Bonus: A Winter Week in Feminine Dress, Day 8

Today's schedule: 8:00am Mass, accompanied flutist and bass player for their school contest, met with friends from Iowa to celebrate their baby's baptism, and after hitting "post" I must be off to catch up on deskwork and cleanup for a few solid hours. There's talk of a family movie for tonight. :)

Today's outfit #1... I wanted to post the "bonus" Day 8 to highlight a casual feminine outfit: a dark denim gored skirt with cotton tights, snowflake/snowman-print turtleneck, and sky blue zip-up sweatshirt. A combination ideal for housecleaning, chores, or "loungewear".


Today's outfit #2... For the baptism celebration and student contests, a more dressy ensemble: floral polyester skirt by "Southern Lady" (from a boutique), dark purple turtleneck, and lavender zip-up suede jacket.


I do want to share a picture of my necklace today because it's very special...my dear sister Sarah, who is a freshman at Christendom college, gave one to both Veronica and I (as well as herself) before going from Christmas break. The back reads, The best thing about having a sister is that I always have a friend. It's nice having the reminder close by even though she's 12 hours away. Love and miss you, Sarah!


Veronica's outfit... Black stretch-lace skirt — it also has a touch of velvet — from Burlington Coat Factory (as you can tell by the number of times I've mentioned them, there is more there than just coats!), wool sweater, and black dress ankle boots from Famous Footwear. Her spandex turtleneck shell was ordered from Boscov's: she has blue and black and really likes them for layering under sweaters and other tops. They fill in low necklines perfectly, as well as add warmth and style.


This snapshot offers a nice view of her miraculous medal from The Catholic Company (my Confirmation gift as her sponsor), as well as the way her turtleneck is gathered across the front, and her chastity ring.

Today's femininity quote:

“The power that women can wield over men is great indeed. If they pursue their own selfish aims, women are Satan’s slaves. If they put their charm at God’s service, they are God’s great allies.”

~Dr. Alice von Hildebrand

Today's feminine website: www.catholicmodesty.com

One last fun picture...my 12-year-old brother can be sweet when he decides to be! Yes, this was his own initiative. Never mind that he took the opportunity to try and tickle my face with his smack. ;)

And that, my friends, officially concludes our Winter Week in Feminine Dress. The comment boxes have been rather quiet... if you have been encouraged or inspired this week, please let me know! I really appreciate your thoughts and feedback. My purpose in hosting this is not to see my own face in print, but hopefully to offer a glimpse of how skirts and dresses can be implemented effectively into daily life.

Gentlemen, if you are grateful for the girls in your life who make the effort and priority to dress with dignity, let them know! After all, the wisdom of the world tells us modesty is unattractive...even though we know better, it's helpful and encouraging to hear the the truth from our brothers in Christ.

Ladies, I've heard one Catholic author descibe modesty as "a ministry of beauty". Our goal must be to offer in our dress and presentation a mirror of the perfect beauty of God, and a reflection of His presence in our hearts. The virtue of modesty is an important weapon to defeat the culture of death and transform it into a culture of life. As Colleen Hammond so wisely says...

"We can change the world: one outfit at a time!"

A Winter Week in Feminine Dress, Day 7

Today's schedule: 7:30am Mass, various morning deskwork, University choir practice, few afternoon lessons, some R.E. work, a nap (I needed it!), another evening coaching session for a student playing their contest tomorrow.

Today's outfit:


Skirt: The brand is Liz Claiborne, but I'm not sure where I got it. It's a dark grey with tan and red plaid.

Shawl: Self-explanitory. Cream, knit, and cozy. :)

Top: Venetian red according to this page (color charts are such fun!), with a lace-up front and small collar. I really like that the lace-up has its own insert.


Necklace: My "Friends in Christ" necklace that I share with my dear friend Malori (who, by the way, just started her own Week in Feminine Dress. Do go and visit!). We've known each other for 14 years and we've only had reunions about six times, living many states from one another...so we started this tradition early on. Each time we are able to see each other, we exchange necklaces. One has a filled-in cross, and the other a cut-out cross. As you can see, I currently have the former.

Hair: Two-frenchbraids-into-one, which has been named "The Sarah" after my sister. :) It's called "High Combo" here.

Today's femininity quote:

“When women are pure, men will respect, nay, venerate them; they will also hear the call challenging them to chastity.”

