Protect Your Kids
Protect Your Kids 3 minute read

5 Ways to Transform an Immodest Wardrobe

Last Updated: February 20, 2014

by Rachel Lee Carter

Modeling hasn’t just been my job; it’s been my life, and from it came my deep love for fashion. Likewise, with my faith comes my deep love for the Lord. Years ago, I set out to discover if the two could coexist in my heart without conflict. At a time when the most popular catchphrase from the advertising world is “Sex sells,” is there a way to wear the latest fashions without dishonoring God and His will for my life? I needed to know, and now I want to share a few of my discoveries with you as we seek to uncover the truth about modesty.

Here are some simple guidelines for transforming an otherwise immodest wardrobe into a modest fashion plate. These are specifics I utilize for myself and are my recommendations.

Each of these is reliable and works with a moving body. Everyone knows we exist in many different positions. We stand, sit, reach, climb, raise our arms, jump, bend over, and crouch on the floor. Our clothing should move with our bodies and remain modest while in these various positions. Also, keep in mind sometimes, it’s just easier to buy a size larger than we’re used to. If the size label bothers you, just clip it out.

Hide Undergarments

Underwear is sometimes mistaken as outerwear but it’s more of a fashion don’t than a fashion do. No one likes to see unsightly bra straps. So instead, wear tops with straps wide enough to cover them, or invest in a good flesh-colored strapless bra. If your jeans show your underwear when you bend over, wear a longer top to hide them.

Cover Cleavage

Make sure your tops don’t come down too far in front.  Here’s my trick: Keep four fingers together, and put them at the base of your collarbone. That’s as low as your top can be without showing cleavage when you bend forward. Otherwise, hide your cleavage and showcase your integrity by adding an extra layer underneath with a camisole or tank top.

Workout Gear

Instead of wearing skin-tight yoga pants or Sophie® shorts out in public, re-purpose them as sleep clothes. For your workout, wear comfortable, breathable duds to the gym and remember to toss on a tank top over that sports bra.

Size Matters

We should reassess our wardrobes every time we gain weight, instead of trying our best to squeeze into clothes that don’t fit. I keep a range of sizes in my closet so I can adjust my clothing to fit my often-fluctuating frame.

Too Tight

This guideline goes for pants and tops. If you can’t pinch the fabric or it snaps back quickly, it’s too tight. A shirt is too tight if you can see the outline of your bra in the front or the back. Consider re-purposing it under a blazer. If your pants stretch across the crotch, wear a long tunic or shirtdress over it. But in either case, it might be easier to simply retire the article or go up a size.

Amazingly, the more I found new uses for otherwise inappropriate items, the more freedom I found in modesty.

These are simple tricks to re-use what you have in your closet, so you can wear it with confidence and not have to worry about someone questioning your intentions. When you do shop, keep these tips in mind so you won’t let today’s fashions influence your convictions. Be creative, and show off your best side…your inside!

. . . .

Rachel Lee Carter is an international professional model of more than 20 years and has worked for clients such as Cover Girl, Tommy Hilfiger, Reebok, Perry Ellis, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and many others. She is a graduate of the Word of Life Bible Institute in Schroon Lake, NY. Rachel is the President of Modeling Christ, a Christian organization addressing the issues and needs of both participants in the modeling industry, and the world it influences. Her book, Fashioned by Faith is available now for purchase on Amazon.com.

Comments on: 5 Ways to Transform an Immodest Wardrobe

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related in Protect Your Kids

Editor's Picks

Female student writing a scholarship essay.

Protect Your Kids

5 Eye-Opening Revelations From 850 Scholarship Essays

Each year, Covenant Eyes holds a scholarship contest for current members who…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Silhouette of a man walking through a tunnel.

Protect Your Kids

The Sound of Freedom and the Problem of Pornography

The Covenant Eyes Podcast recently sat down with Operation Underground Railroad founder,…

2 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

A group of three young computer programmers working on laptops.

Protect Your Kids

Porn and Artificial Intelligence

When Chat GPT launched in November 2022, artificial intelligence took the world…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Parents with their teenage son.

Protect Your Kids

Why Parents Must Talk About Sex

When my son was sixteen, he attended a youth group meeting during…

5 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Parents with their teenage son looking at a tablet.

Protect Your Kids

CONNECTED: A Timely Family Resource for the Pandemic and Beyond

With our homes now serving as our offices, schoolroom, and intergenerational living…

7 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

A high school student looking at his phone during class.

Protect Your Kids

Porn in High School: 6 Reasons It’s a Serious Problem

Sadly, most high school students will encounter porn before they graduate. While…

8 minute read

Read Post

Related in Protect Your Kids

Female student writing a scholarship essay.

Protect Your Kids

5 Eye-Opening Revelations From 850 Scholarship Essays

Each year, Covenant Eyes holds a scholarship contest for current members who…

Each year, Covenant Eyes holds a scholarship contest for current members who are enrolled as full-time students. This year, we had over 850 applicants! These amazing students answered questions about integrity using today’s technology, their…

4 minute read

0 comments

Silhouette of a man walking through a tunnel.

Protect Your Kids

The Sound of Freedom and the Problem of Pornography

The Covenant Eyes Podcast recently sat down with Operation Underground Railroad founder,…

The Covenant Eyes Podcast recently sat down with Operation Underground Railroad founder, Tim Ballard. Tim’s story has been dramatized in the new blockbuster movie, The Sound of Freedom. In our conversation with Tim, we learned…

2 minute read

0 comments

A group of three young computer programmers working on laptops.

Protect Your Kids

Porn and Artificial Intelligence

When Chat GPT launched in November 2022, artificial intelligence took the world…

When Chat GPT launched in November 2022, artificial intelligence took the world by storm. And with good reason—the wide array of AI tools now available to the public offer truly breathtaking capabilities. At Covenant Eyes,…

4 minute read

0 comments

Parents with their teenage son.

Protect Your Kids

Why Parents Must Talk About Sex

When my son was sixteen, he attended a youth group meeting during…

When my son was sixteen, he attended a youth group meeting during which the male leader spoke with the guys about pornography and enumerated the ramifications porn could have on marriages and families. He learned…

5 minute read

0 comments

Parents with their teenage son looking at a tablet.

Protect Your Kids

CONNECTED: A Timely Family Resource for the Pandemic and Beyond

With our homes now serving as our offices, schoolroom, and intergenerational living…

With our homes now serving as our offices, schoolroom, and intergenerational living spaces, the need to establish bonded familial relationships is more critical than ever. The past year has introduced new vocabulary words such as…

7 minute read

0 comments

A high school student looking at his phone during class.

Protect Your Kids

Porn in High School: 6 Reasons It’s a Serious Problem

Sadly, most high school students will encounter porn before they graduate. While…

Sadly, most high school students will encounter porn before they graduate. While passing around sexy pictures in school is nothing new, the ubiquity of today’s porn—and its intensely graphic nature—is unique. If you pay attention…

8 minute read

0 comments