Pure Fashion: It’s Complicated

If you have read Wendy Shalit’s new book, Girls Gone Mild, you will know something about the national program, Pure Fashion. Some mothers got together several years ago to train their daughters in how to choose modest clothing and then put on a fashion show. It grew from there. The young ladies (high-school age) go through a 7 month program to learn all about being a (role) model.

Their modesty guidelines are quite extensive. Here is a sampling:

Pants

• should not be too tight, especially in the seat or the thigh area
• should fit well, but not be “skin-tight”, you should be able to pull them away from the leg
• shorts should be modest - no very short and/or tight shorts; if you put your arms down straight at the side, and the bottom of the shorts is higher than your longest finger, then the shorts are too short. (Remember, we will be on an elevated runway and everything will look a bit shorter to the audience.)
• make sure there are no “panty lines” on stage. If necessary, wear pantyhose or a “thigh shaper” to hold everything in and create a smooth appearance in your clothing.

Wow. How is one supposed to find a pair of pants that isn’t tight in the thigh or seat area? Of course, they cover how to choose skirts (must be no shorter than 4 finger widths above the knee) or sleeveless tops (3 finger widths across the shoulder) or necklines (again, no deeper than 4 finger widths below the collar bones). I think I need to lie down, my head is spinning!

There are much easier ways to set modesty standards. I think these rules are too complicated and too easy to fudge. What I would do is take these girls to a super Goodwill to get some really unique stuff! Knees covered from all angles, no booty showing, sleeves, no worries about counting finger widths.

What do you all think about the Pure Fashion concept? Is it really teaching Christian girls to be shame-faced, sober, gentle, and humble? Or is it showing girls they can be admired for their looks and feel goody-two-shoes about wearing a couple more inches of cloth?

[P.S.- Wendy has a new, new book coming out this summer: The Good Girl Revolution!]