From IHM School

[At our monthly Mothers' Tea, the ladies asked for references for modest swimwear. I just borrowed the list from Colleen Hammond, the author of Dressing with Dignity (a book I can't recommend highly enough -- if nothing else, download her Outfit Guidelines). However, as I copied the links and added notes, I went on to do the same with other clothing categories. All the credit goes to Colleen; I merely updated her list.]

“Use your discretion and common sense when visiting each site and selecting clothing for your family. I only offer these websites as a service. I do not guarantee the sites, nor do I promise anything about them, endorse them, or recommend any one website [sic] or business over another.”  “  . . . and not all the clothing on each website will pass the Outfit Guidelines, either!” Colleen Hammond

Swimwear

HydroChic (about $70 per piece) – see especially “Breezy Yoke Swim Skirt”            women/teens

Alex and Me ($30-70) – has some options for “swimshirts”

Swim Modest ($50-75) — family business — much better than regular swimsuits, but still pretty tight/short (one piece) – also has a swim shirt for boys/men (www.greatlengthsshorts.com Has knee-length men’s swim trunks)

Simply Modest Swimwear ($15-100) – family business — patterns, material, ready made and custom-made swimwear for girls of all ages (two-piece: leggings/dress)

Wholesome Wear ($60-100) – (one-piece/two layer in three styles, little girls to ladies)

Below the Knee ($44) – one style (looks like a dress)

Lydia of Purple ($22-50, you provide the material and notions) – old-fashioned dress/bloomer combination (can be ordered with a nursing option) **This business is currently for sale & not taking orders**

Lilies of the Field ($47-63) – for girls & ladies (two-piece) – similar to Simply Modest, but looser fit (and shorter sleeves)

Works of the Heart ($57-81) – for girls & ladies (two-piece: swimdress plus leggings)

Modest Kini – A British Web site with lots of options for men & women of all ages (Moslem)

Other Resources for Modest Clothes

Hannah Lise – “Modest fashion without the frump” – really nice clothing for girls & ladies with a very high standard of modesty and quality (a direct merchant – family owned and operated)

4 Modesty – skirts, jumpers, and tops for ladies and teens

Phyllis Jean – clothes for women, young ladies, little girls, and maternity. Made in the US and ready to ship.

Cotton Tops – a British company providing modest blouses & tops

Shukr Islamic Clothing – men & women– a high quality clothing by a company with an excellent work ethic (read their “About Us”) The skirts are particularly lovely and the tunic tops could fix those hip-hugging skirts you don’t want to get rid of!

Yana Nurse Everywhere – an Israeli company with clothing for nursing mothers

Modest Clothing – scarves and ladies’ clothing

Modest Apparel USA – Ladies’ and girls’

Macabi – a fun “transformer” skirt

Dressed in White – white clothing for the whole family            (Mormon)

Custom/Hand Sewn (see also some of the companies under Swimwear)

Works of the Heart – for ladies of all ages; also sells fabric by the yard (and other items)

The King’s Daughters – for ladies of all ages (including slips)

Sew Original (Morman)

Seams Like Yesterday – maternity and baby clothes

Ringger Clothing – clothing for the family (This company works with independent contractors – and also sells patterns)

Modest Seamstress at Modest Prices

Made with TLC

Anna Bouche Christening etc. (Baptismal, First Holy Communion, and other little girl’s dresses)

Formal/Bridal

Modest by Design – Clothing your father would approve of  (Morman)

Beautifully Modest

Eternity

Simply Elegant

and others!

Foundations

ModesTee

Aliza’s Boutique (and clink on Layering Shells, etc.)

Kosher Casual (“Sleevies”, “Teenecks”, “Bolero Shrug”, plus clothes for the whole family — although the women’s/girls’ options tend to be tight/slinky, there is coverage; good for layering)

Funky Frum (Layering Shells, plus other clothing – just avoid the pencil skirts)

Cotton Tops

CoverMeModest (A simple neckline fix)

Patterns

Common Sense Patterns

Ringger Clothing

Baker Lane – Dressmaking & Design            (patterns)

Candle on the Hill – Modest Sewing Patterns            (for the whole family)

Free Period Clothing Patterns

Sense & Sensibility Patterns

Harper House – Vintage Costuming Pattern Catalog

In Timely Fashion (patterns, hairstyles, articles, etc. – a very fun site)

Veils/Head-coverings

Modesty Veils

Modest Clothing

Immaculate Heart Mantillas

She Maketh Herself Coverings

Halo-Works

Plain-n-Simple Headcoverings (Mennonite)

Christian Coverings (Protestant – also has a few clothing options)

Tznius (Jewish – beautiful scarves and also some clothing) For instruction on neat tying designs, click on “How do I tie my scarf?”

Some mainstream companies that include modest clothing in their selections:

Appleseed’s April Cornell Blair Christopher and Banks

Coldwater Creek French Toast Land’s End Orvis

Talbots Travelsmith Vermont Country Store Willow Ridge

[And then, because the questions of modesty-in-dress tends to become a negative series of "do nots", here are a few quotes from winners of the Modest By Design Clothing Company’s Prom Dress Contest. These are teen-age girls for whom modesty is something positive.]

Why I Make the Choice

by Leslie Gerber (Viewmont High, Centerville, Utah)

A wise man once appraised the value of modesty.  He declared, “When virtue and modesty enlighten her charms, the luster of a beautiful woman is brighter than the stars of heaven, and the influence of her power it is in vain to resist.”  The weight that modesty carries is absolutely incredible, but to live modestly is a lot more than just dressing appropriately; it is a living, breathing, principle that demands nurturing and constant attention.  That nurturing comes by the way you live your life; what you say and do, and how you treat others in the world around you.  Modesty shows a person’s love and respect for their God, themselves, and the people they are around.  Although the price of living modestly is difficult to pay, I wouldn’t choose to live any other way.

Dress Like Royalty

by Tomoko Goddard (Orlando, Florida)

You are my child, my princess

Wear the things of royalty

And seeing you wear anything less

In my sight I would hate to see

Cover yourself in holy things

That would be righteous in my sight

Dress like the daughter of a king

For this is my delight

The clothes that you wear defines

How people see and perceive you

To them it is like a sign

Of your should that they can view

Your body is my house

The temple that I live in

Not the color of a blouse

That matters, but the attitude within.

Confidence

by Krista Purser (Murray, Utah)

There is power in confidence.

Confidence is the charisma to draw people in.

Confidence is the assurance to look in the mirror and love.

Confidence is the courage to act on the faith in heart and mind.

Confidence is the ability to change through sheer conviction and determination.

Immodesty is no part of confidence. It is, instead, the mask of confidence, an outward appearance that hides insecurities.

Immodesty is a distraction from the honest beauty of soul and body.

Modesty is courageous. It is, quite simply, laying bare in a different sense. It does not conceal who you are, but instead allows your beauty to shine.

That is confidence: the knowledge of the divinity in the human soul and the belief that who you are will always be enough.

Modesty declares this knowledge to the world.

I owe myself nothing less than that.

For that is confidence.