Get the Look: Sunday Best

Sending the Wrong Message?

Candies brand clothing says it supports abstinence and wants to help prevent teen pregnancy, and yet they come out with these. First it was a tee that said "Be Sexy: It Doesn’t Mean You Have to Have Sex". Now it’s this?
I think they’re sending out the wrong messages. Immodest clothing + sexual abstinence = … well, let’s just say the abstinence is forgotten.
It’s kind of like what was happening in the church in Corinth (check out 1&2 Corinthians). The people of Corinth went to church, but their church was really messed up. They had tons of arguments over silly things and they really screwed up. Paul wrote 2 letters to them (1&2 Corinthians), stressing the point that CHURCH + SIN = CHAOS, not God. The people of Corinth were sending the wrong messages to other people about how Christians should act.
God tells us we can’t serve 2 different things. We can’t serve God and money (or wordly pleasures, or sin, or Satan). In the same way, we can’t advertise being sexually pure while wearing shirts that are sexually appealing.
It’s like a vegan wearing a coat with a design that says, "DON’T KILL ANIMALS"…but the coat is made of leopard skin. Do you think people will listen to her when she says not to kill animals? Not anymore.
Wearing a shirt that says premarital-sex is a bad thing is cool…but when the shirt screams "sexy", you’re sending out the wrong message.

I'd like to know your thoughts on this.

Nancy Rue's Fashion Secret

"When you shop, buy clothes that fit you. You should never look like you've been stuffed into your outfit, no matter what the current style is. Be sure you can move around freely. Forget that your best friend wears 2 sizes smaller than you do. She's her size, you are yours. This is a free and exciting time in your life, so be comfy enough to have a blast!" - Nancy Rue

Nancy Rue is the author of a bazillion books including Beauty Lab, The It's My Life Book, The Beauty Book, The Body Book, and the FaithGirlz series The Lily Series and The Sophie Series. Her books are for young girls who seek their true, beautiful identity in Christ. Pick some up at Mardels or another Christian bookstore.

Summer Trends 2009

School’s out, Summer’s in. And that means other things are in, too. The latest summer styles are here. Don’t miss them!

White Shorts
Understated, white shorts are so in this year. Top them off with the hot T-shirts below. This year, instead of bottom-hugging shorts, aim for an inch or four longer than last year’s tacky trend. I got my pair of white shorts from Express and love them.

Fitted "Pop" Color T-Shirts
Macy’s has some cute ones in their junior department. They come in colors like neon blue, Kelly green, purple, and red. This is an understated yet bold look because of the colors, and look great when paired with white shorts. If you’re going for a little less casual, pair them with a button-up vest from JC Penny’s. These tees won’t ever go out of style because they can be dressed any way imaginable…(funky scarves, anyone?)

Hydraulic jeans
Get them in Macy’s junior department. They come in cool washes and are distressed for that good ol’ pair of jeans look & feel. Not only that, but they fit perfectly – tight, but not immodest or uncomfortable. You can get long jeans, shorts, and Bermuda shorts (shorts right above the knee, which are really comfy and cool).

Casual dresses (best trend EVER)
We’re bringing girly back with sweet, carefree, casual dresses. Think of running through overgrown meadows in a breezy white dress with your hair blowing back…you can’t help but love this style.

Spaghetti-strap dresses and shirts over T-shirts; tanks & camis
If you love thin straps, now you won’t feel self-conscious when you wear them. Some girls can pull of the style of wearing a T-shirt under such clothes. If that’s not your thing, try wearing a cute tank (try Arizona brand at JC Penny’s) over a "pop color" camisole (also Arizona brand at JC Penny’s). This look is very summery and fun.

Stay away from…peace signs. While trends come and go, style can be found in each of the above items. Peace signs all over shirts, earrings, bags, and necklaces are hot this year (except for the fact that everyone is wearing them) but next year they won’t be so sweet. It’s a fad, and it actually originated back when your parents might have been born – the old hippie days. Back then, rainbows were signs of homosexuality and peace signs were the symbol of a broken cross. If you love peace signs, get them this year – just be ready to toss them out next summer.

For your summer shopping, try Macy's and JC Penny, or post your favorite clothing stores in the comments.

Thrifty

Resale shops, consignment stores, thrift shops. These are all places where you can find weird and wacky used stuff for super low prices. While you'd probably rather go to the mall, thrift stores sell clothes that aren't completely out of style. Sure, you'll find some weird dress that screams your great-great-grandma's prom ensamble, you'll also find some super-cute stuff that's totally unique, just like you. All you need is a sense of style and an eye for a bargain. If you dig, you'll find it.

The other day, I found a super-cute gray American Eagle shirt that fit me really well. In the American Eagle store, it would have been around $30-40, but in that resale shop, it was only $4. What a bargain!

Fashion Emergency!

If you’re like me, you’ve stood in front of your closet, which holds tons of clothes, and still wondered what you could wear that day. The clock is ticking, and you’re getting frantic, but you’re creative juices aren’t flowing today. What are you going to do?!

Well, it’s not the end of the world, even though it isn’t actually pleasurable to have no clue what you’re going to wear. Here are some tips to bring the fashion guru out of you.

· It’s not a sin to wear clothes more than once. You don’t need a totally different outfit for every day of the year.
· Accessories can make an ordinary outfit look extraordinary! Think colorful scarves, dangling earrings, funky necklaces and bracelets, a simple ring, or anything else you can think of. Get creative!
· Ever think of borrowing your sister’s clothes? (If she wears the same size you do – and don’t forget to ask!)
· Shoes make the outfit. I have tons of shoes. We’re not getting materialistic here: if you truly don’t have enough shoes (for example, you should have at least one pair of flip flops, sneakers, a sandal or two, and maybe two or three formal shoes: black, brown, or white), then go to Payless. True, you’re going to end up paying $15-$25 for a pair of shoes, but they have a way better selection than Wal-Mart does. They even have purses to match shoes – how cool is that?!
· Jeans can be dressed up or down. With a nice blouse, they’re good for semi-formal occasions, or paired with a grungy T-shirt, they can be reduced to yard work. So, play with your jeans.
· Have totally weird color combinations? A purple skirt goes with a yellow shirt if you have a yellow-and-purple bracelet to bring them together. Beware of the Christmas look (green and red) out of season, though, unless it is cherries or something.

Keep reading the blog. Before you know it, it’ll be filled with fashion ideas that you can’t wait to try.

Looking your Best

God does want you to look your best. The woman of noble character that Proverbs talks about “is clothed in fine linen and purple” (Proverbs 31:22). Purple, in Biblical times, was considered the most fashionable color – royalty often wore it. Not only that, but about her family: “all of them are clothed in scarlet” (verse 21). Scarlet is a bright red color, which can also be considered highly fashionable in Biblical times.

Now, this can be kinda confusing. So we’re supposed to look like supermodels, like we just stepped out of Limited Too or the cover of Seventeen magazine? Actually, no. That’s not at all what God is saying. God doesn’t care how expensive the label is on your shirt. What God is talking about is when you put on clothes that look good and feel awesome on you, that says, “I want people to see the real me, a person who deserves respect.” Now that’s confidence!

Guys Speak on Modesty

“When I see a girl who’s wearing revealing clothes, I can tell that she doesn’t have very much self-respect, and I wish someone would go up and tell her that she’s worth more than that.”—Josiah, 17