~Dr. Alice von Hildebrand

Today's feminine website: www.saintmariasmessenger.com

"An interactive website for teen girls, under the patronage of St. Maria Goretti"

A Winter Week in Feminine Dress, Day 6

Today's schedule: Noon Mass and adoration, meeting with a friend, Suzuki violin group (concert rehearsal), and more music coaching sessions (I've had a few extra this week because some middle school students playing their instruments for "contest" this weekend have me as their accompanist). Normally I work on Religious Ed. things in my home office on Thursdays, but didn't get to that today! That means more things stacked up for upcoming days...Friday, Saturday, and Monday usually have a lot of RE work in preparation for classes meeting on Tuesday. It is a mixed challenge/benefit to do much of the work from my home office and to set my own hours. :)

Today's outfit:

Skirt: Deep green corderoy makes for a seasonal standby. The five gores give it a great width and drape.

Top: Dusty lavendar sweater with attached tie-collar, found at a boutique. There is a rhinestone button sewn through both ties. Most of the time I wear a close-fitting short sleeve top underneath my pullover sweaters. No only does this aid in warmth, but in keeping the sweater fresh enough to wear a few times between washings. My favorite undershirts are soft organic cotton tops by Seed Supply Co. — which, believe it or not, are sold at Wal-Mart in a variety of colors. They aren't bulky, and the long length keeps them tucked in well. This company makes leggings and such, too.

Legwear: Maggie's lightweight cotton tights in black.

Hair: Nothing extraordinary today — just the "bangs" pulled back with a flat silver barrette.

Outerwear: I've had my main winter coat — suede-type in deep plum with thick, soft inside — for about three winters already. A coat that probably costs $50-$100 or more new is usually about $10-$20 at Unique. I also found this pretty aqua scarf there recently. It's super long, which means I can wrap it several times around.

Bonus outfits...

Mrs. H (aka Mom) enjoys a plum suede skirt with some small pleats near the hemline, coupled with black Maryjane shoes and her Maggie's cotton tights (no, they didn't pay me for advertising!). Her cotton sweater has yarn-embroidered flowers and large cream buttons, and she's wearing a blouse with a scalloped round collar that lays over the sweater. Her necklace is actually a medal of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Veronica's top is from Burlington Coat Factory, and she layers a black tank underneath to remedy the low v-neckline. Her pashmina/scarf is from Wal-Mart, and her grey skirt I gave her from Christmas (a Goodwill find). She often gets compliments on its trio of side pleats.


Today's femininity quote:

"All human society is increasingly enriched by the gifts proper to masculinity and femininity."

~Pope John Paul the Great

Today's feminine website: www.endowonline.com

"As a Catholic educational program, ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women" brings women together to discover their God-given dignity and to understand their role in humanizing and transforming society."

A Winter Week in Feminine Dress, Day 5

Today's schedule: Mass and music lessons in the morning, University choir, afternoon lessons, took my brother to cello, evening orchestra practice. Yes, Wednesday is a big music day. :)

Today's oufit:


Skirt: Mock-suede Chadwicks that I found secondhand for probably 1/10 of the new price. Yet another winter favorite.

Top: A deep violet turtleneck underneath a soft, warm sweater with flower/bead decor. Maybe at this point I should just stop mentioning thrift stores and say only when I got it somewhere else!) :)

Shoes: Same boots as yesterday, with nylons.

Hair: I must admit that for most of the day, I didn't have time to do anything with my hair, but before going to orchestra tonight I snagged a few minutes to freshen up. I twisted the sides using small clips, and tried something new with the back. It came out being what I always imagined a chignon to look like (you know, the hairdo they always mention in civil war books?). Although now that I've looked it up, it seems like perhaps the term just meant a bun or knot. Oh well...maybe I'll have to give it a new name.

View 2:

Today's femininity quote:

"Either we must speak as we dress, or dress as we speak. Why do we profess one thing and display another? The tongue talks of chastity, but the whole body reveals impurity."

~St. Jerome

Today's feminine website: www.womenofgrace.com

A Winter Week in Feminine Dress, Day 4

Today's schedule: Religious Education work from 8am-8pm (home and school offices), with a few hours break in the afternoon for noon Mass and voting in the IL Primary Elections. At the end of the day, a non-regular music lesson and writing my bulletin article for this weekend.

Today's inspiration: This has nothing to do with the rest, but I have to mention it because I was so blessed when a lady came up to me after noon Mass thanking me for starting "O Salutaris" at the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament...expressing how moved she was by my singing. You never know when the littlest thing will touch someone!

Today's outfit:


Skirt: My favorite secondhand find this season. A conviently practical length and width, and homemade by my observation of the seams and absence of a tag. Heavier material and lining attached = nice and warm!

