Modest Shopping

Our family is going on vacation this year.  That may not sound like big news, but the last time we had a real vacation was in 2007.  It's long overdue!  We decided to go to the beach, and I had to face the fact that my swim suit from the college years will not work after 15 years and 3 babies.  I felt daunted with the task of finding swimwear.  Most swimsuits that are touted as being modest still show more leg and chest than I would ever show at any other time.  Enter Simply Modest Swimwear.  I had heard about them a few years back, and now I needed their services.  I sent them my measurements and exactly how I wanted the two piece suit to look.  High round neck, short sleeves, capri length pants, and a skirt (attached to the bodice) that goes down to my knees.  It's perfect.  I can honestly say I will play at the beach with my kids without any self-consciousness.  (They also have ready-made swim suits to fit a wide range of modest tastes; not all suits are as full coverage as mine).

It got me to thinking about modest shopping.  I did a quick google search, and it turns out there are a lot of small online companies doing the same thing, selling clothing to women who want to be stylish without sacrificing their standards.  My goal here is not to discuss those standards.  Go argue about yoga pants on another blog!  I'd simply like to share some of what I have found about modest shopping.  You'll notice some of the same outfits on more than one site, but each one has its own unique spin.

Junieblake -- Owned by three ladies, this online shop is mainly modest dresses that work all on their own, without having to add a cardigan or camisole.   They also have a few dresses for little girls, up to size 6.  Their prices are reasonable, unless you are comparing them to Wal-Mart.

Dainty Jewells -- Clothing at this shop is all designed by a young lady named Charity Jewell Walter. Extremely feminine, the blouses, skirts, and dresses are heavy on bows, flowers, ruffles, and lace.  There are a few selections for girls of all ages too.

Sweet Salt clothing -- Mainly tops and skirts, the clothing at this shop has a more classic feel.  They also sell skirt extenders (like a long slip that is meant to show) in a few classic colors, for the time you find a really cute, but too short skirt at the department store.

Jen Clothing -- This site is owned by a mother in the Latter Day Saints church, who wanted ladies to have the option of being trendy and modest at the same time.  You can actually shop by trend, like "stripes and chevron" and "spring color." She has a whole section of clothing for nursing women, as well as semi-formal and swimwear.

Junee -- Junee started as a department store in the New York City area, and now they have a website as well.  Despite its big city beginnings, the prices are as modest as the clothing.  Junee has skirts for women and girls (sizes 4 to 18) with matching styles, as well as tops and a few dresses.

Sierrabrooke and Mikarose -- These sites have mostly the same selection of dresses, skirts, and blouses for similar prices.  Mikarose offers frees shipping on orders over $100. 

Eshakti -- Although not advertised as modest clothing, this website offers customization of clothing from size 0 to 36.  You can choose a style as pictured with a standard size, or you can give your measurements as well as choose the length for your skirt, top, and sleeves.  Prices reflect the fact that the clothing is customized.  However, after my experience with a custom made swimsuit, I can attest that for a nice piece, the extra cost is worth the price.

I know that some of you ladies would not want to buy clothing you can't try on first, even though all the websites above offer returns.  It can be a hassle to deal with returns, especially since you often lose shipping costs (of the sites above, only sweetsaltclothing.com and mikarose.com pays shipping on returns). If you are uncomfortable buying clothes online, I've found that with a little extra time, department stores such as Belk, Kohl's, Old Navy, and Gap can be good places to find modest clothes you can try on first.  I'm a big fan of Kohl's especially because they have good deals and a lot of choices in the plus size department. 

I know this is not a comprehensive list of all the places you can buy modest yet stylish clothes, but I hope it has been helpful for you to see how many women out there are committed to making these choices available to us.  If you know of any other great stores or websites, please let us know in the comments!

Melissa