Ready in 30 Minutes or Less

How long do you spend getting ready for school or work every day? Do you wake up two hours before you have to leave just so you can look perfect before you go? Or are you the girl who wakes up, throws on yesterday’s jeans, brushes your teeth, and is out the door? What if we were neither? How great would it be to be clean, look nice, and be ready to leave just 30 minutes after waking up?

How to do it

Do everything you can the night before. Lay out your clothes, make sure your bag is ready to go, and put your healthy lunch in a bag in the fridge. Take your shower at night if you can. Some people are morning shower people, but try taking it at night for a week and you may never switch back! If you have oily or hard-to-manage hair, it may help save time to bathe and shave at night, then just wash your hair in the morning.

Forget snoozing. How much more rested are you after hitting snooze seven times? Chances are, none, and you’ve just wasted a bunch of precious morning time! Instead of hitting snooze several times, then finally groggily pulling yourself out of bed, try jumping out of bed the second the alarm goes off and jumping into the shower (if you’re a morning shower person). If you tend to set your alarm early, so that you have “time” to hit snooze several times, forget that! Set it for when you need to get up, and you’ll get better sleep until then.

Make your water slightly cooler than optimal. I’m not talking icicles here; I mean make the water temperature slightly cooler than what your ideal temperature normally is. You can do this in the shower, or just at the sink when washing your face. This will alert your senses without freezing you out.

Try ten minute hair. If you spend more than ten minutes on your hair for anything other than special occasions, you’re spending too much time! If you’re blessed with curly hair, comb it, scrunch it, spray it, and leave it alone. If you have thin and straight hair like me, dry it, comb it, smooth crème over the flyaways, and consider it done! Remember that ponytails are always classic!

Only put on one outfit. Hopefully you’ve laid out your outfit the night before, but even if you didn’t, choose one outfit, put it on, and stick with it! We often spend so much time trying on several outfits, just to end up wearing the first thing we put on.

Keep jewelry simple. Sometimes less really is more. Try pairing small silver hoops with a simple silver necklace that will go with most outfits, to save the time of searching for unique pieces every day. Save the really fun stuff for the weekends.

Minimize the make-up routine. If you have a great complexion, count your blessings and skip the make-up altogether. If you’re like the rest of the world, then put on make-up, but remember that if it takes longer than five minutes to apply, it’s too much for a normal day. Try this instead: Use tinted moisturizer. This doubles as a moisturizer and a foundation, plus it really evens out skin. It’s fast and easy. Once you have that in place, apply small amounts of blush and neutral eye shadow, then put on a sheer powder over that. Add mascara and lip gloss, and you’re done! Save the elaborate make-up jobs for going out with friends.

How to use the extra time

Now we’re ready to leave, and since we’ve used the above tips (and thought of things on our own) to get ready faster, we have extra time! How should we spend it?

The first and most obvious thing most of us will think of is to sleep in later! While that’s a cozy and tempting thought, I have some better ideas which will help us look out for and give to our families, like Miriam did in Exodus 2:1-10.

Spend time in God’s word. He should be the most important part of our day, and our day will go much smoother if we focus our minds and hearts on Him first thing every morning. Focusing on Him will also make us more compassionate toward others, so our hearts will be open to their needs.

Help with––and eat––breakfast. Even if your family just has cereal in the mornings (and there’s nothing wrong with that!), you can help by putting out cereal, milk, sugar, and setting the table. Once breakfast is over, you can help clean-up by putting your dishes in the dishwasher and nicely encouraging other family members to do the same. If you don’t eat breakfast, this is the time to start. Not only does it help you mentally throughout the day, but it also is helpful in controlling your weight.

Teach your family about His love. If you have younger siblings, read a devotional to them during breakfast each morning. If your family is closer to your age, or older than you, choose a verse that stood out to you during your solo study, and tell them about the verse and what it means to you. You could then ask them what that verse means to them, or ask them to tell you about another verse they are thinking about today.

