Global Women Panel

What It's Like Being Engaged...

2016-06-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all!!

I told myself that I wouldn't be a blogger who takes a break from blogging while planning a wedding, but goodness, there are too few hours in a day! And definitely not enough mental energy!

Yesterday marked the halfway point in our engagement! Wedding plans are moving along, I've had one shower already, sewn most of the bridesmaid dresses, started on my dress, mailed the invitations, booked venues, and finished registries. It's all been a lot of fun and I'm enjoying getting stuff done.

I've read articles from courting and married women, but in all of the wedding excitement I think a lot of deeper questions during this engagement season get pushed aside for talk of bows and flowers. As soon as I set a wedding date, friends from all walks of life encouraged me to enjoy this sweet season as much as possible. I've been trying to take their advice to heart daily among the stressful decisions and emotional roller coasters. :)

What's it like being engaged? In my 52 days of experience...

It is completely natural. We both expected it to be more life-shattering, awkward, or unusual. It's not at all weird-feeling.
It is extremely emotional. Happy, sad, tired, excited, frustrated, confused, disappointed, unsure, bubbling over, joyful, content... all of these feeling at once is not uncommon.
It is really hard to work on wedding stuff when we're together. We just want to hang out, talk, and do everyday things.
Seeing each other just on weekends is plain awful. I'm thankful it's that often, and that I had a chance to spend a week down there in June, but having your main squeeze four hours away? Not fun.
Not only should you tell each other everything, but for there to be no tension, you have to tell each other everything: fears, doubts, concerns, joys, pains, how much you are about to burst from loving the other, disappointments, expectations, dreams, silly notions, e v e r y t h i n g.
The ring only gets more gorgeous as the days go by.
There's a difference between knowing everything about a person's day and connecting with your fiance'. When things feel "off" you need to drop what you're doing (however important) and t a l k i t o u t.
There are evidences of God's providence around every turn. The more our love grows the more glory we want to give the Lord for bringing us together. His ways are perfect.
Spending time with other couples is SO MUCH FUN. It's an awesome season of life that we are making the most of. :)
There is a ton of hoopla around weddings. Showers, wedding party parties, moving, counseling, thank-you cards, gifts, spending time with family and meeting extended family, planning, apartment shopping... it's overwhelming pretty much all of the time. But good.
These days of "lasts" at home with my family are hard. I can't imagine any other path for my life than marrying Calvin, but realizing it is the end of an era at home is extremely bittersweet.

I thought y'all might like a little glimpse into some of the things I've been up to. I'm really looking forward to getting back to consistent blogging after the wedding!

My ring is yellow gold, my absolute favorite! It matches my favorite gold Jessica Simpson pumps I got at Goodwill. :P

I had so much fun making these cards! I have 6 bridesmaids-- 2 sisters, a sister-to-be, and 3 best friends. All but my sisters live in Georgia so that's made excuses for trips there easy. ;)

Registry. I'm still very passionate about ethical, USA-made, eco-friendly, organic, etc so I spent a long time researching and choosing items that meet those qualifications. I get so excited when I know where something came from and that it's a responsible product, that it was totally worth it to me to put a lot of thought into our lists. I plan to share my choices after the wedding in case anyone else is looking for the best renewable-resource cutting boards or USA-made spatulas. :)

Also, it's been super interesting to try to figure out how to combine mine and Calvin's styles into an "our" style. He doesn't know what he wants until he sees it, which has been a challenge for me to pull things out of the air for him to maybe give an opinion on. I love him so much! He makes it so much fun to be creative and then he takes joy in products that he knows I carefully chose. There's a lot of "so do you like this or this" texts. :) The dishes shown above are made-in-the-USA Corelle that I was afraid would be too girly, but he absolutely loves them. He especially loves that they stack so efficiently. :P

Wedding dress. Keeping with my fair-trade or second-hand convictions, I knew I didn't want to buy a wedding dress off the rack... even if I could find one I liked. Some girls dream about their perfect dress and know exactly what they want. Unfortunately, I was not one of those girls and had NO idea what I wanted. So my mom, sisters, grandmother, and I went out for a day in Nashville to second-hand bridal boutiques and David's Bridal for ideas. I didn't find any perfect dresses, but I had a good feeling by the end of the day of what I did not want.

Until last week when I walked into Jo-Ann's and saw THE lace, I wasn't sure I wanted to make my dress. I figured I'd keep checking consignment stores until I found something good enough. But, when I saw that fabric I knew exactly what I wanted and decided to make my dress. I'm using a pattern I've used several times before and so far it's going so well! I'm taking pictures of the process so I'll definitely share those after the wedding!

We ride around in the car a lot together and sometimes I have a neckache from leaning over the console so much. #engagementprobs

Sometimes we take outfit photos that just completely fail.

My littlest siblings weren't quite sure what to make of Calvin for the longest time. We want them to realize that this is exciting and a good thing, so Calvin suggested we take them to the Adventure Science Center for the day. We had an awesome time and now they love him. :)

Four-wheeler rides thorough the mud are 1000x more fun together.

During the week I spent in Georgia, I was able to take a few hours and shop for/ cook 30ish freezer meals for Calvin just because I wanted to. Plus it helps off-set the cost of Zaxby's twice a day. ;)

My forward-thinking man already has a car for me, so we spent some time in the sweltering heat cleaning and vacuuming them. I was just fine temperature-wise in this long maxi dress I bought on ThredUP!

One evening after an afternoon at the pool, we cooked spaghetti and ate it on his sister's balcony. There have been so many "picture perfect" moments in our engagement that I never want to forget.

June 11th we were in our good friends' wedding together! I helped arrange the gorgeous flowers into bouquets two days prior. I absolutely loved the variety Cami picked!

Thanks to Sabrina Fields for this picture!

The excitement of last week was beginning the bridesmaid dresses!

The advice to "enjoy this season" to me includes not only sweet time with my man, but also enjoying the process of preparing for a wedding! I LOVE sewing unusual (but easy) dresses and wanted to take the opportunity to do just that. Thankfully several of my bridesmaids sew, so I'm not doing all six by myself. :) But I absolutely LOVE how they came out and how good they look on all the girls! Just a few more need zippers and hems, otherwise they're done!

We're using Simplicity 1606, view B, with an altered neckline.

Calvin's church is awesome for several reasons, but one very hospitable thing they do is throw all incoming brides a shower! This past Saturday was that event and it was a great time! My sisters and mom came down for it, as well as Calvin's out-of-town sisters and nieces. :)

What's it like being engaged? Awesome.

I have started "our story" at least 8 times already and each time I realize it's going to be harder to put into words than I thought. :P

I hope y'all have an amazing week! Blessings!

I'm Engaged!

2016-05-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

Y'all... I'm engaged! There is a super sparkly yellow gold ring on my left hand. Every time I see it, feel it, remember it-- I think about my tall handsome man who loves me and has asked me to spend my life with him. If sap is not your thing, I suggest you forego reading the rest of this post. ;)

Here's the scoop, girlies!
November 21st, 2015 an acquaintance I had always admired messaged me on Facebook with a photography question. Shocked and confused that this guy who I knew for a fact was very intentional about NOT flirting with girls was talking to me so casually, I answered his question politely and expected he'd end the messaging after some light chit-chat. But that didn't happen, and now 172 days later, we are pledged to be married. :) I plan on writing up our story soon, but for now, how about I answer some questions I know are coming!

Who IS this guy??
His name is Calvin and he lives in the Atlanta, Georgia area. He's 24, works building stills that recycle printing solvents, is exactly 12" taller than me, and is the youngest of 4 from a loving Christian home. I love his heart, his groove, and most of all his desire for living a godly life.

Does this mean you're moving??
Yes! I'm moving to Georgia!

How did y'all meet?
July 4th, 2013 we met at a party at my pastor's house. He has known a lot of my friends for a decade or more but since he lives in Georgia our paths never crossed (although I had heard lots about him!) until then. He doesn't remember meeting me, but I recall that he carried on a conversation with my dad for a long time while I stood there trying not to seem like I was listening. :P

When's the wedding?
Middle of August, 2016!

Did you guys court?
Yes, that's what we called it. We joke that we did a lot of things very differently than how you're "supposed" to, but our relationship has been exactly what our personalities needed to help us grow as individuals, as Christians, and, in God's timing, as a couple.

