.

Ever since I saw Bright Star a month or so ago, I’ve been wearing a lot of outfits that just scream “Fanny Brawne!” LOL, but seriously, ruffles, high necklines, cotton and linen day dresses…who can deny that Fanny is just plain fabulous?

And so, I did some searching and compiled a list of Fanny Brawne-ish pieces you can consider buying or emulating:

- Victoire Sweater, via Soft Surroundings

- Wide Sash Wrap, by E Shakti

- Cropped Blazer, by BB Dakota

- Ruffled Trim Shirt dress, by Eshakti

- “Lois Lane,” by Shabby Apple

I am sooooo about to order this ruffled scarf from EShakti:

Ok seriously…where can I find a field like this to sit in? I’m joking…but no really…

1. Zippers

Rocker Chic is very in this season, and it seems like there are zippers on everything! It’s easy to take this trend overboard, and if you are a bit uneasy about it, try a headband or a garment with zippers that are noticeable, but not overpowering.

By Quirky & Co. for $13

2. The Shirtdress

Allow me to point out the fact that the shirtdress comes in various lengths. Depending on the cut, you may need to put on jeans or leggings.

I like the styling of this shirtdress from Rugby. I may have to replicate this bowtie idea one day…it’s kinda cute.

3. The Blazer

Editorial Addendum: Ladies, not matter how much you like a trend, never forget to dress for your shape!

Most stores are heavily stocked with the “Boyfriend Blazer” which is a longer version with rolled up sleeves, however as a pear shape I opted to buy a cropped blazer that accentuates my smaller waist.

After about two months of looking, I finally purchased a blazer I am thoroughly in love with from H&M for around $70. I tried on about 8 different styles of blazers just in H&M before settling on my purchase, so if you haven’t been able to find a blazer you like I would suggest heading to the H&M nearest you.

4. The Cinch Waist Jacket

It’s kind of safari-like, and I’m kinda digging it. Forever 21 and Old Navy have some cute ones in stock, but if you want a little color in your life, Myshape.com has this beautiful fuschia version too:

For a review of Myshape.com, click here.

5. Feminine Details

Whether they be bow headbands, floral necklaces, or ruffles, the fall season brings us more girly details.

As always, happy modest shopping ladies!

I cannot stress enough the importance of having certain items in your wardrobe. If fashion were a war, “the basics” would be our weapons cache and battle plan all rolled into one.

It is my personal philosophy that the basics of any wardrobe need to be of the best quality. Since you’re going to wear these things often, it’s probably a good idea to spend a little bit more on something well made. (And the price pretty much works itself off.) I promise you that when you do have beautiful, high quality basics in your wardrobe, shopping will be much less stressful because when you find something you like, you won’t think, “I don’t have anything to wear with this” but rather just the opposite.

Now that it’s the fall season, here is a list of the ten most basic things you should have in your wardrobe:

1. Dark wash denim jeans, preferably at least one pair of skinny jeans
2. A pencil skirt (either black or denim depending on your lifestyle)
3. Black leggings or tights (not stockings)
4. Flats (one pair black, another pair either a shade of brown or gold)
5. Cardigan
6. Long layering tanks and tees (buy white, off-white, and black to start off…)
7. Camisoles and Band tops (My secret weapon!)
8. A Blazer
9. A Pair of Boots, (Either Leather or Suede depending on your preference.)
10. A Brown or Black belt!

No I’m not kidding.

A couple of months ago I was driving with a group of large—large here meaning tall— men in my vehicle when I glanced over at my passenger seat. To my surprise, my guest appeared to be in some sort of stress. He was slightly red and it was almost as if he was deliberately trying to keep his head still and eyes focused on my face during our conversation. I actually thought to myself, “What’s wrong with him?”, until I turned back to the road and glanced downward.

You see, I drive with a certain posture: my left leg is typically pulled toward my body, propped up with my left arm resting on my knee to comfortably navigate the steering wheel. The left side of the dress I was wearing had slid back, exposing part of my thigh. (That’s not modest!)

A few weeks back I told this story to a friend of mine who started laughing hysterically because her driving posture is identical to mine and she noticed the same problem, only it was with a man who was in an SUV sitting next to her in traffic.

So basically…when you’re driving with a skirt or a dress on, remember to be mindful of its err…placement…

I almost feel ridiculous making this post, but it’s true!

Sorry I’ve been MIA the past few days. I’m on vacay right now, and in between traveling and partying my sleeping and writing patterns are little abnormal. LOL

In my shopping excursions I’ve noticed some trends for the upcoming fall season, denim leggings being one of them.

Denim leggings have been out for a while, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone actually wearing any. I’m sure that will change this fall, given that they’re in pretty much every store I’ve visited in the last month. I tried some on with plaid shirt dress at Macy’s about a week ago:

They had a cute button detail at the bottom, but I didn’t like the fact that you could see the outline of my knees. That might make be weird or whatever, but it just looked strange to me…

I decided not to buy them and I’m glad I didn’t because I found some at Forever 21 for $16 that were a darker wash, thereby fixing my kneecap outline issue.