Help everyone get out the door. Maybe your mom needs to turn on the dishwasher before she leaves. Load it up and turn it on for her. Or maybe a sibling lost their hat. Help them find it or let them borrow one of yours. Help the mornings run smoother by not only taking care of yourself, but by also helping your family with their needs.

Keep in mind

Nobody’s perfect, so there will be mornings when we wake up late, rush around to get ready, and fly out the door with barely enough time to slip into class before the bell rings, but that should not be our mornings all the time. We need to work on making our mornings run smoother and more efficiently so we can be calm, help our families, and let His love shine through us.

It’s nice to look pretty, but we need to be careful not to let that be our priority every day. We should make ourselves look presentable, but not to the point that we’re neglecting our own spiritual needs and the needs of other people. Remember that “charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).

By Davonne Parks

Plus is for Pretty

How to look pretty and fashionable when you’re a plus size

There is no rule that says you have to be thin to be pretty. I see so many beautiful girls who hide themselves under layer after layer of baggy clothing. You don’t have to be thin to wear makeup and you don’t have to be thin to be fashionable. Spend a little money to buy jeans that fit your figure and aren’t three sizes too big! God made you beautiful just the way you are. If you have low self-esteem, learn to be thankful for yourself! God made all of us different, and we can all learn how to embrace those differences. If you desire to be thin, keep in mind that thinness is relative. Even thin girls can find someone thinner to compare themselves with, but we can all love our bodies just the way God made them. Here are some tips on how to show the world that girls with curves are beautiful.

1. Never feel like you have to wear baggy clothes. Many girls wear clothes that are too big in order to hide the extra pounds. However, this also masks the curves you have and makes your body look bigger than it actually is. Don’t feel ashamed of your body! God made you beautiful, so embrace yourself by wearing pretty and modest outfits that fit properly!

2. Develop a style that is right for you. You don’t have to follow every trend, but wear what makes you feel comfortable and pretty. Don’t be afraid to wear a skirt or a dress. Look feminine and feel proud!

3. Black may be slimming but be careful of wearing it too often. Too much black can make you look like you’re trying to blend into the background or like you’re attending a funeral every day.

4. Never underestimate the value of accessories! An outfit doesn’t end with just the clothes! Jewelry and purses can make an outfit and make you feel better wearing it. Longer necklaces can be slimming because they lengthen you. Wear cute earrings to draw attention to your face.

5. Don’t ever let anyone make you feel bad about the way you look! If you want to lose weight then do it for the right reasons. If you have health problems or want to do it for yourself then go for it, but never try to lose weight to please someone else. God will always love you for you, no matter what size you are. First Samuel 16:7 “…God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

My Favorites

Listed below are some stores that sell really cute clothes in plus sizes!  Hover over the images for descriptions, and click on the images to view the items in their web store.  Keep in mind that although a few of these items are fairly costly, similar looks can often be found for much less by searching around online, or by visiting clearance racks towards the end of a season.

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Kiyonna

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Fashion Bug - My Personal Favorite.  They have really cute clothes, and great sales!

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By Alicia Marie Sargent

Costume Party!

Costume Party!

Autumn is a beautiful time of year. The trees look amazing with all their shades of oranges, reds, and yellows, and the weather feels wonderful. There’s a refreshing crisp, clean feel in the air.

Many people celebrate Halloween during this time of year and attend Halloween parties, but the Bible is very much against any type of witchcraft, which Halloween is often associated with. Read our October Friends article for more facts about Halloween.

Instead of celebrating the witches, goblins, and gore, why not celebrate the autumn season with a fall costume party? Bob for apples, roast marshmallows and hot dogs over a fire (use hay bales instead of chairs for seating), make caramel corn, and have good, clean autumn fun.

In previous Fashion and Beauty articles, we’ve discussed the importance of modesty, and as Christians and soldiers for Christ, we are to set an example and be the shining light for the world (Matt. 5:14). Autumn, and costume parties, are supposed to be fun, so make sure your modest costume reflects that. Use your imagination and be creative. Encourage your friends to dress modestly too. A good way to do that is to pick a theme for your group, such as a fruit basket or pigs in a blanket. If you are hosting the party, you can make the entire night a specific theme, such as influential people in history, favorite Bible characters, favorite (clean) movie characters, favorite candy bars, or anything else clean and fun you can think of.