How did he propose?
I'll save that for "our story" :)

Are you making your wedding dress?
I don't know yet-- I've only been engaged 5 days! I'll keep y'all updated though. ;)

What's the future of Fresh Modesty now that you'll be a wife?
Calvin's totally on board with me continuing to blog! Y'all get to come through this crazy transition with me and I'm so excited to share my journey with my Fresh Modesty girls!

So there's my news. The Lord has richly blessed me and I am thankful.

Crazy March Days

2016-03-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! I hope you're having a great week! I'm unpacking from returning from Georgia on Monday and preparing for a trip to Ohio on Friday, with a jaunt to Nashville Thursday evening for the Teach Them Diligently Convention. Needless to say, dressing up has been the last thing on my mind as I clean the house, work on getting skirt orders out, briefly help my sister sew bridesmaid dresses, and prepare for company. My first priority? Drinking coffee.

I wasn't intending to do a full "review" of this coffee when Gypsy Coffee Co. sent it to me, but I love it so much I wanted to mention it. My goal for 2016 is to only work with ethically-minded companies, so when they contacted me asking about sponsorship I couldn't say no.

From their about page:

"Gypsy Coffee- a place where creativity is encouraged, Christ is honored, fair-trade coffee and other drinks are made, sold, and enjoyed, and money is raised to end human trafficking. Sounds cool, huh? That's the dream.

So far we have our own variety of fair trade Honduran coffee, a great coffee recipe, and a good bit of energy, but we hope to eventually become a real coffee shop selling our very own coffee."

Their Full City Roast is awesome. It's exactly the flavor I like for my afternoon ah-the-kitchen's-a-mess-I-need-to-make-dinner pick-me-up. ;) I love it in the french press, 2-3 T for 24oz of water.

My wet hair in a weird bun is a good indication of just how real this outfit is. My shirt I pulled out of the "donate" bin we had in our room because I just wasn't ready to say goodbye... and I'm glad I did! I didn't realize how few spring shirts I have until the weather warmed up these last 10 days or so. My earrings are from my sister's Etsy shop, Droplette Jewelry.

My skirt I made from FreshApparel.us scraps, just piecing it together carefully and paying attention to the grain of the denim so it would lay right. :)

My mug says "Actually, I Can" from Jo-Ann's.

Y'all try out Gypsy Coffee Co. if you can. They have a sale going on through March: GCSPRING30 for 30% off! Have a great day! What's your weekend look like?

Review | Tik Tak Layering T

2016-03-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all! I have a quick and easy spring/summer outfit and review for you!

It's finally warm enough for short sleeves and short skirts! Sadly it's still getting dark earlier than I realize so I have indoor pictures today.

Shopblets sent me their Tik Tak Layering T to review! It's a full t-shirt with super fun sleeves that make layering under a strappy shirt look so much snazzier! The shirt itself is a perfect length for a petite girl like me but I imagine would also work for a long torso. There is a high and a low neckline, and I wore it backwards so the high would be in the front. Shopblets' Candy Rack collection has several styles of these layering Ts that are a great idea for those shirts that need more pizzazz than a Halftee!

I have a 10% off code to pass along! Enter "FRESH10" at checkout on Shopblets.com :) And, guess what? The Ts are proudly Made in America, so you can feel awesome about supporting this company!

My purple tank is Mossimo brand, my skirt Ann Taylor, and my shoes Aldo;

all second-hand from ThredUP.

I sat down on the couch earlier and my 10 year old brother looked up from his game of Minecraft that he'd been glued to for an hour and said, "You look really pretty, Olivia"... so I'm going to call this ensemble a success. ;)

I've spent this week nursing a headache, replying to your emails and FB messages (still working through them!), enjoying the sunshine, and trying to get my head together about all the things I need to accomplish! What are you up to this week?

When A Conviction Has Social Ramifications

2016-03-04T00:30:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all! I hope you're doing well today! As I've been going through a particularly rich time of growing and learning in my life, I've also been realizing how important grace and understanding among believers is. I'd like to flesh this out in 5 ways we can handle situations in which our convictions have social ramifications. In this article I'm talking about issues of orthopraxy (right doing) not differences in orthodoxy (right believing).

1) Keep it to yourself.

Matthew 6:1-4, "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them... When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you do as the hypocrites...your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."

The incredible, yet sometimes frustrating-to-our-flesh thing about convictions, is that they are a deeply personal thing. The Holy Spirit moves and works in each of us differently and we have to understand that first and foremost. We don't know how the Lord is working in someone else, nor do we need to broadcast how God is moving in our own hearts.

2) Participate in your own way.

Romans 14:22-23, "Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith, for whatever is not from faith is sin."

This chapter is amazing in the way it encourages us to love one another in our various convictions. Verse 14b says, "But to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean." The examples given are issues (vegetables, day of worship, wine or no) that were of particular popularity in the early church because they were matters of interpreting the Old Testament. The language Paul uses (weak and strong) does convey that one brother is more full in his understanding of Scripture, yet there is no suggestion of pushing the weaker to take the position of the stronger. On the contrary, 14b says that it is a sin to violate your conscience and that we should have a healthy respect for one another's convictions.

So, for me, I am convicted to shop ethically for my clothing now that I am aware of the ways it affects people globally. (Read my post Please Stop Buying Cheap Clothes if you haven't yet) In general, this means boycotting stores like Forever 21, GAP, Old Navy, etc. But, I have a tradition of going Black Friday shopping at the mall with good friends. We have so much fun getting up early and exploring the (oddly empty) mall! But if I were to buy like I used to, I would be violating my "new conscience". My sisters and my friends have little to no conviction to "shop ethically", so although I personally did not buy much from the mall, I took Romans 14:22 to heart and was happy in my own way before the Lord, not worrying about what others are or are not convicted about. This isn't a "better than thou" attitude (if I had that I wouldn't be go, lol) but a spirit of joy in the journey.

[If hanging out at the mall were a frequent activity for my friends group, I would probably try to suggest other activities so that I wasn't constantly tempted, but this is a once-a-year thing.]

3) Quietly excuse yourself.

Romans 14:12, "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God."

Sometimes, even when engaging in an activity would be a ton of fun for social reasons, our convictions are such that it would violate our conscience to participate, so excusing ourselves is best. There is a family in our church who has stricter movie-viewing standards than many of the other families. So, when a group of us is getting together to see a new Marvel movie or whatever, depending on the content, this family may just say, "Thanks for the invite, but we won't be seeing this without ClearPlay" and the rest of us respect that and try not to make it harder for them to say no. Sometimes their example will encourage all of us to change our plans and sometimes not. But the decorum with which they handle the situation is always a blessing.

4) Share your passion at a time when the issue is not at hand.

Romans 14:19, "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun."

We are all learning and growing in different areas at different times, but one of the super awesome things about friends is that we get to share, learn, and grow together. We can share what the Lord has laid on our hearts, we can excitedly send them a link to a great documentary we just watched, and we can rant over coffee about how Walmart treats their employees. As long as we approach with an attitude of humility and "this is the way I see it, you don't have to agree" we should feel safe sharing our hearts and passions. The wrong time to launch into your "soda-is-awful-and-your-body-is-a-temple" spiel is walking out of the gas station with your bottled water while your friend carries a Coke. If you are newly convicted about something and would like your friend to know and understand your perspective, choose a time at which emotions are not on high-alert and you are able to have a calm discussion. In my case, choosing a neutral time to share my passion usually means turning the greeting "How are you?" into an exuberant explanation of how the methylation cycle works and how everyone needs to be taking Vitamin C everyday. :P

5) Don't burn your friends with the fire of your passion.

James 3:4-5, "Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!" Luke 6:45b, "For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

When we're excited about something, we want to talk about it! When we've learned an interesting health fact or business concept, we want to share it! That's totally natural and a very good thing (because when we're filled with Jesus, we can't help but share!), but we have to be careful that in our bubbling over we don't alienate our friends and family who don't share our excitement.

When I was starting Fresh Apparel Denim Company, I listened to business podcasts for 8 or 9 hours a day nearly all summer long. This was an excellent education, but as you can imagine the only thing going on in my heart and mind was all business all the time. So, that's what I talked about and- go figure- not all of my friends shared this passion! It was hard for me to see at the time, but I was pretty annoying and dogmatic with it all. It's so easy to get wrapped up in an area of study when we're first getting into it that we forget we need to ask how our friends are doing, talk about something besides the different interpretations of Revelation, and shut our mouths a paragraph and a half before we want to. Better to have them ask questions than to have friends walk away bored out of their minds. :p

Unity, love, and joy in the Lord are SO important, especially in modern America where there are so many things Christians passionately disagree and argue about. There is also a ridiculous amount of compromise -- and expectation that we will compromise-- that we need to be on guard to not allow ourselves to grow indifferent or stop seeking the Lord's face on issues. Our consciences should not be dismissed as legalistic or silly. The Lord places convictions in our heart for a reason-- let's honor ourselves and others as we live them out. :)

I Can Do Casual, Too...

