The 1950's style and modesty

I do love the fashions of the 1950s. They were pretty, feminine and modest. They are a great example of beautiful outfits that covered the body, with no bits and pieces hanging out but still very stylish and elegant. The examples I have included show lots of pretty fabric (something we don't see much of these days), well cut dresses that show off female form without looking vulgar or seductive and sit  nicely below the knee (which keeps them modest when sitting down). These outfits compared to modern attire are so much more elegant and feminine. I would be very happy to see some of these outfits returning to the stores!

"Your dresses should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady" (Edith Head)

"Modesty is a virtue that shows love to others and brings glory to God through appropriate dress" (Tim Challies)

It is interesting to note that none of these women are wearing T-shirts, whilst I wear T-shirts (often under cardigans in winter), they are not stylish attire to be honest and certainly not dressy. In fact the T-shirt wasn't even designed for women, the US Navy worn then (as an undergarment) and they became popular among farm labourers as they were comfortable to wear and easy to wash. We can thank Hollywood for their mass popularity when Marlon Brando wore one in "Streetcar Named Desire" and James Dean in "Rebel without a Cause". Men and women alike saw them as sexy and modern. So whilst I like T-Shirts (they certainly have their place), they are not particularly feminine or pretty and can either be shapeless or very tight (and therefore quite immodest, especially for big busted women).  And if you wear white T-shirts, they can be see-though and problematic so I often add a scarf to help with this problem or add a vest. 

"Dressing modesty is a daily decision to dress like a child of God." 

"Modesty is more than just a hemline, it is an interior disposition that influences not only our dress, but our thoughts and our actions" Leah Darrow

The thing that strikes me most about these pictures is how colourful the outfits are, no black or denim in any of them. It seems that everyone wears black or denim in winter these days -  if I walk about, black is the dominate colour for most people. I do wear black skirts quite a bit in winter, but I always try to jazz them up with bright reds or pinks or add a colourful scarf or necklace.  In fact I often receive compliments when I wear these bright colours as if it is unusual, I just tell people that it makes me feel happy and joyful and to honest, it does. So if you are someone who wears lots of black or denim, jazz it up with colourful feminine tops, scarves, jewellery so you look womanly and pretty. 

"I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness" (Coco Chanel)

Even when I was a child in the early 1970s, women took much more pride in their outfits and wouldn't be seen dead in what modern women wear out and about. My mother, when popping to the shops or visiting friends, always put on a clean freshly ironed frock and perhaps some beads to make herself look "presentable" in public. It would never cross her mind to go out in one of her "house dresses". These are the sorts of dresses I can remember her wearing and she always looked pretty. 

I think all these dresses demonstrate that feminine modesty can be very fashionable, both in the 1950s and now.  We don't need to look frumpy to be modest. The fact is, we are females and we need to dress to show that we are females and one way of doing this is by dressing feminine (which doesn't mean lots of pink and flowers if you don't like them!!).  We can all dress attractively without being immodest:

 "Within the Lord's guidelines, there is plenty of room to be lively, vibrant and beautiful both in our dress and in our actions" (Thomas S Monson)

I found these lovely examples of the 1950's bride, aren't they lovely. 

"Dress how you want other women to dress around your husband" (Kim Doubler)

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