Cheap and Easy Individual Costumes

1. 1950s Woman: Wear a tea length black dress with black pumps. Dress it up with pearl earrings, a necklace, and white elbow-length gloves. Use mega hold hairspray to style your hair into that classic 1950’s look. Add bright red lipstick and you’re ready to go!

2. Strawberry Shortcake: Wear blue pants and a blue skirt with a pink and white striped shirt. Borrow or buy a really big hat and tape cut-out strawberries onto it.

3. Princess: Wear an old formal or bridesmaid dress and heels and simply add a tiara.

4. Gymnast: Buy or borrow a leotard, throw gym pants over it, wear your hair pulled back into a scrunchie, and wear a medal around your neck.

5. Pippi Longstocking: Purchase a jumper from a thrift store, then hot glue square fabric remnants to the jumper. Put on a solid t-shirt under the jumper and wear mismatched knee socks. Shape a wire hanger to your head and braid your hair around it to make your braids stand out, then spray it orange with temporary spray die.

6. Ballerina: Wear a leotard with a knee-length tutu, ballerina slippers, and pink tights. Put glitter on your face and wear a tiara!

7. Bunch of Grapes: Wear black sweats as a base. Find a small remnant of green fabric and cut out leaves as you would with paper dolls. The leaves will come out in a long strand that will wrap around your neck. Then take a brown paper lunch bag and attach it to a party hat with staples. Twist the bag to make the stem. Use purple face paint to make your face a grape. Blow up about 20 purple balloons and attach them to the sweats with safety pins (through the lip of the balloon).

8. Raining Cats and Dogs: Sew stuffed dogs and cats onto an umbrella.

9. Black-Eyed Pea: Put black make-up around one or both eyes, and hot glue a letter “P” cut from felt to the front of your shirt.

10. Cowgirl: Put on jeans or a knee length denim skirt, boots, and a cowboy hat. Bonus if you use yarn and a marker to make a face on a paper bag and put the bag over the straw part of a broom for a horse.

11. Kindergarten girl: Wear jeans or capris with a pink shirt and pigtails. Put on a pink backpack or grab a pink lunch box and you’re ready to go!

Cheap and Easy Group Costumes:

1. The Seven Seas: Sew a length of sailing rope to the front of a blue shirt in the form of the letter C. Put on a sailors hat, and enlist six friends to do the same.

2. Pigs in a Blanket: Buy pig snouts from a costume store, and have everyone wrap themselves in a blanket.

3. Forest: Make costumes out of refrigerator boxes and washer boxes. Tall people can be different sized trees and shorter teens or younger siblings can be bushes. Paint the boxes to look like trees with holes cut out for the eyes. Supplies needed: cardboard boxes (trunk), paint (to paint the trunk and leaves), brown shirts, and crepe paper (leaves).

   Have a happy autumn, and feel free to e-mail us with pictures of your costume!

   By Alicia Sargent

Autumn Blush

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” 1 Timothy 2:9-10

What Really Matters

While looking nice is important, it is also important to remember that how we look does not define who we are inside. If we are blessed with physical beauty, then we should use it for God’s work. Remember, Queen Esther (from the book of Esther) was chosen by the king for her beauty but used it to save her people (Esther 4).

Also, keep in mind next time you see a girl whose face is covered with acne, that she did not choose to look that way. She probably works very hard to try and clear her face, and it is unfair and ungodly to judge her by her appearance. The same holds true for everyone, whether they have big ears, a large nose, or are overweight. What if something happened and your beauty was taken away today? Would you still be the same person inside? Would you want others to judge you by what you look like?

The most important thing is what is our heart, because that is what God will judge. Outward beauty will fade, but if your heart is beautiful, it will always shine through. “Charm is deceitful, and beauty if vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (Proverbs 13:30). If someone isn’t interested in how your heart is, then they have the wrong mindset. Your true friends will always be there for you, even if you show up to school on Monday with a huge pimple on your forehead.