2016-03-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all! I share a lot of church/dress up outfits just because I like those ones more than my causal outfits, but today I have a relaxed ensemble that actually really jives with my desire for class to be maintained while being super easy at the same time.

My hoodie jacket is Threads 4 Thought brand and is made from organic cotton. I bought it second hand on ThredUP, which gives it extra good-for-world points. ;)

My skirt is also second hand from a neighbor (same one as I wore on New Year's!), but my tank is from Forever21. I borrowed my sister's Converse for the day and wore fleece-lined leggings to keep warm.

My week has been full of laundry, dishes, meal prep, and replying/going through about 1200 emails that I've let pile up the last few weeks. O.o

I'm a huge fan of this ear cuff (like an earring, but without the piercing) because I feel like it adds a little something extra to my outfit but it doesn't get in my way like a bracelet would or give me a headache like a necklace would. My gorgeous long earrings are from my sister's Etsy shop, Droplette Jewelry.

I hope you're having a great week! Have you discovered any ethical brands lately?

10 Packing Tips for Frequent Traveling

2016-02-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all! I hope you're doing well! It's a wonderfully busy season for me these days! Of the last 7 weekends, I've traveled 5 of them visiting family and friends in Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, and Virginia.

I'm back home now and hopefully back to blogging! I thought I'd share a few things that I've been doing to make frequent traveling easier.

1) Leave room in your suitcase.

There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to fit everything back into your suitcase at the end of your trip or not being able to root around in your bag to find socks because it's too stuffed. Choosing a suitcase with some wiggle room and/or paring down your items so that you don't have to struggle to fit it all in is one way to relieve some stress!

2) Pack your reliable clothing.

I know it's a lot more fun to pick different or new outfits to take on a trip, but you will thank yourself if you make sure they are first and foremost pieces you feel comfortable and confident in. Trying new outfits in an unfamiliar environment just adds to the awkwardness you're already experiencing being away from home.

3) Turn your purse into your overflow bag.

I have a Mary-Poppins sized purse that has been such a blessing these last few weeks. I keep a smaller wallet in there to take into the gas station, grocery store, etc. but by keeping all the "extras" I take on a trip in my purse I'm able to feel prepared and don't have to think about what to take with me in my pockets when riding with a friend or leaving last minute for a trip. Some things I keep with me:

My make-up bag
Tylenol/benadryl/Vitamin C
Handcream
Mints/gum
Protein bar
Bobby pins
Pain relief cream
A full-sized, shareable bar of nice dark chocolate
Chapstick
Extra mags for my gun
Deodorant
Sharpie
Bracelet
Perfume
My Bible and a notebook
Phone charger

Sometimes if I don't have room in my suitcase I also throw my straightener, hairgel, and jewelry case in my purse.

4) Take your own blanket.

No matter how many times you visit grandma's or your best friend's house, it's always so much easier to sleep when you are warm under your own blanket. It can double as a pillow if you decide nap at a gas station and ensures you're able to keep warm when your host doesn't believe in turning on the heat unless it's snowing. ;)

5) Plan your outfits around your shoes.

Shoes are the bulkiest item to pack, so if you're able to take just two pair for a weekend it really helps. If you're taking boots with you, try to incorporate them into your travel outfits so you don't have to fit them in your suitcase. It's always good to have some sort of casual shoe that you could do active things in and then a pair of nice flats or heels for the other events. This past weekend I packed three pair, but ended up not wearing the gold heels because they kept slipping off my feet and I couldn't walk in them... which was weird because they usually fit fine? But it worked just fine to wear the plum shoes with my church dress.

Packing for a weekend in Atlanta. I love visiting places where roads are concrete and sidewalks are common because I can wear flats and heels without fear of sinking in mud. #countryprobs??????
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Feb 11, 2016 at 3:03pm PST

6) Always take a casual outfit.

I don't know how many times I've been super thankful I had thrown a pair of jeans and warm sweater tunic into my bag at the last minute. Whether it's freshening up after traveling, ending the day with a movie at a friend's after a fancy event, or being invited rock climbing unexpectedly, having the extra outfit is a very nice thing. :)

7) Handcream.

When I travel, I try to simplify my routine as much as possible. So instead of packing body lotion and make up remover, I just try to take something that works for both, like Cetaphyl or coconut oil. Gas station restrooms have ridiculously drying soap, so moisturizing is even more necessary than normal.

8) One jacket (with pockets).

There's no reason to take more than one outer coat/jacket for a weekend trip. It may not go with every outfit perfectly, but that's okay. I don't like toting things around with me, so having pockets for my phone and keys in my coat helps keep my hands free when I'm wearing a dress or other outfit that doesn't have pockets.

9) Don't apply make-up at 3 am.

I don't know about you, but I usually wake up with puffy eyes, sheet creases on my cheek, and a generally less-than-perky appearance. If I apply make-up before my face has had time to energize, my makeup looks horrible the rest of the day. So I throw my make-up bag in my purse and apply it once the sun has risen. There's better lighting in the car than in my bathroom anyway. :P

10) Don't take more than you can carry.

It's no fun to take up vacation time schlepping stuff around. Take only what you absolutely will need so that you aren't tripping over suitcases in your hotel room or making 3 trips from the car to your friend's third floor apartment.

The Road Trip Life // I found this gorgeous travel case for my jewelry at my grandpa's thrift store this week and whattayouknow, it matches my make-up bag from the Jo-Ann's checkout line peeeerfectly. Currently applying foundation and mascara at drive hour 4 of 12 today while winding through West Virginia mountains. ??
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jan 13, 2016 at 8:20am PST

I'm sorry I've been so absent these last few weeks! I've been posting a little bit on Instagram.com/freshmodesty, though, so I'll share some of those posts here on Friday!

What are your top travel tips? I'd love to hear them since I have two more weekend trips scheduled for March! Blessings!

Happy New Year!

2015-12-31T23:43:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

This is what I wore to two parties last night. I was very overdressed, but I am unapologetic on New Years Eve about wearing outlandish sequins. :D

It was a chilly evening and both parties were in barns, so I layered for warmth.

I concealed carried my new M&P Shield in a compression-style holster I made; that was my first layer. Over that was a long-sleeved Halftee, a burgundy tank from JCPenny's, my fabulous sequin cardigan I bought on ThredUP just for this holiday season, and an elastic/leather belt I found in the closet. I think my skirt is a hand-me-down from a neighbor. I settled for comfort and wore my brown HushPuppies brand boots. And F21 leggings, because Tennessee finally decided it's winter now.

I've gotten away from wearing waist-defining belts just as a personal style preference, but it really worked this evening to reign in the floppy sequin thing. I braided a section of my hair and tied a gold sparkly fern to it for even more fun. It looks weird/super obvious in the pictures but it wasn't in person.

I'm super excited about what 2016 is going to hold. I've been in a funk the last few months, but something clicked this week and I think I'm finally coming out of it. :)

How did you ring in the New Year? Do you dress up? Did you get anything super awesome you're just dying to tell everyone about for Christmas?! haha update me ladies!

{p.s. I'll be sharing more about the holster I made once I've had a chance to test it/train with it/etc, so hang tight on the concealed carry questions. I'm just recently renewing my resolve to carry daily.)

Cashmere + Pleather

2015-12-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

Hello! I hope your Christmas season is off to a wonderful start!

This is what I wore to church yesterday. I jumped into the Christmas spirit by pairing a shiny cranberry pleather skirt with my gold pumps and a cozy cashmere sweater.

I made this skirt in October as a sort of challenge to myself. I bought the fabric at the thrift store and it's closer to the texture of a vinyl table cloth than it is to a cotton fabric... so of course I wanted to make a pleather-look skirt! I used the "Never-ending pie slice" technique from my How To Sew Denim eBook to get a pattern for the high-waisted skirt. I also took out several inches of fullness by slicing the pattern and bringing the sides in. Four gores, fully interfaced, side zipper. :) It was a fun couple-hour project.

