Staying Toasty While Wearing Skirts

Here in New England it can get really chilly during the winter. I love wearing skirts, but for a long time I would only wear them on Sunday to church because I would get SO COLD with the wintery air breezing around my legs... especially since the tights I wore were really only colored nylons and didn't do much to keep the warmth in.
Over time we did come up with a few ideas on how to keep warm in the winter.

1. DON'T WEAR SUMMER WEIGHT SKIRTS!!! Make sure that the skirts you are planning on wearing are a nice thick material. (Corduroys are great, so are some cottons.)

2. Taper leg stretch pants go great under skirts, don't add much bulk, and look fine. I like wearing black ones because my shoes are black and most of my winter skirts are dark. You may prefer to wear them around the house but put on something prettier (like tights) when you go out.

3. Tights (Not Nylons) are a great way to stay warm. Vermont Country Store sells some really comfortable and very warm cotton tights.

4. If you are going to be wearing a mid-calf length skirt, but it's really cold out, stretch capris (made out of stretch pant material) over tights can go a long way to keeping you toasty.

5. Warm shoes are important too. Sneakers look fine with jean skirts, K-mart has some shoes that look great with skirts, but aren't very warm... Sometimes I like to wear my winter boots to where I'm going, and then put on my other shoes when I get there. That way I don't get snow in my shoes, but I can still wear my favorite flats.

6. Leggings also work really good under skirts.


If you do get capris or stretch pants to wear under your skirts, make sure that they have elastic waistbands, because if they have a button and zipper, or pockets, they can end up making you look a little more heavy.

Long (ankle length skirts) are usually warmer than pants because they keep all that nice warm air next to your body.

So just a short post today, but I hope that it was helpful. :-)

A few people left comments with some really helpful hints!

Kate Marie left me a comment with this helpful hint: "if you are long waisted, like I am, your shirts sometimes like to fly up in the back. This problem can be fixed by buying a couple long white tanks to wear underneath! That way if you bend over there is no problem."

Thanks Kate! :-)

Meghan said: "Some things that I do, almost every day, is to wear
a thick, warm, pair of socks OVER my tights. Also, leg-warmers can be cosy. They go on the heel-half of your foot, and go on up your calf to your knees."

Great idea!

Thanks for sharing the hints, girls!

Tips for Mental Purity

Girls are emotional... big surprise, right? What we fill our minds with will determine the way we see the world and the way we react emotionally.
Have you ever concentrated on really learning something for a few weeks in a row? Or playing a game? Your mind creates a pattern, and you start seeing things through that pattern.
My grandparents gave me two books of Sudoku (a numbers game) last Christmas. Now, I didn't know much about it, but it looked like fun, so I started putting my mind to work learning the pattern of the game.
After a while, I would find myself subconsciously seeing things in rows and boxes even when I wasn't playing the game.
I'm going to give you a few examples of the most common things that affect our minds and emotions in a romantic way as girls.

1. Romance Novels (yes, even Christian ones)

2. Chick flicks and Romantic Comedies (also of course any other movies with not-so-cute sexual stuff in them)

3. Wearing tight (or 'sexy') clothing and some kinds of high heels (your guess is as good as mine as to why these affect us, but they do)

4. Looking at those bikini-type magazines at the end of the checkout line

5. Allowing a friendship with a young man to get deeper and deeper and deeper

I'm sure that there are more, and that they vary from person to person, but these were a few of the most common.

Now, what do these things do?
I'm not sure what it is about Romance novels, chick flicks, and Romantic comedies, but they tend to make us dissatisfied with what we have, and the men in our lives (i.e. our Dad, older brothers etc). This leads to rebellion and disrespect. The men in the books are created by a woman's imagination. Our fathers were created by God. Though they aren't perfect, God requires that we respect and obey them in the Lord.
Romance Novels also (obviously) make us impatient for a romantic relationship. The kind of desire it gives us, is one that no man can or will ever fulfill.
Tight clothing tempts us to flaunt our bodies. High heeled shoes can make us walk in a 'sexy' way.
Those magazines with the pictures of the perfect model in the bikini make us dissatisfied with our bodies and with being modest. The message is that you have to be immodest to be attractive.
A deep friendship with a young man encourages you to lean on him for your emotional needs instead of on God and your parents. (This isn't saying that you can't be friends with young men... just don't let it go too far. Don't ever tell him, or write him something that you wouldn't want your parents to read with the knowledge that you were sending it to him.)