There will always be people that will be mean and make fun of others, and what you can do is love them. Yes, love them. We are to love our enemies as God first loved us. Pray for those who poke fun at you and others, pray that one day they will have the understanding you do about Jesus’ saving love and who we are in God’s eyes. Because even if they do have outward beauty, they have nothing unless they have Jesus (Luke 10:41-42).

Ten Steps to Make Your Skin Glow

September is a beautiful month––it’s almost fall, and this means the temperature is great and the leaves are starting to change. There are so many fun things to do outdoors this time of year, and with the cold weather coming, it’s important to take care of our skin. I challenge each and every one of you to follow these easy steps for six weeks––just six weeks––and see if you don’t have better-looking skin.

Step 1: Learn to read product labels! This will save you time and frustration! Don’t believe every commercial on TV; look into products for yourself. Read reviews online before buying products, and learn to read product labels for yourself so you know what you’re putting on your skin! For instance, let’s say you have skin prone to acne. You want to look for a product that either has 2% salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid) or 2% Benzoyl peroxide. However, if you have sensitive skin, be very careful, because salicylic acid is known to dry out skin. If you have this problem, talk to a dermatologist. When looking for an exfoliant, look for something with an alpha-hydroxy acid in it. There are many effective ingredients used in sunscreens; some you want to look for are: Avobenzone, Octisalate, Octocrylene and Oxybenzone. If a product has alcohol in it, beware––it can irritate and dry out skin. Take the time to research what you buy.

Step 2: Drink more water. Experts recommend eight glasses a day, which, I know, seems impossible. However, try adding just one extra glass a day this week. Maybe next week shoot for another one. This is a really easy way to help your skin by preventing it from becoming dehydrated and drying out. And the cool air of fall and winter dries out the skin even more. Try taking a bottle in your purse with you when you go out.

Step 3: Watch what you eat. Good nutrition can play a vital role in having beautiful skin. They say you are what you eat, which is true. Ever notice when you eat junk you feel like junk? Well, your skin is the same way. No, I’m not saying that chocolate causes zits, just that eating your fruits and veggies can make a big impact on your complexion. Also remember, when trying to drink more water, fruits and vegetables contain water that can count toward your eight glasses. See! It just got easier.

Step 4: Get more sleep! This step can be the easiest one by far. As a teenager it can be hard to get enough sleep, what with homework, friends, practice after school, and those football games on weekends. However, try and squeeze in an extra half an hour a night. Have you noticed that when you don’t get enough sleep, the bags under your eyes become more pronounced and purplish? Your skin reflects how your body feels, so treat it right and get some extra sleep tonight.

Step 5: Autumn is a time of year when people, especially teens, start giving up the sunscreen because they think summer is over and they don’t have to worry about it anymore. Wrong. Every single morning, you should put on a moisturizer with sunscreen, and if you plan on staying outside for a while, plan on reapplying every two hours with at least an SPF of 30. Cooler temperatures don’t mean less risk of a burn. Try your best when outside to stay in the shade or to wear a hat. This is the single most important thing you can do for you skin. Remember not only to put it on your face but your neck and everywhere else that is exposed, including your arms, legs, and hands.

Step 6: Wash your face twice a day, every morning and before bed, even if you don’t have acne. This will clear away dirt and oil on the surface of the skin and help give it that clear, beautiful look we all want. If you’re in a hurry or really tired before bed, keep a pack of face wipes in your medicine cabinet. It only takes two minutes to wipe your face and take the make-up off, but you will thank yourself ten years down the road.

Step 7: Use an exfoliant (scrub) three times a week, but no more. An exfoliant can really make your skin glow by rubbing off all the dead skin on the epidermis (your top layer of skin). However, you have to be very careful about using this product too much or you will damage the new skin under the dead cell layers by rubbing them off too. Keep in mind that if you do this, you fighting premature aging. While they do make scrubs with medications for acne in them, make sure you’re not using too many products with these ingredients or you will really dry out your skin. Choose the scrub or the cleanser or the astringent with the salicylic acid in it, not all three.