My sweater was ridiculously soft... and sadly I won't get to wear it again. It got put in my closet instead of my mom's by mistake and she wants it back. :P

I FINALLY got a floppy-brimmed hat! I've been trying to find the perfect one for about 18 months and on Black Friday I got this one for $15 at Charlotte Russe. The brim is just the right size to be super cute but not too dramatic for church.

Necklace is from Charming Charlie, gold shoes are Jessica Simpson brand from Goodwill. :)

And, it's kind of hard to tell because of the hat, but I got a haircut! I had Kitty put a gazillion layers in and I'm SO happy with it. My hair was getting really hard to deal with and now it takes no time at all to add a swirl to the ends of the layers and run out the door. Staring at these pictures I see my hair was looking a little messy (blame it on the cashmere) but I hadn't done annnnnything to it in 4 days and that makes the style a winner in my book. ;)

Alright, I've gotta run and hem and ship a bunch of FreshApparel.us orders, so I'll catch y'all later! Have a wonderful week!!

Autumn Turned Winter

2015-11-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all! It's now officially cold more days of the week than it is warm, so something cozy for church this morning was a must!

Y'all remember my perfect dress from Autumn Trends | Day Two? Well, throw a cozy jumper sweater over it and voila-- it's winterized.

This is a Ralph Lauren cable-knit sweater from ThredUP. My Gianni Bini brand black boots are also from there. Hat was Target a few years ago and the long earrings are from Charming Charlie's.

If the day had been slightly warmer, I probably would have worn the gorgeous gold heels again, but I'm really starting to move towards comfort over fabulousness in my old age. ;)

These two verses of Dear Lord and Father of Mankind stuck out to me while we sang them this morning:

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,

Forgive our foolish ways;

Reclothe us in our rightful mind,

In purer lives Thy service find,

In deeper reverence, praise.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our souls the strain and stress,

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace.

What a reminder! The lines in italic especially encouraged me that taking the time to reevaluate and strive for more ordered lives IS a God-glorifying activity. This applies to so many areas of life! But of course I immediately smiled realizing my closet is not confessing the beauty of His peace right now. ;)

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend! I'm off to play games with friends. Blessings!

5 Fall Outfits I Blogged And Now Wonder WHY

2015-11-18T14:17:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all! It has been a crazy crazy last couple weeks! I've really wanted to post some outfits, but my main photographer has had a nasty cold and I just couldn't drag her out of bed to grab some shots.... and now I have the lovely bug and I'm considering doing a post on 5 reasons why every girl needs a pair of Nike track pants... #1 being so you can look decent while laying around on a Tuesday swallowing garlic cloves every few hours. ;)

Instead of a classy post like that, today I'm going to share "5 Fall Outfits I Blogged and Now Wonder WHY" because in the time I haven't been blogging recently, I've been watching documentaries, reading books, listening to lectures, and talking to friends about good art, beauty, identity, math, and excellence-- and how they should not be compartmentalized in our lives as Christians.

There are elements and principles of design that should be followed in our wardrobes with similar attitude as when composing a piece of music or planning brushstrokes for a work of art. Obviously, our outfit of the day will not have the lasting impact or significance as The Last Supper by Di Vinci, (thank goodness) but because "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence", (1 Peter 1:3, emphasis mine) we should use the fundamentals of aesthetics to evaluate our outward adornment. Elements of design are pieced together to create principles of design in good art.

Here are the 3 elements of design I'm focusing on learning currently (definitions from ArtsEdge website):

Line is the most basic building block of formal analysis. Line can be used to create more complex shapes or to lead your eye from one area in the composition to another.
Color differentiates and defines lines, shapes, forms, and space.
Texture is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Textures can be rough or smooth, soft or hard.

And the 3 principles of design:

Balance is created in a work of art when textures, colors, forms, or shapes are combined harmoniously.
Emphasis is created in a work of art when the artist contrasts colors, textures, or shapes to direct your viewing towards a particular part of the image.
Unity is created when the principles of analysis are present in a composition and in harmony. Some images have a complete sense of unity, while some artists deliberately avoid formal unity to create feelings of tension and anxiety.

Now, to evaluate some fall outfits I have blogged over the years and now realize were not well done.

{Click here for original post}

Line: The top's tuckage and the skirt's fly bring your attention to the widest, most awkward part of the outfit: the hips. So very bad.

Color: The monochromatic color scheme of the outfit is fine and harmonious, but (and maybe this is just the lighting of the picture or the contrast of the wall behind) the gold shirt detail really clashes with the bleached highlights of my hair that year.

Texture: The texture of the light knit shirt and cargo denim skirt go fine together, but the skirt obviously didn't wear well because of all the wrinkles which are distracting and messy.

Balance: The balance is off due to the awkward lines and distracting textures of the outfit combo.
Emphasis: Certainly not on the face where it should be!
Unity: Theoretically this should have been a fine outfit, but when even one element of design is off (line), it ruins the whole thing!

{Click here for original post}

Line: Top-half is fine, bottom half... fluffy then chicken bone ankles. Not good.

Color: This shade of lime green with burnt orange is very jarring. It's confident, but not cohesive.

Texture: The texture of the shirt does go with the skirt, but the skirt is just a bad look due to the wrinkles and odd gathering.

Balance: The balance is fine, because the skirt has a little more weight to it than the shirt, keeping the proportions okay.
Emphasis: Because my hair is down and I have some braids to add texture, I think your eye is drawn to my face... but just barely.
Unity: Due to the lines, colors, and textures, this outfit just is not excellent.

{Click here for original post}

Line: The shawl's angled hem combined with the long gored skirt does create a flattering line.

Color: Orange and brown are great colors together, but the pink shirt underneath totally throws the whole look.

Texture: Linen is a great fabric to go with knitted shawls as it goes with the easy breezy feel. The feather earrings also go with the look.

Balance: Due to the see-through shawl, the hip line isn't destroyed by the scarf, but the v-neck t-shirt underneath is just confusing.
Emphasis: If the undershirt was a color that blended, it would drive the eye towards my face. But as it is, the emphasis goes towards the tight shirt and dark tank under the shawl.
Unity: One distracting point of an outfit can ruin the whole look. :P

{Click here for original post}

Line: Okay-ish. The proportions are right, but the contrasting colors definitely break up the eye-line.

Color: Whyyyyyy that orange? Way too obnoxious to be paired with muted gray and given as much space as the black. Bright colors should be in pops, not large percentages.

Texture: Eh, not going to complain about the textures except to point out again how bad wrinkles are.

Balance: The colors definitely throw off the balance of this outfit.
Emphasis: The v-neck and large hair-bow help draw the eye to my face, even with the distracting skirt lol.
Unity: Overall, the outfit's not that bad. But it's not good either-- and I'm striving for great.

{Click here for original post}

Line: Just bleh. Those sleeves are not flattering on my skinny arms and the jeans are ill-fitting.

Color: Lavender was a fun color for a while, but did not blend with my red hair or brown purse.

Texture: Corduroy and knit goes great together. Corduroy badly stretched out is a terrible look though.

Balance: The shirt's print gives more "weight" to the top of the outfit, but the length of the shirt cuts at an awkward length.
Emphasis: The first thing I see when I look at the image is a poorly defined midsection. O.o
Unity: Of the 5 outfits I've evaluated today, this is the most unified, just working with weird pieces.

The purpose of this exercise was to train my eye to evaluate my own clothing based on objective concepts so that in the future I can better combine for a cohesive, excellent looks.

I do remember WHY I chose to wear and blog these outfits, but my thinking has shifted and I disagree with my past self that those were good reasons lol. I'm not "being hard on myself" just acknowledging that growth and learning should always be happening. :)

So, I realize not everyone has the advantage of 5 years of their outfits being documented to help evaluate, but how do you think you can apply these elements and principles into your daily dressing?

Let's Talk | List for Teenage Girls

2015-10-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

Seen in Nashville yesterday.

