My attitude toward fashion has changed significantly recently, and while I can trace the change back to a certain movie that I watched, the same movie gave me two very contrary perspectives on the “fashion world.”

On the one hand, fashion can be viewed as a “god” (or “goddess”, for that matter) to many. She is adored, idolized, and sacrificed to on a daily basis. The “price” of fashion is great, and what comes with it is often the well-being of the soul.

But on the other hand, one of the main characters pointed out that those in the fashion world hand our styles to us on a plate. Color, design, style, are all filtered down to the masses from “high above.” While this certainly doesn’t seem like a wonderful purpose, clothing in our world is something of a necessity, so we need someone to look out for our “sense” of fashion, whether we follow the trends or only buy a new outfit every other year.

Sam has been reacting positively to my changes, from the style of clothing I’ve started picking out to the fact that I care about how my hair looks when we go out the front door. I think I go through phases on this, but in general, I have, in the past, cared very little about the way I look when I leave the house. But I’m taking more notice now, and I honestly don’t know what about that movie or life in general pushed me to change this attitude.

I certainly don’t think that I want to become more materialistic. I am very aware of cost, and I am very cautious about what I buy and when, and especially how much it is going to cost. I don’t want to spend a lot of money to look good, because you don’t have to.

But this isn’t just about that. It’s about how in the world I can serve Jesus with all of this? I wouldn’t go downtown to help the poor in 4″ heels and a miniskirt, so what use is it? Well, I think that in our society, looking somewhat put-together on a day-to-day basis is important. And it doesn’t hurt to help you get a job if you need one. And doing this in a modest and appropriate way is even better as a Christian woman.

I don’t believe that modesty means that you have to be frumpy, and I don’t believe it means you have to dress like Laura Ingles. I think it means that you can take fashion and do it modestly. Wearing shorter skirts isn’t immodest, showing a little leg isn’t bad. It’s when you do so in hopes of getting attention from men who aren’t your husband and all the while wearing a sexy demeanor and behaving like a teenage girl who giggles at all the cute guys. It’s wearing fashionable clothes in a professional manner.

The thing about modesty is that women are not at fault for the lustful thoughts of men UNLESS they dress intentionally to make men lust after them. If I’m dressing just to look nice and a man lusts after me, that is not my sin. I do not take credit nor do I feel that I should be blamed. It is the same way if a woman looks lustfully at a man. We cannot blame the object of our lust for our sin, anymore than we can blame a rape victim for being raped! In God’s eyes this is one and the same sin.

If a woman does not want a man to ever look at her lustfully, I can understand that, but I can also say that there is a bigger issue at work in her, and she needs to examine that.

I recently posed the scenario to my husband that I’m not a huge fan of wearing dresses on a daily basis, but if I were to move to a place where this was considered the norm, I would most like comply. I don’t see anything wrong with choosing the most appropriate fashion for your situation, and if my situation is sitting at home with my kids, I’m far more comfy in jeans and a t-shirt than I am in a skirt. But if the situation were an office where dress was not so casual, I would more likely wear skirts, because it makes more sense in that situation.