Step 8: After washing and exfoliating your skin, apply a toner or an astringent. These two products are essentially the same thing, only an astringent contains a product to help control acne. However, astringents are known for drying out skin very easily. The purpose of the toner is to return the skin to its natural pH level. Something from chemistry class that you can actually use in real life! Remember the pH scale? A pH of 7 is considered neutral; above 7 is alkaline, and below is acidic. When you use different products on your skin, you change the pH level of your skin. The skin has a pH level of 4–5.5, and a toner will help return your skin to its normal level.

Step 9: Applying a moisturizer every morning and every night before bed (after you finish washing your face) is one of the best things you can do for your skin. Not only does it keep your skin from looking dry and flaky, but you’re also protecting your skin from premature aging. Look for something that is oil-free and contains an SPF of 15 or above. Apply it not only to your face, but use the moisturizer on your neck, as well, to prevent sagging. When looking for a product, make sure you find one that says oil-free so that it won’t clog pores.

Step 10: Beware of using body wash or other soap products on your face––they will dry out your skin and strip away your natural acid mantle (the top of your skin is a natural layer of oil and sebum called your acid mantle). The skin is naturally acidic, and this layer protects the skin from outside bacteria. Body wash strips away this layer, leaving your skin unprotected.

My Favorite Products: (Hover over photo to see product name.)

All of these can be found at your local drugstore for under $10!

By Alicia Marie Sargent

When Short is Too Short

How to Dress Modestly at School

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” 1 Timothy 2:9

These days provocative clothing is everywhere, on television, in shop windows, and everywhere on the street. Mini skirts and short shorts are the standard summer-wear, along with halter tops and spaghetti straps. Most girls wear such provocative clothing because they want to fit in or because they like the attention others give them. After all, they say, everyone else is dressing this way, so there’s nothing wrong with it. Right?

It’s hard for young girls not to fall into this trap. Abercrombie and Fitch boasts its “highest-quality, casual, all-American lifestyle clothing for aspiring men and women.” I want everyone to look closely at the following pictures from their website and ask yourself, what would people who wear these clothes be aspiring to be?

Now read the following Bible verse and see if any of these clothes are appropriate according to God. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but which becometh women professing godliness with good works” (1 Timothy 2: 9-10). Would you feel comfortable wearing these clothes in front of your minister? (Especially considering the first one is a dress!) What’s really sad is that all of these clothes are a very common sight anywhere you go. Even in school, girls are dressing more provocatively. How can we expect our young men to learn anything when girls wearing only two inches of material are constantly distracting them? Mini shirts and short shorts are everywhere, from popular teen stores at the mall to Wal-mart. If you refused to shop at any store that sold clothing like this, there would be nowhere left to shop! The key is to always keep in mind how God wants us to look. Christian girls can shop at most stores; we just can’t wear everything that store sells. American Eagle sells tiny shorts, but they also sell capris. The same holds true for almost any store. Just keep in mind that you have a choice in how you dress, and that what you wear reflects who you are and how people perceive you. The world judges us on how we appear, and so we are to be a light to the world, leading them to God. The problem is, how can we lead people to God when all they notice is the skin that should be covered up? We must consider God in everything we do, say, and wear. Everything reflects upon us, and when we tell people we are Christians, it reflects the congregation you attend and, most importantly, God himself. Keep this in mind the next time you’re talking to your friends. How do your friends really see you?

We all want to look cute that first day back to school; we just have to remember that we can look great and please God at the same time. “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). Remember that while what you wear may seem like a big deal today, life goes on, and in ten years you won’t even remember or care about what you wore in middle and high school. Your clothes make a statement about who you are, so let your statement be for God.

Let’s look at some cute—and modest!—clothes (and accessories) that are perfect for going back to school.

