The Beauty Of Modesty

A look at our cultural preferences today of showing as much skin as possible transposed against the choice to be modest and the values of the choice.

A young feminist finds herself questioning why “hotness” has become necessary for female empowerment—and looks for alternatives. Looking good feels good. But in a society where looking good is posited as being strong, while negotiating for better pay is statistically proven to damage our careers, is it fair to say that wicked eyeliner, weekly blowouts, and a polished Instagram feed are the keys to our liberation? If so—if “hot” really is a good enough synonym for “empowered”—why do so many of us feel, deep in our bones, that the sexy-as-strong model is a distraction? Is “pretty” still the closest to power women can get? Why is looking fierce an acceptable substitute for living in a world where women are safe? Inspired in seminary by American Muslimahs who wear the hijab for feminist reasons, Lauren Shields took off what she calls the Beauty Suit—the “done” hair, the tasteful and carefully applied makeup, the tight clothes and foot-binding shoes—for nine months. She’d really only wanted to do an experiment. Instead, her life—especially her views on what constitutes “liberation”—changed forever. Rooted in feminist theory and religious history, and guided by a snappy personal narrative, The Beauty Suit unpacks modern American womanhood: a landscape where the female body is still so often the battleground for male ideals, and where we struggle with our rights as human beings to define and exercise our freedom.

Updated with a new introduction, this fifteenth anniversary edition of A Return to Modesty reignites Wendy Shalit’s controversial claim that we have lost our respect for an essential virtue: modesty. When A Return to Modesty was first published in 1999, its argument launched a worldwide discussion about the possibility of innocence and romantic idealism. Wendy Shalit was the first to systematically critique the "hook-up" scene and outline the harms of making sexuality so public. Today, with social media increasingly blurring the line between public and private life, and with child exploitation on the rise, the concept of modesty is more relevant than ever. Updated with a new preface that addresses the unique problems facing society now, A Return to Modesty shows why "the lost virtue" of modesty is not a hang-up that we should set out to cure, but rather a wonderful instinct to be celebrated. A Return to Modesty is a deeply personal account as well as a fascinating intellectual exploration into everything from seventeenth-century manners to the 1948 tune "Baby, It’s Cold Outside." Beholden neither to social conservatives nor to feminists, Shalit reminds us that modesty is not prudery, but a natural instinct—and one that may be able to save us from ourselves.

Straight but sensitive talk to young women about modesty, beauty, self-image, and who God created them to be.

A much needed tonic for every Christian parent.

In a Culture of Distortions, Discover God-Defined Womanhood and Beauty In a culture where airbrushed models and career-driven women define beauty and success, it's no wonder we have a distorted view of femininity. Our impossible standards place an incredible burden of stress on the backs of women and girls of all ages, resulting in anxiety, eating disorders, and depression. One question we often forget to ask is this: What is God's design for womanhood? In Girl Defined, sisters and popular bloggers Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal offer women a countercultural view of beauty, femininity, and self-worth. Based firmly in God's design for their lives, this book helps women rethink what true success and beauty look like. It invites them on a liberating journey toward a radically better vision for femininity that ends with the discovery of the kind of hope, purpose, and fulfillment they've been yearning for. Girl Defined helps readers · discover God's design for femininity and his definition of a successful woman · uncover the secrets of lasting worth, purpose, and fulfillment · be equipped and empowered to live out a radically better vision for womanhood · gain personal insight through the chapter-by-chapter study guide

Is there more to modesty than the clothes we wear? Modesty. It’s a word that can tend to make women cringe. This is because for many years, people have concluded that modesty is a list of rules women have to keep about the clothes they wear. This version of modesty leaves women afraid that they will have to dress "frumpy and dumpy" to do it right. If you are tired of hearing this cringe-worthy version of modesty, you need to know that there is more to how we should dress than hemlines and dress codes. That's why it's time to throw out these false perceptions and redefine biblical modesty for a whole new generation. That's why through Beyond Your Wardrobe, you will: - Identify prominent lies that many women and teen girls believe about physical beauty and modesty - Learn different facets of what the words "modest" and "modesty" actually mean, and how they apply as much to the attitude of your heart as it does to your clothes - Take a deep dive into what the Scripture does and doesn't say about what we should wear - Discover how to find the best source for your worth and how to possess a beauty that will never fade away - Receive tips and answers to your questions about how to apply these principles to what's currently in your closet ​With an appendix for men, links to articles and videos, and a Bible study guide, this isn’t like any modesty book you’ve read before. Instead, it’s an invitation to discover the power and freedom that biblical modesty has to offer anyone willing to embrace it.