Dear Teenage Sister-in-Christ,

I turned 23 last week, which means I've had a few years to process some things that I did- or did not- do right while I was in my teens. I wish I could go back and encourage myself that life is short and tedious, but to not grow weary and take every moment captive. I can't though, so I'm writing you, hoping that maybe you'll learn from my perspective things that I wish I had studied or skills that I've been so grateful I've developed:

Learn food photography. There WILL come a time you need to do it well.
Go the extra mile in math. You may need to figure out how many pounds of sand you need to buy to level out under the swimming pool someday.
Learn good housekeeping habits, even if you're not naturally inclined towards tidying up.
Don't use Bath and Body Works products. The smell of Twilight Woods is not worth the toxic load on your skin.
You probably won't get married young.
Learn house/table/product staging. Like food photography, there WILL come a time when you'll need that skill.
Read the classics. Read the poets. Read about art. Learn about your city.
Learn how to sew with excellence.
Learn web design, even if you're not "techie".
Learn how to do hair.
Redeem your time with audio books. Still one of my fondest times from my teenage years was listening to Augustine's Confessions while sewing Reformation Day costumes for my sisters and me.
Loosen up on the eyeliner. It doesn't make you look older.
Acquire a basic understanding of needlework, even if you don't have the patience for it.
Study the golden ratio.
Don't ignore "the little kids". Some of my best friends now are younger girls I had to grit my teeth and "put up with" when I was 15 and they were 11/12. The older we get, the easier it is to forget that there's an age difference.
Learn Photoshop, video editing, and typography. You may not plan to ever have a business, work as a graphic designer, or blog, but the chances of you being asked to make a flyer for a church event or help your husband with t-shirts for his company, etc. are preeeeetty high.
Explore your interests. Draw, paint, sculpt, sing! Economics, politics, theology-- it's all profitable.
Invest in your siblings. They will be your best friends.
It is better to be quiet than to fill silences with meaningless flirty chatter.
Enjoy family time, but making the effort to hang out with friends will also be a big blessing in your life.
Learn to read sheet music.
Don't say derogatory things about guys. Build them up with your words and actions.
Learn some pop culture.
Pinterest is great! In moderation.
In social gatherings, relax.
Keep a journal.
Learn the art of story-telling. Whether it's entertaining company, sharing a life-lesson at a Bible study, or simply making small-talk, being able to tell an interesting (and not super long) story will serve you well.
Instead of filling your hopechest, simplify your stuff to leave time, energy, money, and space in your life for ministry, hospitality, and friendships.
Cook a real meal at least once a week. Cooking is a muscle that has to be exercised.

But most importantly, memorize Scripture, talk with Jesus, and share your joys, hugs, and struggles with your mom. She can be pretty great.

Do you have any advice/skills you would add? I hope this has encouraged a few of you to take life by the horns and enjoy the day. :)

Autumn Trends | Day Three

2015-10-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! I hope you're doing well! I've had a full day of visiting, cleaning, photoshooting, and then celebrating this evening!

None of our clean laundry has been put away for what seems like a month, so today's outfit is the simple outcome of things-I-can-actually-find. I also had to choose something in brown/denim/khaki for our photoshoot. This dress seemed casual enough to wear on a Monday. ;)

Dress: Borrowed from my 17 yo sister

Jacket: Also borrowed from Willa

Flipflops: ThredUP

Earrings: Charming Charlie's

This evening we had a small celebration to commemorate my Aunt Jill surviving brain tumor surgery two years ago this weekend. God was so good to leave her here on earth with us and He has done many incredible things in her recovery.

L-R, Aunt Jill (dad's sister), Emma, Willa, Mother, me, and Elsia's horizontal. ;)

We stayed up late last night watching "African Queen" with Catherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart-- such a good movie! I hope you've enjoyed the #AutumnTrendsBF event as much as I have! Blessings!

Autumn Trends | Day Two

2015-10-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! I hope you're having a wonderful day! Today for #AutumnTrendsBF I'm wearing a 1970's inspired drop-waist dress that I made while testing out patterns for Camp Stitches.

There are so many things I want to say about this dress. It encompasses so many aspects of that identity crisis I've been hinting at in my last few posts. ;)

It's handmade to fit me perfectly. Well-tailored clothing has something about it that just makes my heart sing.
It's made from vintage thrift store fabric. Win with the eco-friendly + win with the price.
It's navy blue and gold, my favorite (and most flattering) colors to wear.
It's kind of an upholstery-brocade-inspired print that I've been finding great happy depth to lately.
It's a very classic silhouette and has the longer sleeve length I've been trying to migrate to in my wardrobe as I "grow up".
It's washable and doesn't need ironed.
It's ridiculously versatile. I've worn it three times so far-- once with black boots, once with a green cloche, brown "vintage" shoes, and a green scarf for a WWII look, and then today as you see (with a denim jacket in the air conditioning).
I top-stitched all the seams, which reminds me of quality clothing and makes me super happy.

I used Simplicity 1103 for a pattern and adjusted the front and back necklines to meet my modesty standards. I really wish I had a term for the type of fabric I used because I want to search for more. This was 60" wide and I got the whole dress from just one yard.

My beret is from Target a few years ago and the Jessica Simpson brand gold heels I bought at Goodwill last Saturday for $2.50. woooooot! Nails are Butter LONDON "Queen Vic" shade and my bracelet was my grandmother's.

It's so funny how elated a piece of clothing can make us sometimes, isn't it? Have a wonderful day! Be sure to visit Ashley's Day Two post for more autumn fun! :)

Autumn Trends | Day One

2015-10-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! It's been way too long since I've taken "real" outfit photos (and my iPhone remote broke, so that's made even quick image grabs more complicated) and Ashley's Autumn Trends Blog Event seemed the perfect excuse to get back in the habit!

It is such a gorgeous day, so we spent a few extra minutes pretending to have a picnic just because we could. ;)

Two weekends ago, super sweet longtime readers of Fresh Modesty stopped by on their way home from vacation to meet my family and me. The internet is such a wonderful place and has facilitated opportunities to connect with such incredible people! And... oh my goodness, y'all, Mrs. M made me this basket.

She literally weaved me a basket.

How cool. is. that.

According to ELLE magazine, "Bling is back! After seasons of oversized jewelry with minimal design, we've made a return to very feminine, sparkly jewelry..."

So, I opted to wear a simple gold blingy costume bracelet from Charming Charlie's to compliment the Old Navy gold-toed flats.

As much fun as chunky sweaters, blanket scarves, and wool are, it is just not cool enough to wear those looks here in Tennessee yet. So today for a casual Saturday visiting with out-of-state family, I'm wearing super comfy Ann Taylor corduroys (thankfully nice enough for those) in what I guess is called "Marsala" this autumn. ;)

My tunic I got on ThredUP (click here for $20 off your first order) and it's been a super versatile, easy tunic that was perfect for summer and is now taking me into fall. The brand is Lush.

Apparently 1970's and flared jeans are finally back in style (that's my favorite fashion decade!) just as I was finally adopting skinny jeans into my wardrobe. I will have to search a bit to find flares in the back of the closet. :P

Ulta Beauty had an online-only sale on the carcinogen-free Butter LONDON nail polishes a fortnight back so I picked up this gorgeous shade called "Queen Vic" and didn't realize it would match these pants so well. ha!

I'll see y'all again soon-- be sure to click over to Bramblewood Fashion to see Ashley's outfit and get links to others'! Blessings!

Recap | Camp Stitches 2015

2015-10-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! Last week I hosted a 4 day sewing bootcamp for 8 students and boy was it fun!

My heart in creating this event was to share my love of sewing with excited girls and provide a joyful week of fellowship around a learning experience. The Lord greatly blessed the entire week and worked out every detail amazingly!

The first big answer to prayer was that a long real estate transaction finally closed just a few days before the camp began which opened up this incredible space for us to use!

Day one we made denim bags (from Fresh Apparel scraps!) with pleather accents. This project was a doozy for even the advanced seamstresses but everyone did amazing! (and vowed to never sew a bag again, lol)

Day two we learned how to sew knits and used Simplicity 1198 to create tunic shirts. They turned out so beautiful! Everyone persevered with such grace through misbehaving machines, lost fabric pieces, and weird piecing techniques.

To say we had a good time is a major understatement. :D

"Everybody clap your hands! Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap"

This is a pretty good summary of everyone's personalities and effectively shows the level of drama this group constantly had. :D

Back left to right: Tori, Katie, Emma, Katy, Anna Grace.

Front left to right: Kiera, Lia, Abby. :)

Hard at work.

I love all the artsy shots Katie took!

Day 3 and 4 we tackled dresses! Lia brought a few of her completed sewing projects and Tori fell in love with this red and white striped one, so she used Lia's pattern with this gorgeous olive fabric and crafted a darling dress.

Tori, Katie, and Anna Grace traveled from North Carolina to attend Camp Stitches!