There are obviously other, different effects from the ones that I've mentioned.

The most serious thing that happens, is that all of this stuff fills our mind and we start thinking in the patterns that were created by the author, the director, or the screen writer. Often, we're so anxious to finish those last few chapter to find out whether so-and-so gets together with what's-his-name, that we stay up late to read it and forget about reading the Bible (or else rush through our Bible chapter and never remember what it said).
Only when you fill your mind with God's word can you see things His way, and react the way Jesus would want you to.

Now this isn't to say that you can never enjoy another mindless chick flick, or read another happy ending. But there are a few things that you can do to undermine the effect they have on you.

1. DON'T FORGET TO READ YOUR BIBLE!!! And I don't just mean skimming a chapter a day. Set aside a time (I usually do my Bible reading at night before bed) and pray that the Lord would give you wisdom to see what He wants to show you that day. Then read however much you want, it doesn't have to be a set amount, but let it shape your mind. Soon you'll start seeing things 'through' the Bible

2. Don't be afraid to skip those parts in the book that give you that naughty feeling thrill

3. Fast-forward any inappropriate parts in the movies. And feel free to avoid this or that movie that you know is a problem.

4. Dress modestly ;-)

5. Guard your eyes. Yes I know, 'girls don't have to guard their eyes'. But we do, really. Sexual images may not affect us in the same way that they affect men, but they DO affect us. Don't look at those magazines; even at the covers. Look at your shopping cart if you have to.

6. Don't think of young men as potential husbands, and DON'T tell them secrets and stuff. If you wouldn't tell your boy cousins, than why in the world would you tell a completely unconnected boy?

7. Do not EVER allow your thought to linger on a young man, and don't think about what it might be like to hug or kiss or whatever. If we can take every thought captive in obedience to Christ (easier said than done; it takes lots of prayer and diversion) than we're on our way to emotional purity


Now, I, personally, don't read romance novels. I started to read them when I was about thirteen, but my Mom made me stop and I'm really VERY VERY thankful that she did.

But don't focus on 'fighting the bad', focus on being more like Jesus. Don't be legalistic, but strive for purity!

I hope this was helpful. As always, if you have any thoughts you'd like to share, please feel free.

How to 'Modest Up' your shirts

This is just going to be a short post with a few tips.

1. That favorite shirt that is too tight (and maybe a tad see through) might go great under your favorite hoodie (As long as the hoodie isn't skin tight). Just make sure to leave the hoodie on! The shirt is now underwear

2. Jumpers are great because they even cover up any stains ~as well as any immodest-ness about the shirt~, and can be worn in the winter or the summer

3. Those soft, fuzzy, body-glove-ish sweaters are much more modest with a t-shirt underneath

4. If you really want to wear that shirt that isn't really long enough to reach your hips, wear a skirt that sits at your waist instead of lower down

5. White blouses (and even just regular old white t-shirts) are usually slightly see-through, but can be made more modest with a full cami in the winter or a half cami in the summer. (Of course, if the blouse is one of those completely see through I-can-see-your-undergarments-really-well kind of thing, than you shouldn't be wearing it anyways.)

6. Don't be afraid to safety-pin those button down blouses to make sure that you're not showing anything between the buttons. (This is especially important if you tend to wear tighter, stiffer fabric blouses ~which is not a good idea~, but even loose blouses tend to fall open between the buttons.)

7. Sometimes just holding your shirt so that it doesn't fall slightly open when you bend down can make all the difference in the world

8. Have good posture. Don't hunch over, but don't stick your chest out. Remember, you don't have to hide that you're a girl, but don't flaunt the fact either

9. If a shirt is the wrong color to wear under a hoodie or a vest, and it's too tight or see through to wear alone, go ahead and throw it away or give it to your Mom for whatever she might like to do with it. (Of course, if you're emotionally attached to the shirt you can always just put it in a box on the top shelf of your closet.)