Top: Teal ribbed cotton turtleneck/sweater from Burlington Coat Factory. $4.99, I think. I enjoy this color a lot.

Scarf: Worn the same way as Day 1, this was a Christmas gift from Veronica — I happen to know that she found it at Wal-Mart, where pashmina-style scarves are only about $5.

Legwear: Probably the only thing I own that was from a "Juniors" section! These lace-edged leggings are only $5 or $6 at Wal-Mart. They'd be better if "Miley Cirus" wasn't printed inside the tag area (ugh), but the price can't be beat and they go great under skirts! For you ladies that don't like tights/pantyhose, leggings are the perfect thing to keep your legs warm with a winter skirt or dress. They're all over the place this season, anyway, so you won't have a hard time finding some! I wore a pair of black knee-high nylons underneath this pair since they are "capri" length.


Footwear: Winter boots by Khombu. Trim and pretty and totally wearable (an awful lot of boots these days are not!). I couldn't decide whether to get black or brown when getting these in the Fall, but ended up going with the latter, and they match pretty well with all my winter skirts.

Necklace: My miraculous medal, peeking out the center between the ends of my scarf.

Hair: I washed it this morning and it dries wavy, so I just parted it to the side and gently clipped back the sides with some turquoise-flowered bobby pins (to match the top and scarf). A couple of crossways brown bobby pins underneath the decorative ones helped it stay secure.

Veronica's outfit...

...a cranberry wool skirt and off-white rabbit-hair sweater with sparkles in it over a purple top. Actually, I think I may have found both those pieces...when thrift shopping I'm always finding nice things that fit my sisters. :) Her necklace was made by and older gentleman we know who makes jewelry as a hobby and gave us each a piece one year for Christmas. She actually wore her purple scarf from Day 2 much of the day with this outfit, which looked great also.

Today's femininity quote:

"True feminine beauty has a way of transforming and purifying and ennobling a man. This beauty carries with it a quiet confidence.”

~A holy priest I know

Today's feminine website: http://www.modesty-mall.com/ (designed by my own dear goddaughter)

A Winter Week in Feminine Dress, Day 3

Today's schedule: A lot! 7:30am Mass, University choir practice, presentations for a nearby Catholic School (see outfit #2), a few music lessons, my Cherubim Catholic Children's Choir practice, a few more lessons, and various tasks in between. :)

Today's outfit #1...


This one is pretty straightforward... my favorite black linen skirt — which I needed for outfit #2, so I kept it simple by using it all day — with a pastel pink turtleneck underneath a coral/pink cotton sweater (both hand-me-downs). Black tights, and my pick slippers above...when outside, I had black Maryjanes. Necklace is my large miraculous medal which I wear almost all the time, either above or underneath my top. I had no time for elaborate hair, so it's only a simple bun with clips (it should have had a few more, because the three shown actually didn't hold it well).

Outfit #2...

In honor of Catholic Schools Week, I was asked to do a first-person portrayal of a relevant saint for a nearby parochial school. I won't say anything more...can you guess who she is?

Today's femininity quote:

"You have a good many little gifts and virtues, but there is no need of parading them, for conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long, and the great charm of all power is modesty."

~Louisa May Alcott

Today's feminine website: www.setapartgirl.com (Though I do not necessarily agree with everything on her site, Leslie Ludy's work is very inspiring!)

A Winter Week in Feminine Dress, Day 2

Today’s schedule: A Family Day! Last year, Dad and David went to the University of IL-Champaign for something called an “E-Fest” – basically a large, regional gathering of model airplanes and helicopters. They enjoyed it so much that Dad really wanted to take us all to see it this year. I can see how someone with an engineering mind would be totally enthralled, because I found it interesting and enjoyable even though I am not at all scientifically-bent. :)

Following the E-Fest, we went to a very well-attended and vibrant Mass at St. John’s Newman Center, and then to Panera Bread for dinner.

Today’s outfit…


Skirt: Wool and pleated with a pattern of colored lines peeking from the pleats...so comfortable and warm! It’s another thrift-store find from several winters ago. I like to pair it with a red or green top during the Christmas season, but it works nicely throughout the rest of the winter, too.