Lia also brought her tailor's ham (that thing on the ironing board) and it made pressing so much easier! I've now ordered myself one because the quality difference in ironing is amazing! Here's a link to the one I picked up.

Anna Grace utilized the dress form to pin her sleeve and neck bindings to the bodice.

Liaaaaaaa!

Katyyyyyyy! (She totally blew me away with how quickly she picked up reading and using a pattern!)

Magnetic pincushions for the wiiiiin.

Poor Tori did a lot of seam ripping when her pieces got mixed up with someone else's. :P

Kiera was such a joy to be around! She took her time and it really paid off!

Hand stitching the lining.

Examining a sleeve hem.

Laughing and seam ripping. :D

Winging a pocket for Abby's dress big enough for her phone.

We discovered that invisible zippers are SO much easier to install and make look good than regular zippers! Love how they turned out.

What an incredible gift to spend a 4 days and 5 nights with these girls!

Everyone went home talking about their next project and I'm so amazed by how much they learned in the week. I'm re-inspired myself and hope to share some more about getting started in sewing here on the blog.

If you are interested in attending a future Camp Stitches, click here to sign up for the camp mailing list.
If you're wondering about what I recommend for sewing supplies basics, I've created an Amazon store with the products I've found to be the best/most useful. Click here to see that (there are two pages and two categories, so click around) [affiliate link]
The Modest Fashion Guild is hosting a really, really cool challenge in November to raise awareness about the injustices in the fashion factories, check that out here, seamstresses!

Thank you for reading about the good time we had! I hope you are having a productive week! Blessings!

My Entire Shoe Collection

2015-09-17T01:30:00.000-07:00

Kind of a boot fan.

Hey y'all! You can't grow unless you evaluate where you are, right? I had this crazy notion to pull all my shoes out and take pictures so y'all can see what's in my closet and so that I can see if I can simplify further.

To give you an idea of my mindset as a young teen, I used to have a goal to have a different pair of heels for each Sunday of the year. And I reached it.

Now, I'm nearly as ambitious; I'd like to have as few shoes as possible, while not limiting myself creatively. To me, shoes completely make or break an outfit-- yet my personal style is such that I do not wish them to be the focal point of the ensemble. This post is very humbling for me. I did not curate or clean the shoes, so these 30 pair are literally just... my very real collection.

I have three pair of dress boots. Brown and black I wear all year round, while the gray are my favorite, most versatile for winter.

I have 4 pair of flat boots. I don't wear the brown leather ones too often, but when I need them, I need them. :P Cowboy boots are actually a requirement for our area of the country, so although I'm not quite sure they are my personal style, I do enjoy having them. The black boots are my most-worn winter boots and the brown BearPaw brand boots are my winter slippers.

I have three pair of "athletic" shoes. The tan pair I've had for over 7 years and they are now just yardwork shoes. The backless black and pink Sketchers are my favorite work-out shoes because they aren't too hot and match my workout clothes. ;) The gray Calvin Klein sneakers are my sports-with-friends pair.

I have 4 pair of flip flops and I hate all of them. :P I looked and looked this summer for a pair of comfortable, classic, quality flip-flops to replace these four, but alas have not found them yet. Why two pair of thick brown flipflops? One is comfortable, the other stylish. #options

Here are my "flats". I have two pair of Sperry's because at the time I bought them I had a "more is better" mentality and they were having a sale. I still haven't decided if I like the gray or navy better, and since there's no real reason to get rid of one, I think I'll hang onto them both.

These are my dressy/church shoe options. I rarely wear the green and silver flats anymore, though, and have kind of passed them on to my sisters already.

Of all my shoes, these are the 5 pair I prefer to wear with long skirts.

These are my "to wear with long flared jeans" shoes. Because I'm short, I usually have to wear a slight heel with off-the-rack jeans to keep from stepping on the hem.

These 8 pair are my preferred shoes for wearing with knee-length spring/summer skirts.

Oh, these lovely beauties. I'm so conflicted about these shoes because they are gorgeous, yet I hardly ever wear them. Thankfully, my sisters do quite often, so even if I were to "get rid of" them, they'd still be available should I be inclined to wear them once or twice a year. :P

Yes, 3 pair of rainboots. :D They each serve a purpose, so although it feels like overkill, I actually use them all. The purple pair is my "dress" pair, lol, for running errands on rainy days. The cowboy style is for wearing with flared jeans over them or with denim skirts if I'm feeling country. The olive pair slips on quick for farm work.

And, my last set to share with you is two pair I definitely would not have if my lifestyle were different; ridiculously worn in-case-of-snakes Justin work boots and creek swimming shoes.

So, that is my current shoe wardrobe that is working pretty well for me. I've been searching all summer for a very specific style of sandal on ThredUP and finally this week I ordered what may be exactly what I'm needing. We'll see. I'm also on the lookout for a pair of comfortable simple black pumps, although I've been getting along fine without them for half a dozen years and am committed to only buying them second hand because... well, I have no confidence that Target or Payless will have ethically-sourced shoes. There are a bunch of shoemakers in Nashville who craft amazing things, but I don't see $400 shoes being in my budget anytime soon. :)

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my very-real closet! I could probably pare down my collection a little, but I think I will do it through wearing them out and replacing intentionally. What's your shoe collection like?

You Learn As You Go

2015-09-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! Wow, awesome, awwwwesome engaged response to my post, "Please Stop Buying Cheap Clothes"!

Shirt: Thrifted | Hat: Target | Skirt: Sweet Salt Clothing

I take my position of influence here on Fresh Modesty very seriously, so I'm a little paralyzed in my blogging at the moment because I really don't know what I'm doing.

I don't have a list of stores that are "safe" to buy from.
I don't have a flawless eco-wardrobe to show y'all.
I haven't found any modesty-inclined ethical clothing blogs to link you to.
I don't know how to solve this world-wide crisis.

In addition to the new buying standards I'm wanting to practice, my own focus has shifted in fashion and I'm trying to figure out my style--- again. It feels like a constant thing for me and it kind of is. But right now I feel like I'm at a crisis moment of simplifying, defining, refining, and enjoying.

No, my standards are not changing, nor my dedication to practicality or femininity. My budget certainly isn't expanding, either.

Because I'm a little lost, for the past few weeks I've been in a season of intense study and life inspiration-drawing. And still, I'm not quite confident enough in my articulation of what makes my heart sing to be able to share all of this directly with you all.

You know when you have a spinning contest with your sisters and you just spin and spin until your neck muscles hurt, your eyes are bulging, your feet unable to stop but occasionally tripping, and you're aware of your surroundings but unsure of what exactly you are seeing or what you should focus on? Kind of feel like that right now in regards to my purpose in life, the wardrobe for that purpose, the meaning of that wardrobe for the efforts of this blog, and the efforts of this blog in the lives of those who read it.

I have this feeling I'm not alone in my floundering, nor has it ever been my desire to have you think I "have it all together". So, I'm writing this post to let you know: I'll be sharing some kind of random things as I deliberately spew what I'm learning and gathering inspiration/wisdom from. I'm a stumbling confused passionate mess right now and I'm done being frustrated at myself for not having answers yet.

I have the chorus to a country song going through my head:

Life's a dance, you learn as you go.

Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.

Don't worry 'bout what you don't know,

life's a dance, you learn as you go.

I hope you stick around for the awkward twirling. :)

Sponsors | August

2015-09-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a reminder of the awesome websites/companies currently sponsoring Fresh Modesty! :)

Head Covering Movement

The Head Covering Movement is a campaign that seeks to spark a return to the practice of head covering during corporate Christian worship. We post articles, sermons and video teachings on this topic. We also link to discussions around the web where people are talking about head covering and share testimonies of women who practice this symbol. To learn more about HCM you visit us at http://www.headcoveringmovement.com or watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dK0maTIKDk "

Kerem Creations

Kerem Creations offers unique Messianic Judaica made by Daniel Sayag, born and raised in Israel, and a lover and teacher of God's Word. Kerem Creations was born out of a love of the Word of God and working with wood. There is power in the Word of God, and many promises of hope and encouragement. As we surround ourselves and our loved ones with these promises, our spirits are uplifted, and we gain new strength. Kerem Creations is located in Israel, and all wood products are printed and/or engraved in Israel in Hebrew, sometimes combined with a second language.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any special verse that you would like engraved/printed for you or someone you would like to bless.

Shalom from Israel!"