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Wal-mart Bermuda Shorts $14.72

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American Eagle Demin Capris $39.50

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American Eagle Empire Waist Dress $19.99

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Kohls $25.20 Tops $24.00

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JCPenney $39.99 Active Wear $19.99

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Payless $19.99 Shoes $11.99

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Old Navy $12.50 Bags $19.50

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By Alicia Marie Sargent

Summer Glow

Looking Great Despite the Heat

It’s time for the pools to open, which can only mean one thing: summer! Summer means picnics, swimming, summer camp, and bonfires. It also means it’s time to hit the drugstore and find your perfect summer shades. Summer make-up is meant to be fun and easy. Why spend hours inside getting ready when you could be having fun in the sun?

Sunscreen is the most important thing you can do for your skin. The more you use sunscreen now, the better you will look ten or twenty years from now. Do you want to be one of those girls in their thirties who people look at and think, “She looks so young! Her skin is so smooth—there is no way she’s thirty-five!” or do you want them to think, “Wow, she spent way too much time in the tanning booth. Do you see those wrinkles?”

The next thing to consider is your foundation. If you choose to wear foundation, keep in mind the shade you have at the beginning of summer may not work in six weeks if you plan on spending time in the sun. Look for something light, like a powder that isn’t oil-based, so it won’t separate. If you cake your face with too much foundation you may find it streaks off when you sweat, which is a look no one wants. However, I suggest skipping the foundation altogether. Instead, go for a tinted moisturizer. It gives your face a little color, and evens out your skin tone while serving as a moisturizer, and you can’t beat how light it feels in the summer heat. Of course, find one that includes an SPF of at least 15 (SPF 30 is better). I also suggest skipping the blush. Let the outdoors provide you with a nice healthy glow or use a bronzing powder to give you a sun-kissed look.

Summer is a very critical time to treat your skin nicely. Wash your face every morning and night and also if you’ve been outside sweating. It’s also important to use a moisturizer, since the sun can dry out your skin. Try to find one that isn’t too heavy, like Dove moisturizer with SPF 15. Heavier crèmes are okay for nighttime, but be careful if you have oily skin, because it can clog your pores.

Summer = shimmer: use it in your eye shadow or your blush—the summer sun will really set it off. Light tones of pink are best for fair skin, and bronzed tones are better for tan or dark tones. But don’t stick to pink the whole time; summer is all about fun, so try bright colors like turquoise or purple. For daytime keep it light; in the evenings you can go with a little more color. Just don’t wear shimmer in all your make-up, or you’ll look like you were attacked by glitter.

Skip the lipstick. Lip gloss in all shades can be fun for summer—but be careful where you leave your tube. The hot summer sun plus lip gloss in your car equals a mess. Chap stick will melt, too, so make sure you take it inside.

When outside, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun. To avoid white raccoon eyes, though, apply sunscreen every two hours to your face and entire body. Make sure to keep lots of water around, and have fun in the sun!

My Favorite Products

These pictures and prices are from Walgreens.com but the products can be found at almost any drug or grocery store.

CoverGirl Queen Collection Eyeshadow Single, $2.99

Maybelline pure makeup, $5.99

Maybelline Mineral Power Naturally Luminous Blush, $8.99

Maybelline Define-A-Lash Waterproof Mascara, $7.99

Maybelline Shiny-Licious Lipgloss, $5.79

Sally Hansen No Chip Ten Day Nail Color $4.49

Wet n’ Wild Ultimate Sheer Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 $3.99

Neutrogena Instant Bronze Sunless Tanner $9.99

By Alicia Marie Sargent

Adorably Modest

Dressing modestly is important!

Take a good look at this picture. Two girls, both wearing cute swimsuits, but the girl on the right has her stomach showing. Does it really make a difference? Look at it from a boy’s perspective. The girl on the left is pretty and confident, and she looks like she’s fun to talk to. The girl on the right is wearing a very small swimsuit, which is the same as seeing her in her underwear. Not only can you see her stomach and legs, but you can also see her breasts peeking out. If she bends over, a guy would get a good view and could easily picture her naked. So, does it make a difference?