Top: A sky-blue Worthington pullover I got this Fall from Unique Thrift Store. (You are detecting a pattern here, right? They are usually the best places to find quality modest clothing!). I’m wearing the same black tank underneath that I wore yesterday. The sweater’s dark neckline edge ties in well with the skirt, and there are actually blue lines in the skirt pattern (though you can’t see that in the photo). The black crocheted sweater is my mom’s, which she kindly lets me borrow since I don’t have one. :)

Shoes: Same as yesterday, but with Maggie’s lightweight cotton tights. These are the nicest cotton tights I’ve found: unlike many other brands, this particular Maggie’s design is warm and comfortable, and doesn’t slip down easily. They are trim and classy: a staple ready to pair with any winter skirt! Today I’m wearing charcoal gray, which ties together my black skirt and brown shoes. It’s actually just the right neutral shade against both the black and the brown.

Necklace: My dressy miraculous medal, and on my sweater a “Precious Feet” pin. (You can see the blue top’s cute neckline bow in this photo, too).

Hairstyle: A diagonal/curved French braid, spiraled up into a braided bun and secured with small claw clips (probably my favorite hair invention ever). The flower is of sparkly ribbon and was made by Veronica and I – we designed them for the ladies to wear in our December choir concert. It’s hot-glued to a standard, brown, flat clip which makes it a snap to put in. This do took me about 10-12 minutes this morning.

View 1:

View 2:

Bonus…my sister Veronica’s outfit:

Unbeknownst to one another, we chose similar pleated wool skirts today! She paired hers with what she describes as a “dull plum” colored top (yes, from a thrift store), layered a lighter purple cami underneath, and added a brown shell/stone necklace lent from Mom.

Her paisley-print purple pashmina scarf is worn the same way mine was yesterday, but pulled tighter and tied in the front. She's also enjoying Maggie’s lightweight cotton tights in brown...a perfect color match. Charming, isn't she?

Today’s femininity quote:

"Unaffected modesty is the sweetest charm of female excellence, the richest gem in the diadem of her honor."

~Webster's Dictionary 1828

Today’s feminine website:

A Winter Week in Feminine Dress, Day 1

Since my last week in feminine dress was in Spring, I thought it would be a fitting time to do another, and also a good revival for my poor neglected blog.

I'm often asked about how to dress femininely and warmly in wintertime. Granted, our midwestern winters are not quite as frigid as northern Wisconsin or Canada, but we do get our share of cold! I hope to share tips, ideas, and inspiration this week for feminine (plus stylish and frugal) winter apparel.

Today's schedule: The SpeakOut Illinois 2010 Pro-Life Conference

Today's oufit...

Skirt: A favorite I've had for a number of years (probably a thrift store find). The colors and weight make it a three-season piece. It actually has a second layer attached, which is helpful in warding off static-cling and chill (I do wear an additional slip as well). The dressy print of roses in deep red, dusty purple and deep goldenrod went well with the pro-life theme today.

Shoes: My super-comfortable Maryjane-style Sketchers in deep brown, worn with nylons. These are the most brilliant combination of pretty and practical, especially if you will be all day on your feet. I have wide feet, so a few good quality pairs of wide-width shoes are pretty much all I use. I was able to get these for a great sale price at Famous Footwear this fall. Beautiful footwear does not have to be painful — nor need comfort be dowdy! :)

Top: A v-neck sweater with 3/4 sleeves in deep red ("carmine" according to this...it appears a bit brighter than actuality in the photos). I found this one at a recent thrift store excursion. Layering is great both for warmth and modesty — underneath my sweater is a black tank with sequin accents at the neckline.

Necklace: The same rose necklace I wore here.

Shawl/Scarf: Purple "pashmina"-style ($10 from Burlington Coat Factory). This last season, I've discovered how much I enjoy these scarves! Not only do they bring a classy touch, but worn this way it feels as warm as wearing another sweater. There are many ways to wear them, but the two I use most frequently are demonstrated in this video (my first photo today features the first method shown here):

Todays' hair style: A fairly simple but becoming method I devised in the last few months. It is achieved by starting a side part, then turning it into a "box" part. Leave that small section of hair hanging in front, and draw the rest of your bangs (upper hair) back into a barette, smoothing the top with a comb. Put a braid or twist into the small section of hair, drawing it back and joining it into the barette. This style could work on shoulder-length or longer hair. If you find my directions confusing or need assistance, let me know. :) It takes about 3 minutes to do this on myself.

Today's femininity quote:

"When men wish to be safely impressive, as judges, priests or kings, they do wear skirts, the long trailing robes of female dignity."

-G.K. Chesterton

Through the Week in Feminine Dress: Day 7

My skirt today was found just this week on a thrift store trip. It's a Coldwater Creek "Gypsy" skirt that I found still with its brand-new tags! I got it for $8, and since the skirts on Coldwater Creek's website range from $50-$150, that's a pretty good find. :)

The embellishments are so fun and pretty! We had an all-day dance practice today, and this skirt's flow and fullness — not too much, but not too little — was perfect.