Garlands of Grace

Handcrafted headcoverings, hair scarves, & accessories for women and girls! Our products are the results of sisters who enjoy working together from home to provide quality, handcrafted items for the glory of the Lord. We are always busy inventing, renovating, and exploring to find new twists to put to old favorites.

Droplette Jewelry

Hello all! My name is Willa, and for several years now I have been making and selling jewelry. I recently opened this Droplette Jewelry Etsy shop and am excited to start providing cute, fashionable, but affordable jewelry to girls striving to be modest for the Lord. Like my page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/droplette?fref=ts) to get exclusive deals.

Modesty4Me

Modesty4me.com is a one woman company from Texas that makes and sells one of the only high neck line camis on the market. These high neck line camis fill the bill when other camis don't. If you are tired of tugging at your cami, or if you tighten the straps so much that it rubs under your arms; this is the solution you have been searching for. Two new modesty items will be introduced this year. Modesty4Me camis are made in USA.

You can read my review of Modesty4Me here.

HALFTEE

If you've been reading Fresh Modesty for any length of time, you know I am one of Halftee's biggest fans. They have completely changed the way I can layer to make things more modest and have greatly simplified my closet. If you ever ask me a question about layering, my first response is going to be, "Well, do you have a Halftee yet?" ;)

Thanks for supporting Fresh Modesty by visiting these sites!

Please Stop Buying Cheap Clothes

2015-08-25T19:48:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how Walmart charges $13.98 (or $3 if you catch the clearance rack!) for a dress that looks very similar to one you would pay $49.95 for at L.L. Bean? Until the last few weeks, I always thought paying more for a garment was just paying for a slight quality increase and the brand name. So, as I strived to be about the heart and not about the look, it seemed immodest to pay for the name brand. I chalked H&M's low prices up to the fact that they bought in such high quantities they were able to get garments made for pennies. I never even thought of asking the question, "Who made my clothes?"

Even when I started my own clothing line last year and was shocked at how much it cost to get a garment made here in the U.S., I thought it was because I was paying in dollars and not Chinese yen that made it so expensive.

With all our modern technologies, there are a lot of ways that clothing manufacturing can be made streamlined with cutting machines, conveyor belts, ultra-fast needles, whatever-- but there is still a human doing the bulk of the creation of that garment. In so. many. factories, that person is barely getting paid a living wage to work long days because the industry of cheap, quickly produced, throw-away fashion drives these factory owners to take on huge orders for too little money. Unfortunately, in this fast fashion system, as one Bangladeshi factory owner said, "Something has to give; it is often the safety and pay of the workers."

I hesitate to generalize, because I know each factory, each company, each business, is run differently and has different standards, but the vast majority of dirt cheap clothing sold to us is sewn in a country where the labor laws are not enforced, where they allow massive chemical dumping in the rivers, and where oftentimes it is nearly impossible to track the supply chain because of all the politics and liabilities.

The more I learn about this, the more I am disgusted, discouraged, and ready to hunker down and weave my own flax clothing.

I'm disgusted with all the lies I've believed as a 21st century American. We expect things to be cheap, easy-to-come-by, and wrapped in plastic. Y'all, we are so far removed from the source of what we consume that we assume chicken grows in the freezer section.

I'm discouraged because I know there are millions of people who are mindlessly buying into the idea, just like I did, that a red sweater from Old Navy is going to make them smile bigger this Christmas season and have no clue they are contributing to a world-wide humanitarian disaster.

I've had lots of people tell me my Fresh Apparel skirts are way overpriced... and until recently, I was apologetic about having created a product that by necessity had to have what I would call a "high end" price tag. But the reality is, I'm charging just enough to recoup my costs of Texas-grown cotton and working with a facility in Tennessee who actually takes care of their workers. What that factory owner said in The True Cost documentary about the worker's wage being squeezed in a business really hit home for me, because I'm not charging for my labor in custom-hemming every order that comes through FreshApparel.us. Some skirts I've spent over 8 hours working on... I can't imagine having the pressure of supporting a family by creating a garment for pennies.

I'm so blessed in my own situation, so burdened for this industry, and so not okay with buying tanks for $1.80 from Forever 21 anymore. What I used to think was an awesome resource for us budget-conscious shoppers now sickens my stomach and makes me question what other things I am completely naive about.

So many of us are willing to pay extra for naturally-grown, local food-- yet we don't even question how a pair of jeans that has traveled halfway around the globe to our Walmart is the same price as a family-sized frozen lasagna.

"Oh, don't tell me what's in it, just let me enjoy it!" I'm sorry, but where another life is concerned, that oh-so-american-consumerism attitude is seriously selfish. I admit this as someone who for the last 10 years has been addicted to fast fashion, new clothes, and awesome deals. I can't change how I've spent my money in the past, but I can and will be drastically changing how I evaluate, purchase, recommend, and curate clothing in the future.

If you haven't watched The True Cost yet, watch it free on Netflix or dig some quarters out of the couch and rent it on Amazon. Please.

I walked around for awhile in a crazy mad confused helpless daze when all this really sank in, so in my next post I'll be sharing suggestions for how we can take immediate steps towards being a conscious promoter of ethical fashion... still on a budget, still modestly, and still with excellence.

We cannot ignore this.

Review | Mikarose

2015-08-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

Happy day! I hope y'all have started your week off with some energy, joy, and goal setting!

Mikarose was kind enough to send me their Ivy Dress in Eggplant to review. I recently realized that I love wearing dark purple because it works for so many seasons and occasions.

This dress is well made, flattering, and cut in a way that it's not too tight, yet not too loose. The wide pleated skirt style is timeless and on trend right now. I love that the Ivy Dress has no zippers or buttons-- just toss it on and go! No tanks to layer, no slips necessary.

It hits at the perfect spot below my knee so I'm not worried about it. (The twirl in the above picture makes it look shorter than it is)

For church, I paired it with my sister's awesome scarf, brown boots, and a burgundy fedora. My sister Emma wore it with cowboy boots and sparkly jewelry to a show at The Grand Ol' Opry and looked super cute. I shared on Instagram last week how I dressed this down for fellowship after church:

Loving my new @mikaroseclothing dress!! Left: Styled for church with a hat from @charm_charlie, sister's scarf from @amazon, and boots from @thredup. Right: Styled for fellowship with a thrift store belt and BeBe brand sandals from @thredup. :)
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Aug 16, 2015 at 3:38pm PDT

Mikarose has a ton of gorgeous dresses. I didn't realize how "fallish" this outfit is until blogging it, ha! As I try to build a smaller wardrobe, this dress is gonna be a keeper. It's just so simple and easy.

Y'all have a wonderful week! Do you have a favorite dress silhouette?

The 5 Things Currently Influencing My Style

2015-08-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! I'm not sure if it's my upcoming 23rd birthday, the encouragement I received at the Modest Fashion Guild, watching The True Cost, or a combination of all three, but I have been seriously evaluating, purging, and researching my wardrobe recently in a way that I never have before.

(I love this painting by Pino Daeni, since I have sisters and two blonde-headed brothers)

I wanted to spend a minute informally articulating 5 things that are currently influencing how I am curating my closet:

Easy-to-wear: I'm done with the days of safety-pinning my clothes into place so they don't shift awkwardly. I'm done with pouffy tiered skirts, stretching out shirts, heels that squeak. Life is too short to hold on to mediocre clothing or items that don't make you feel awesome.
Ethical: I am absolutely appalled at the (albeit limited) research I've done into how clothing can be sold for so little at places like Forever 21, H&M, and Gap. After spending most of my spring and summer providing skirts for women, I've realized just how much work it is to create a garment. A factory owner in The True Cost was speaking about working with companies who wanted items cheaper and cheaper and he said something along the lines of "There are only so many places you can cut costs to make a garment for $3, and so you end up taking it out of the workers' pay." I know this first hand as I'm barely breaking even on the Errand #17 skirt... and I'm certainly not charging $3/item. I will not be buying new from any non-ethically-sourced companies anymore; instead opting for second-hand or smaller companies who have a passion for better practices in the fashion industry.
Looking my age: Now that I'm closer to 30 than 13, I'm deliberately evaluating certain styles/prints/hairdos/ensembles in order to appear less juvenile. This is a little tricky as a stay-at-home daughter (still with blonde hair and freckles) since I'm not needing to dress up for a corporate job and because I'm not doing that whole "you're an adult now show some skin to prove it" thing.
Show that I know what I'm talking about: Along the lines of looking my age, I'm also keenly aware of the fact that there are a lot of people watching me. Blog readers, girls at church, the men at the hardware store-- whether I'm comfortable with it or not, what I'm wearing says something. As a business owner, church-goer, and blogger, I should look professional, presentable, and personable at all times. I've definitely been slipping in this area the past two years since I've been sick and fatigued, but that is no excuse. [have to be honest though-- I spent all day yesterday in a t-shirt and yoga pants, praying for the strength to shower]
Classy: I feel like the genuine mid-40s southern woman has exactly the poise I would like to see in myself. Just enough jewelry, just enough confidence, just enough care, just enough educated simplicity, just enough posture, just enough hair pouf that you don't necessarily notice it in the moment, but it stays in the back of your brain all day long. Maybe it goes against the "A lady never tells" southern belle rule to reveal this aim of mine, but I have to be candid with you, my dear reader.