Why do Christian women need to dress modestly? When God created man, He made him to be attracted to woman. When teenage boys, or even older men, see a girl dressed in a mini skirt or a bikini, they become turned on because they can easily imagine what she looks like without any clothes at all! “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak” (Romans 14:21). We need to be very careful how we dress because we can become a stumbling block to young men trying to find and obey God. When we dress provocatively, we invite guys to lust over us, and when they see us dressed like that they assume we are easy. Our bodies are for our husbands to see and desire, after we’re married, and for no one else.

Always remember that as Christians we are the light in the world and it is our job to reflect Christ. A first impression is very important in this. Let’s say you’re walking down the street and you see two girls. One is wearing a mini skirt, high-heeled shoes, a tube top, and huge hoop earrings. She has lots of make-up on, and she’s flirting with three boys standing around her. The other girl is wearing a pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a t-shirt. She has her hair in a ponytail and is pretty while having only a little make-up on. If you were to choose which one of them was most likely a Christian which would you pick? I think the choice is obvious, and so is the point. The way we dress influences the way people think about us. If we want people to take us seriously as Christians, we have to dress the part.

You don’t have to be covered from head to toe to be modest, but you do have to be careful about shorts and skirts that go too far above the knee, or shirts that scoop down so low you can see the top of your breasts. Be proud of being a Christian, and take time each day to dress nicely and do your hair and make-up. It’s okay to want to look pretty, but there is a clear difference between pretty and immodest. Remember, your body is God’s temple and it’s your responsibility to keep it sacred. Your parents won’t always be there to tell you that your shirt is too short, so why not start making better decisions now.

Choose a style to flatter your body!

Divine Suits has great modest swim wear tips, some of which I will include below.

Large Chest: Choose a style that has solid, dark colors, with accessories such as piping or colored trim. This will de-emphasize your full chest, while bringing attention to other accessories of your suit. Also, the style you choose will need to have a full bra for complete support. The neckline should be simple yet flattering, but should not bring attention to your chest.

Thick Mid-section: Choose a style that has shirring in the middle, or wrap-waist styles. These accessories create an illusion of a smaller stomach. Shirring shapes you and gives a sophisticated look.

Thick Waist: Consider a style with no shirring or accessories in the waist. A simple neckline accompanied with a straight line of style is best—it will bring less attention to your waist.

Small to Medium Chest: Choose any style of tops with solid bright colors, prints, or two-tone colors to give a fuller look without compromising on modesty.

Balance Smaller Bust with Wider Hips: Choose a lighter or patterned top with solid or darker bottoms. Bust or neckline details like piping, bands, sashes or shirring in the middle will flatter this shape as well.

Our Favorites:

$ 0 – 30

$$ 30 – 50

$$$ 50+

Keep in mind that companies now sell tops, bottoms, and skirts separately. And it’s okay to spend a little more on a modest swimsuit that you’re going to keep for a while (there are cute ones out there!). Make sure you feel comfortable in your swimsuit. Take your friends or mom shopping with you for a second opinion on how the suit looks.

Modbe

Modbe is a web store that offers cute, modest swimsuits for girls. Their motto? Modern is as Modest be.

Price Guide

Tops: $$

Bottoms: $

Skirts: $$

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Ohana

Ohana sells one- and two-piece swimsuits that are very surfer chick and very cute. The company is named Ohana because it’s all about family and all about being modest.

Price Guide

One Piece: $$$

Tops: $$

Bottoms: $$

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Target

Target is a store that’s near just about everyone, and even if there isn’t one near you, you can always shop online. Target sells many different types of swimsuits; the trick is to find one that is both modest and cute!

Price Guide

One Piece: $$

Tops: $

Bottoms: $

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Kohl’s

Kohl’s sells a variety of cute swimsuits and can be found in most large cities or online. However, you’re not going to find a one-piece here, so make sure you’re comfortable with a tankini before you go shopping.

Price Guide

Tops: $

Bottoms: $

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Pick a swimsuit that you feel confident and pretty in, but that is also modest. Have fun this summer at the pool, and don’t forget your sunscreen!

By Alicia Marie Sargent

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