Plan Your Own Modest Fashion Show

By Sara Anderson, California
Tips for having an effective and fun Modest Fashion Show...


Tired of seeing bare bellies, cleavage, and too much thigh? So was I! That’s why I decided I wouldn’t just stand on the sidelines while the world’s revealing fashions lowered girl’s self worth--I would make my own fashion show that displays the true worth of our young women!

For my Personal Progress Choice and Accountability Value project, I produced a Modest Fashion Show. The Tustin Third Ward Young Women were the models; their family and friends were the audience.

After researching modesty all over the church resources and talking with several of my church leaders and a fashion show consultant, I came up with a few necessary items to know and do while planning a Modest Fashion show. These are just a few suggestions I used or wished I had used:

* Explain modesty before the show and check clothing modesty. It would be embarrassing if a girl came out in an immodest outfit or, even more embarrassing, if you have to tell her. Be specific before, that way you won’t have to worry later. Before my Fashion Show I had each model fill out a sheet describing her outfits, and why they were modest to her. This helped me to check their clothing and it helped the young women evaluate their clothes. It also helped the girls realize their outfits could be more beautiful and appealing while still showing their love for their Heavenly Father (physically and spiritually beautiful!)

* Make sure girls pick out their own clothes from their own closets. This is important; the girls should understand it’s not hard to find modest outfits- even in their own closets. Modest cute outfits are within reach if they just take the time to look. Remember layers are a big help when trying to dress modestly, Shade^© shirts or extra long tank tops underneath help make shirts modest. Refer to Appearance and Dress in the For the Strength of the Youth Pamphlet pages 14-16. You may also refer to the EFY website for specific standards: http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youngwomen.cfm.

* Create a fun atmosphere; the girls should have a special and memorable night. I used colorful tissue paper flowers along the walls and white Christmas lights for the runway (or a long carpet or rug would look classy.) I have also heard of lining up long tables for a tall runway the girls can walk on to be higher than the audience.



* Get uplifting, appropriate music with a fast beat compiled beforehand. I had fun songs such as “I’m Coming Out” and “Hey Mickey”!

* Practice so the girls feel comfortable. Practice posing and walking the runway beforehand so the girls feel confident in what they wear and how they present themselves.

* Define Modesty (in the show). Have Emcees explaining why the outfits are modest. This really ties it all together! Make a creative script describing the outfits’ style and modesty.

* Make it interesting and be prepared for a backup while the girls are changing. One simple solution: a fun modesty skit. I used one that had cute lines to explain the standards in simple terms. For example, a model and I walked out with saran wrap around our clothes to explain the immodesty in tight clothes; the Emcees elaborated:

"Then there are clothes so tight and revealing, just to breathe- she is numb- no feeling. Is it really worth the pain and duress to feel like a mummy with full figure distress?"



This was a very simple way to lay out the standards. The girls had fun with the humor and the audience laughed! Here's a link to the full modest fashion show skit script!

* Don’t stress about time gaps! In all fashion shows, there must be a few seconds between each person. Don’t rush! The audience likes to take in the catchy words from the Emcees and see the outfit and transition to the next person. Have the girls pose a few times and walk slowly because it goes faster than you think!

Other resources I used and would like to share:

-This is a card I had the girls each sign and promise to abide by the modesty standards. It is something they can keep in their wallet to remind them to stay modest! Use this link to open or download the MS Word document.

-This is a list of websites that I handed out to the girls for help in finding more modest clothes. Use this link to open or download the MS Word document.

Good luck and show the world- Modesty is the best policy!


Sara Anderson lives in Tustin, California. She enjoys playing tennis and going to the beach. She is the president of the Laurels in Tustin Third Ward, California. She is also president of the international exchange club at her High School because she loves meeting people from all around the world.

What's the Motive?

By Sharon Neville
Have you ever wondered why people wear immodest clothing? Well it's usually because they want to be popular and show off skin. Once they get used to showing off a little skin then they show off a little more and a little more. When people resort to being immodest it usually means they don't get the attention that they want so they’re looking for other means.

My whole life I've been LDS and I've seen people wearing shirts that are a little low, shirts that don't cover their stomachs, and mini skirts that are too high. Now in this day and age there are still people who are LDS and wear immodest clothing that isn't uplifting to the Lord. Everybody needs to stay away from that harmful source of sin. There are even simple things you can do if you're willing to put in that extra effort.

All of us need to be as far away from the border line in wearing immodest clothes as possible. People say to themselves "Oh, if I just pull down my skirt then it'll be fine". Then they get used to saying that to themselves and then they don't seem to care about it.

If we are wearing longer skirts and longer shirts then we don't even have to worry about being immodest because we always know in the back of our minds that we are keeping the Lord's commandments and listening to the prophets and what they've been saying about modesty. We should do it not only because of church standards but also for ourselves. People will respect us more if we respect our own bodies. The first step we should take is to go through our closets and throw out everything that we know the Lord wouldn't approve of!

Sharon Neville lives in North Salt Lake, UT and is going to school while living at home. She is the youngest of 7 children. She likes to scrapbook and use the computer.