Our Guest Post on Joy's Blog Series "Modest Fashion Week".

Dressing Like a Daughter of the King- A Guest Post by Marianna & Michelle Orlando of Bellissima Modesty Boutique

During my recent study of the dynamic and beautifully detailed portrait of the character of the woman whom God calls "beautiful" and having "surpassed them all", I found it interesting to note that in the midst of the accounts of her hard work and diligent planning, God also mentioned what kind of clothes she wore! Often in God's Word, we see that when women are specifically mentioned, details about their outward appearance are often included. I believe God created us as women to care about our appearance. Not so say that we should be vain or overly consumed with outward appearance, for a meek and quiet spirit is the greatest beauty we can possess! But I believe that how we dress and what we look like on the outside, is a reflection of what is in our hearts.

Proverbs 31 paints a portrait of the woman that God said "excelled them all" (meaning that her work as a keeper of the home excelled all the other women mentioned in the Bible!). The strongest lines and strokes on the canvas of this woman's portrait, are of her fear of God, her love for Him and her family, her good work ethic and the use of her hands to bless others. But we notice in the details, that this woman weaves beauty and excellence into everything, including the way she clothes both her family and herself.

Prov. 31:22b (Amp.)
"Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made]."

This woman knows that she is not only a King's daughter, but she holds a very valuable position as keeper and manager of her home, and she dresses to fit the job. Not to say that every day we always feel like a princess or that we should do our housework wearing a taffeta skirt and wearing a tiara on our heads, and it doesn't even mean that we need to dress in expensive or fancy clothes as we go about our daily work. Is what it does mean, I believe, is that we should dress in a way that helps remind us that what we are doing is important, and that we are a royal people, a chosen generation (1 Peter 2:9) and that everything we do is to be done unto the Lord, the King of Kings (Col 3:23).

When we remember that, and dress as the daughters of the King, or as the Queen of the home that you are, it shows the world that, one, we take delight and joy in the job we hold as homemaker (or for some of us, as "homemaker in training"), and two, that we dress in a way that is pleasing to the eye of our family and ourselves. So throw out your bleach stained tees, and stretched out sweat pants (save them for your next painting project), and put on something that suits the position you have in your home as CEO. ;-) Like the woman in Proverbs 31 you'll feel yourself ready and willing to take on your God given tasks with joy and pride!

Wearing a perky apron can help us remember that we have the privilege of being a servant like Christ was! (John 13:4, He "laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.")

So, that brings us to the topic of this post, how to dress in a casual way that is also modest and beautiful! I have found, firstly, that blue jean skirts are a wonderful wonderful thing (see two styles under our skirts section)! I don't know who invented them, but I wish I could shake their hand and thank them profusely! ;-) You see, I'm one of those people who rarely wear blue jeans. I don't have anything against them as long as they are not too tight (they certainly have their place if you ride horses, or something to that affect), but I have found that one, they are hard to find that aren't too tight if you don't have a board straight figure, and two, skirts, khakis or cargo pants are all much more flattering and comfortable! (remember, this is just my opinion!) So, I say don't be ashamed to go through life without a pair of jeans, if you want to! I say instead, get a good blue jean skirt. They are often more modest and are casual enough so that they can be worn anywhere that you might wear blue jeans. The same with a good khaki skirt, they go with just about anything and can be worn on many many occasions. I am convinced that a flattering and modest khaki and denim skirt are foundational to a feminine and casual wardrobe!

Some other wardrobe pieces that are dear to my heart are cute printed skirts! :-) I delight in having a closet full of feminine skirts that have various prints and patterns of flowers, stripes, lace, etc. I have found that these can be both dressed up (for church, a party, etc), by adding a blouse, heels, and jewelry; or they can be dressed down for casual wear, (like running errands, going to coffee etc.) by wearing them with a tee shirt or polo and flats. They are not only a lot of fun, but very versatile and you'll feel both feminine and stylish!

There are those times when wearing a skirt just isn't practical; if you have a toddler to be sitting on the floor with, or if you are going on a picnic, for instance. During these times, I have found the value in pairing pants or capris with a top that is a little longer than one you might wear with a skirt. The wonderful thing about having a bit longer of a top, is that the length covers a bit better where pants can sometimes show your form a bit too much, and also because you don't have to worry about a gap between pants and shirt in the back when you bend down, or a gap in the front when you lift your hands up. They also help make your outfit feminine and stylish!

I would be amiss if I failed to mention one of my very best wardrobe friends, the often misused camisole or tank. I have a drawer of camis and tanks of various colors that I use continually. I have found that they are helpful for when I am going somewhere that I know I will be constantly bending over and don't want my shirt to gap, or if my shirt is a length where I know that if I bend forward I could show my back unintentionally, or if the shirt I am wearing has a tendency to sag down lower than is modest. Wearing a tank ensures that none of these wardrobe malfunctions will be wounding to my striving to be a modest lady! Is what you do need to watch for, is that your cami or tank is not too tight or too low. We do sell modest under-tanks at Bellissima! in black and white for this purpose.

There are a lot of fun accessories that can be worn to add pizazz to your casual outfits! The long necklaces that are popular right now add spunk to your outfit, and they also elongate to help an outfit or neckline be more flattering. A fun necklace of any length, a bracelet, pretty earrings, a scarf or headband all help to add personality and sparkle to your outfit. They can be the simple step that takes your outfit from bland to beautiful. Remember, we want to show the world that we represent a God who loves color and beauty!




In closing, I believe that it is absolutely possible to dress modesty and beautifully for any occasion at any stage of life. Don't be afraid to raise the standards by joyfully celebrating the gift of your God given femininity. Also, remember that whether you are a CEO in your home, or of a company outside of your home, dress with excellence, and let your clothes be a reflection and reminder that we do our tasks unto the Lord, and not unto men (Col. 3:23). Dress with discretion and a flair for fashion, be Bellissima!

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. (Ps. 90:17)

And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. (Ex. 28:2)

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for He is thy Lord; and worship thou Him. (Ps. 45:11)

Marianna is the co-owner of the Bellissima Modesty Boutique, with her sister, Michelle. Their companies' mission statement is "to provide affordable clothing that meet high standards of beauty and modesty. While true beauty comes from having a meek and quiet spirit and a joyful heart, our clothing is the first message we give to others. We want to help you to proclaim a message that says, I am a chaste, modest woman/girl who desires Christ's beauty and creativity to shine through me."