More than ever, I want to be deliberate. I'm tired of too many clothes, too many choices, so much variety that I don't have a "look". I'm ready to sincerely simplify. I don't expect anyone else to share these "influences"... this is just what's personally affecting me right now. :)

My brain has been explooooding the last few weeks with thoughts, dreams, and heavy heart issues that I hope to share with you over time. I would love to hear what things you've been learning about or inspired by lately that are showing in your wardrobe!

Tunics All Summer Long

2015-08-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! How are you? It's been another long week of skirt hemming and documentary watching here.

One documentary in particular, "The True Cost", really opened my eyes to an area of our world that I must do my part to change. I'm hoping to flesh out my thoughts for a post on it soon, but it's proving hard to condense into something that y'all would actually read. :P

This Karen Kane tunic has been a favorite of mine this summer. It's comfortable, cool, and easy to wear. Plus, with that awesome print, you can't tell if I get anything on it that stains. :}

// outfit details \\

Karen Kane Tunic: $21.99 from ThredUP

American Eagle Artist cut jeans: $13.99 from ThredUP

Flipflops: Target years ago

Tunic: $1.90 from Forever 21

Image credit: Sofia Hilder Photography

I often get asked if I have naturally curly or straight hair... well, here we have my undone hair. It's straight with a little bit of texture, but definitely no curl. It's been a while since I've had it cut and now it's at a weird length that it doesn't lay right without fixing it some way, so I have it pulled back most days.

What have you been up to this week? Have you seen "The True Cost" yet?

5 Reasons You Should Learn To Sew

2015-08-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! One of the most frequent things I hear whenever I share something on Fresh Modesty that I have made myself is, "Oh, I wish I knew how to sew!" or "If only I could sew like you!"

I feel the same way when I see someone has beautiful handwriting or has -yet again- pulled off cooking for a crowd of 75 with grace. But I firmly believe that every skill can be learned with enough effort. After much practice, my handwriting may look wispier than originally intended and I may realize it's more my style to do chili instead of pizza for a crowd, but nonetheless, I've acquired a skill that is incredibly useful, worth the effort, and is a big blessing to others. So, if scrolling through Pinterest isn't enough motivation for you, here are my top 5 reasons every woman should learn to sew:

Tailored clothes should not be a thing of the past. I don't know exactly where along the line we adopted the mindset that clothing should fit right off the rack, but I do know this is a fairly modern concept and frankly just causes frustration, messed up body image, and a generation of women obsessed with yoga pants. Sewing allows you to either adjust ready-made clothing to better suit your body or to create custom garments that put your best foot forward.
Modest dressing is so much easier. Being able to adjust shoulders, necklines, hemlines, and weird trims to fit our personal standards makes life just that much smoother. It also encourages me towards excellence by not just throwing up my hands and layering awkwardly out of frustration.
Formal wear is more economical. Truth is, fabric is pretty expensive these days. But when it comes to formal wear, you can still make a modest dress cheaper than you can easily buy it, even from overseas.
The math/ geometry/ handiwork/ critical thinking skills translate throughout life. I've never been naturally good at math, but the practical application of sewing has really helped me better understand complicated concepts. Becoming more skilled at working with your hands is always a good thing.
Sewing your own clothes (or altering second-hand) makes you less dependent on Fast Fashion, sweat shops, and global economies. The more I learn about the $70 billion/year industry that fashion is, the more I am motivated to take a step back and get out of department store shopping.

Being real, sewing can be easy but often it is just plain gritty hard work. It hurts your back, it boggles your mind, it can be inconvenient, there's "wasted" fabric and time. But girls, it is so so so so so rewarding.

I'm writing about this today because a picture from 2010 popped up in TimeHop this morning that reminded me about the lengths I used to go to get sewing time in.

I was making a tunic top from a dress (more details here). Watching my baby brother who was just old enough to make a huge mess of my sewing area of course made it more challenging, but you know what? That hour and a half or so yielded a tunic that my sisters and I have worn a hundred times over the last 5 years.

I may be sliiiightly more naturally inclined towards sewing than some other girls, but the misconception that my skills have come easy to me is way off base. I've just put in the work.

It is one of my goals in life to see sewing become normal again. I've created two resources already, "Creating Custom Swimwear" and "How To Sew Denim", and don't be surprised if you see more from me in the future. ;)

Whatch'all think? Do you sew? Do you find it useful?

Oh, and P.S.-- I'm hosting a sewing camp at our guest house September 28th-October 1st, 2015. There are two more spots available-- email me at FreshModesty@gmail.com if you're interested!

Instagram Recap | Summer So Far

2015-08-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! I hope you're having a wonderful week! Although blogging has slacked off for me in recent months, I've been posting pretty consistently on instagram.com/freshmodesty. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite outfits from the past 12 weeks or so. :)

"Thrift is not a small or timid or provincial thing; it is part of that great idea of the woman watching on all sides out of all the windows of the soul and being answerable for everything." -G.K. Chesterton The 25 cent sale is still going on at my local thrift store and it's kind of awesome... Big purple bag of stuff for $3. Shirt and skirt #oldnavy brand via @ourthriftstore, shoes from @thredup.
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jul 30, 2015 at 3:18pm PDT

The thing about summer dresses is that everyone thinks you've dressed up nice, when really you've put nearly zero effort into your outfit. ?? This dress is "She-Bible" brand from @thredup, Ariat boots keeping my feet dry on this super stormy day.
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jul 1, 2015 at 10:27am PDT

Another 10-minute Sunday look. Dress, cardigan, boots, and purse from @thredup.
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jun 28, 2015 at 12:30pm PDT

Saturday afternoon #Anthro mirror selfie with my sisters!
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jun 20, 2015 at 3:48pm PDT

If I were a rich lady, I would totally buy my clothes at Cracker Barrel. Hats, tunics, jewelry, small ceramic bathtubs... All my style. // new shirt on its third wear this week, favorite brown skirt, and the earrings I've worn every day for months was my throw-in-a-suitcase-at-midnight church outfit choice. Attended a church this morning my great great grandfather used to pastor. :)
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jun 14, 2015 at 11:14am PDT

Whirlwind trip to Arkadelphia this weekend. Digging this polka dot bag from Walmart.
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jun 13, 2015 at 9:24am PDT

#OOTD // There are seasons for everything, like curling your hair and wearing a carefully crafted outfit each week to church. Right now my season is resting until the very last second, hoping it will help me feel better, and hopping in the shower 1/2 hour before service starts, throwing on a stand-by dress, and making it there just in time. Today I opted for driving the 4-wheeler so my hair would dry on the way. (Not my classiest moment) Here's hoping next week I'll have the energy to put into the preparations that I believe worshipping the Lord deserves. #sundaystyle #modestyforchurch
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jun 7, 2015 at 1:58pm PDT

My outfit for this cooler 12 hour shopping/doctors day.
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Jun 3, 2015 at 6:22pm PDT

Day out in #Nashville doing the tourist thing with a friend. Warm jeans and #cowboyboots were just perfect for the chilly rainy day.
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on May 21, 2015 at 4:47pm PDT

I love those super versatile pieces that can be dressed up or down and take a beating. This Mossimo tunic is just that. All day hopping around in the dirt (notice my hands and feet are a shade darker) and it looks like it did when I wore it with my royal blue skinnies last week. ????
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on May 9, 2015 at 6:48pm PDT

Road trip to and from Bristol, TN today! Picked up a carload of @freshappareldenimco skirts at LC King. ??
A photo posted by Olivia Howard (@freshmodesty) on Apr 16, 2015 at 10:03am PDT

(FreshApparel.us)

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