

Dressing like a Slob
Many women wear baggy, old, or plain clothes and don’t brush their hair. We are supposed to be well groomed. Take the missionaries for example. They officially represent the Church and therefore look the part: they are required to dress up and keep their appearance professional. Furthermore, our bodies have been compared to temples (1 Corinthians 3:16). Look at the temples we build: they are lovely, spotless, and beautifully landscaped. Susan W. Tanner, former Young Women General President, advised us to “keep the outside of our bodily temples looking clean and beautiful to reflect the sacred and holy nature of what is inside, just as the Church does with its temples.”1 Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles warned, “I believe very casual dress is almost always followed by very casual manners.”2 We should learn from those examples and look our best in clean, bright, classy clothes, accessories, and hairstyles.
  1. Tanner, Susan W. “The Sanctity of the Body,” Ensign, November 2005.
  1. Perry, L. Tom. “Let Him Do It with Simplicity,” Ensign, November 2008.
Challenge: Don't fall for these modesty extremes. Remember, modesty is related to the word moderate. Find a balance to look your best.
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DAD said…
you dress modestly but you do look very nice
July 28, 2013 at 3:03 AM
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