I'm wearing my Little Flowers t-shirt, which has this wonderful quote of St. Therese's on the front...

...And our group name and logo on the back. You can't see the red oval very well, but it has our theme: "Modesty, Beauty, and Joy". I continued the theme of roses with what I like to call my "pro-life" necklace:

Thank you to all who've followed and commented this week. It's been enjoyable for me to participate in this! Gentlemen, I hope I've been able to offer some encouragement that femininity is still alive. Ladies, I hope I've been able to offer some tips and inspiration... the goal of highlighting through our dress the femininity and modesty of the heart should be one that we hold onto and share!

~ ~ ~

"Feminists are dedicated to the proposition that the difference between men and women is a matter of mere biology. The rest of us recognize a far deeper reality, one that meets us on an altogether different plane from mere anatomical distinctions. It is unfathomable and indefinable, yet men and women have tried ceaselessly to fathom and define it. It is unavoidable and undeniable, yet in the past couple of decades earnest and high-sounding efforts have been made in the name of decency, equality, and fairness, at least to avoid it and, whenever possible, to deny it. I refer, of course, to femininity---a reality of God's design and God's making, His gift to me and to every woman---and, in a very different way, His gift to men as well. If we really understood what femininity is all about, perhaps the question of roles would take care of itself."

-Elisabeth Elliot (The Essence of Femininity)

Through the Week in Feminine Dress: Day 6

Today's outfit was a bit more active and casual: my a-line tensil/denim skirt, a pink cotton stop with stitched accents, and my vivid pink summery vest, almost peasant-style. It was rather chilly today, so my pastel pink fleece jacket completed my wardrobe. I was quite comfortable doing all kinds of running around in this outfit today — including an early-morning jog and enjoying a family game of volleyball in the yard tonight!

My Eucharistic medal... I wore it yesterday, too, because May 8 is my double Sacramental anniversary: 20 years since my baptism and 14 since my First Holy Communion!

Oh, and thanks to Veronica for these photos! :)

Through the Week in Feminine Dress: Day 5

Yesterday was our Suzuki String group concert. I'm a teacher, Sarah's a helper, and Veronica and David are students.

I accented my concert black outfit — a long linen skirt and a chiffon top with ties at the neck —with a ribbon sash to add a touch of spring color. The sleeves are my favorite part of this top! However, being chiffon with lace inserts makes it it very sheer. Worn alone or even with a tank top camisole underneath, the sheer lace up the sleeves can still be somewhat glaring (and distracting, according to the Modesty Survey). :)

So... I just wear a solid long-sleeve stretch shirt underneath, which both makes a lining for the chiffon and fills in the sheer lace on the sleeves. Voila!

My shoes are actually a pair of character dance shoes that I like so well, I use them for formalwear. :)

My jeweled cross...

Oh, and if anyone's wondering if I wore this all day, I didn't. :) Before I changed for the evening concert, I actually wore the same outfit as on Friday (the denim and pink).

Through the Week in Feminine Dress: Day 4

Today's outfit was another complete thrift-store ensemble. I always say that I'm not accustomed to paying more than $7 for a single article of clothing! :) This skirt is deep green but has lots of different colors in its print, so the possibilites for matching a top are numerous. Today I'm wearing my vivid blue three-quarter sleeve blouse accompanied by a woven brown leather belt. As Clare at Romance and the Roses mentioned, a belt can add such definition and character to an outfit! In the book Dressing with Dignity, author Colleen Hammond talks about tastefully defining the curves of our feminine figure. We we speak of modest attire, a gunny-sack wardbrobe is not at all what we're talking about. :) Mrs. Hammond points out how our Blessed Mother always appears in a beautiful flowing robe with a sash or belt about her waist. An interesting point, I think!

As you may have noticed, I wear a lot of blue. :) I also love pink...perhaps some will show up later this week. Vivid colors (rather than earthy hues) seem to fit my skin tone better.

I felt very Narnian taking this picture! :) It rained this morning, so I wore my long wine-violet jacket to Mass. The tree behind me is our lovely flowering pear... my only disappointment in it is that it doesn't bloom very long.

My cross — a Christmas gift last year from one of my Religious Ed students. It's very pretty and dainty. Underneath my blouse I have a lightweight white cotton tank top with a row of eyelet lace and a touch of ribbon sewn along the collar. Yesterday I mentioned using brooches to fix a neckline — this is another great way!

Photo credit goes to my lovely sister, Sarah. :) Thank you, my dear!