Will you be wearing denim leggings this fall season? This may be one of those trends that’s just not for everyone….

A reader asks:

What do you need to wear to visit the vatican? I was hoping maybe you could give me a few hints as to what I should be looking for and what to avoid?

This question is actually quite timely because I have a few girlfriends that will be traveling to the Vatican on vacation in a few weeks.

It’s hot and humid in Rome, so stay away (and by away I mean far, far, away) from polyester fabrics. Cotton is your BFF in these summer months.

And of course, since it’s the Vatican, our heavenly city on earth, you want to look modest and adorable at all times—especially since you will be in churches and there will be wonderful Catholic men from around the world around you at all times. I’m just sayin…

If you are going to wear a tank top, I would highly recommend bringing some light wraps, vests, and jackets to throw on top of your outfits whenever you enter a house of worship. Some churches/establishments will not allow women to enter if their shoulders are uncovered. The same goes for skirts and shorts—it’s best not to go above your knees.

Some outfit ideas:

Basically, my recommendations are light tops, cotton skirts and dresses, bermuda shorts, sandals, and comfy flats.

For bags, I would recommend smaller cross-body bags with long straps that can carry the essentials. This Poquito Leather Pouch Purse from Lulu’s is right up my alley:

Hope that helps.  Have fun in Rome!

A commenter asks:

Are all strapless dresses immodest?
 

Older readers will know that when it comes to modesty standards, I am all about discernment. I’ve never published a list of rules because you’re not stupid and I don’t like the idea of telling people what to wear as if I’m some sort of authority. On to my answer—

I wear strapless dresses/tops—not very often and usually only in the summer—if they meet a few non-negotiable requirements:

1. Do not show my cleavage neither when I’m upright nor bent over.
2. Do not have to be pulled up every 9.456 seconds.
3. Are not cut low in the back.

Case in point—this dress worn by the lovely Melissa Joan Heart:

As we can see, the structure of the garment is designed in such a way that it stays in place with ease, even with two squirmy little boys on her hips.

I’m wearing a strapless top in my Facebook profile picture, but what you may not have noticed is that I’m wearing what I call a “band bra” which is an absolute staple in my wardrobe. It’s basically a short tube top I have in multiple colors that covers up my cleavage, and it works perfectly for strapless tops and dresses.

Another tip for strapless garments is to wear necklaces and your hair down. You can even put tank tops or other shirts underneath the strapless top/dress for added style.

Hope that helps!

To my fellow plus size girls, when it comes to swimwear, vintage cuts and swimdresses ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND. And when I say best friend, I mean the kind of best friend that would take a bullet for you.  Seriously.

Vintage-Inspired

$89.99 at ModCloth.com

$19.50 at Old Navy…can’t beat that price.

Swimdresses

Always For Me wins the blue ribbon for this category. There are at least 30 more swimdresses equally as cute as these on their site.

Depending on your bust size, that last one may not be very modest.

Many Etsy sellers I will mention in another post make their pieces in plus sizes as does Esther Williams. Target also has some cute moderately priced pieces in.

Other sites to check out:

MyBabyJo.com – More vintage-inspired pieces.
Torrid.com
Newport-News.com
Swimsuitsforall.com
Roamans.com

1. Bikinis are boring. If most people are wearing them, are you really fashion forward?

2. Bikinis are not flattering on the vast majority of people, even “skinny” people.

3. Modest designs, especially vintage cuts, are more flattering for more body types. And that’s pretty much a fact.

4. Modest swimwear decreases the chances of nip-slips by 78%. (Yes, I made that number up, but I’m pretty sure it’s accurate.)

5. You won’t have to worry about a “girl” or both “girls” falling out. (I’ve had some serious scares while surfing LOL.

6. You can stop being self-conscious and have fun!

7. You’ll get a ton of compliments on you’re cute and flattering suit.

8. The men in your life will thank you for it.

9. Other men will stare, but they’ll be thinking, “Man, who is that hot modest girl that totally looks like Mary!”

And perhaps most important:

10. You will have kept your convictions.

We’ve all said it. But are we correct in our judgement?

Granted, we’ve all been in a store, happy as a clam looking for a top or some other fantabulous item, and seen some weird-looking ruffle-bubble-wrap concoction that just looks plain hideous.

But the truth of the matter is that most garments are meant to be paired with something else, or styled in such a way that it is not “ugly,” but unique, beautiful, and modest!

I will be going shopping with Emmy from Catholic Nerd Writer some time this week. She needs a dress for the Catholic Underground RED Party, and I am going to illustrate my point. The next time you go shopping for clothes, think about how a particular item could be styled to fit your modest fashion needs.

Happy shopping ladies,

Rebecca