That's all for now. If any of you gals have any other suggestions on how to 'modest up' your shirts, feel free to tell us! :-)

Buying Modest Shirts

The pictures in here were gotten off of the web. They are not meant to say anything positive or negative about the stores that are selling them. They are being used as examples for a personal opinion blog post.

I went to the mall with my Aunt and cousin a few weeks ago to shop for clothes, and was amazed at how few modest shirts there were. They all seemed to be made of super stretchy nylon that was extra form-fitting.
Today I want to give a few tips on shirts. How to choose modest shirts at stores (without buying them ten sizes too big). (Please understand that I am not saying that you cannot wear certain styles, just that it may be more modest to avoid them.)
The most important is to just use your common sense. Some styles are made to be immodest.


As you can see, this style seems designed to highlight the bust. As does this one which, for the record, was NOT in the pregnancy section.












Shirts with a message across the bust are probably best avoided as well, as they tend to encourage people to stare at your bust as they try to make out the word(s).












See through or lacy tops (even with an undergarment, but especially without) should be avoided. If you wouldn't wear the undergarment by itself (which I hope you would not), you should not wear it under a see through shirt.












I personally usually buy 'relaxed fit' or 'classic fit' t-shirts, because I wear my shirts tucked into the waistband of my skirt and I like the way that relaxed fit T's blouse instead of clinging.













Since relaxed fit T's tend to look like a box (and can sometimes make you look slightly heavier than you are) when they are worn out over a skirt, 'Modern Fit' or 'Fitted' may be a better choice of style for wearing un-tucked.












Just make sure to avoid the "it's plastered on me" look, which is never pretty.












Blouses look nice un-tailored as well as slightly tailored, depending on whether you are planning on wearing them in or out.

























Hint: You can wear shirts more fitted if they have a busy print on them (i.e. floral designs)

Make sure to TRY ON THE SHIRT before you buy it. This is very important!!!
While you're in the dressing rooms, go ahead and give the shirt a 'modesty check'.
A few ideas are:
to reach your arms above your head and see how much belly you can see (this is especially important when wearing hip-hugging skirts or pants)
to bend down facing the mirror and see if you can view your undergarments
to bend down as if you are picking up a child and put your hand on your lower back to see if any skin is exposed
And I'm sure that you can come up with more ideas.

If you don't know if you can trust your own judgment, ask a modest woman that you trust (preferably your Mom) if a shirt is modest or not.

I hope that this post was helpful! :-)

My next post will be on how to 'modest up' the shirts you already have.

Fearlessly Feminine

Here is my week for Brooke's challenge at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/IloveyouGod/468968/

Day one of the Fearlessly Feminine Challenge I wore a jean jumper over a long-sleeved shirt. I wore a silver heart necklace and silver earrings. I left my hair down.

Day Two I wore a flowered turtleneck shirt with a gray wool skirt. I wore gold earrings and a gold necklace, and my hair was up.
(This hairstyles was done by making a loose pony tail, and then creating a loose bun that I then tucked behind the pony tail thing. I held it in place with one or two bobby pins and two combs.)

Day three I missed taking a picture because we had gotten the news about Mr. Davis. But I'll just count this as day three...
I wore a black shirt with a blue watch plaid skirt from Chadwicks. My hair was half up half down, with the top half pulled back in a pony tail. I did not wear any jewelry.
Day Four I wore a striped turtleneck shirt with a jean skirt. I wore a silver necklace and coodinating earrings that I made. My hair was back in a tucked-through pony tail.

Day Five I wore a plaid skirt with a floral white shirt and a black sweater. I wore a gold heart necklace and gold earrings. My hair was up in a braided bun.
Day six (I did a seven day week) I wore a kaki skirt with a white shirt and a teal hoodie. I wore a matching teal necklace and silver earrings. My hair was down in a hair band.
Day seven (Sunday) I wore a floral Laura Ashley dress with a black sweater. I wore a gold and crystal necklace that I got for my graduation and gold crystal earrings. My hair was half up, half down, With the top half braided over my head.

I just tried to find a closer picture of my hair, but this was all I could find. You can kind of see how my hair is braided over my head in this picture.

Well there you are. A long post with lots of pictures of me for Brooke's Challenge. :-) If any of the girls want directions on how to do different hair styles, just ask! :-)