The Norwegian women’s handball team chose to wear sporty shorts rather than bikini bottoms and having been fined for it, caused world-wide conversation over sexist sports rules and modesty. Then, German women’s gymnastics wore all-over unitards rather than the popular and expected skimpy gymnast leotard in response.

Good for them! What a way to put the modern world into a domino effect of changing the accepted and expected clothing rules.

So while everyone’s talking about women’s attire, think about the ridiculous things mass produced for us to wear that just don’t do the basic job of clothes, which is to cover.

Modesty has become a touchy topic in the Christian community because of everyone’s offended attitudes and complaints and the elongated discussion about how modesty is really an internal disposition, yada, yada, yada…

Let’s just say that our goal is to dress with dignity-the dignity we all already have, but displayed in a dignified manner. Other words that come to mind include: classy, elegant, royal, professional, tasteful, and graceful.

Why? Because we have dignity and dressing like it is one way we can show God gratitude, inform others how to treat us, and set expectations. People could choose to be rude even when we’re dressed like a nun. We should present ourselves with dignity anyway.

My personal preferences include: Can I pick up a screaming toddler at Mass in the front row? Is it see-through in sunlight? Even though it might be nursing-friendly, does it mean I’m going to flash the priest when I bow for Communion?

I’m not here to argue about whether a woman should or should not wear pants or leggings or tanks or perpetually cover her hair. I’m here to provide people with genuine options—other than that quick search of Amazon. (Not sure who defines “modest” on there, but it is questionable.)

Where To Find Modest Clothing

Here’s a simple list of places to go.

Thrift store. Before we begin listing online sources for clothes, remember thrift stores have options for a lot less than department stores or even online. It’s a fun experience, and you can find surprising pieces.

Also, check Etsy. Weird, right? But, they sell clothes—lined, quality, modest clothes. Though sometimes more costly than you might want, the handmade clothes on this site support an artisan (or in this case seamstress), and there are some resellers who curate vintage or classic clothing options, such as 70s dresses or 50s looks.

If you’re handy with a needle or sewing machine, they also sell sewing patterns. (Speaking of which, you could always learn to make your own clothes with patterns and classes at a craft store, video instructions online for free, or a good mentor.)

Okay, now for the links to online modest clothing providers!

Neesee’s Dresses: A personal favorite, it’s one of the first sites I found that specifically advertised modesty. Dresses, skirts, formal wear, nursing friendly, maternity, mommy and me outfits, and swimwear are available here. They are fashionable and have frequent sales, especially around holidays. https://www.neeseesdresses.com/

Eshakti: This store is for those who want to create their own custom dresses based on pre-made designs. You can change length of skirt or sleeve, neckline, and more. It can be pricey, but it is quality, especially for the formal or professional wardrobe. https://www.eshakti.com/

Vermont Country Store: Yes, they sell mumus that your grandmother wears, and yes, I personally want to stock up on them for my next pregnancy. But, that’s not all they have! They have great American-style classics that cover and surprising options, and it might just be your style. https://www.vermontcountrystore.com/women/category/womens-clothing

Inherit Clothing Company: Their designs are cute for play or church or professional. They include clothes for little girls, too! Mommy and me options are also available here. They even have maternity wear. https://www.inheritco.com/

Little Cottonwood: This is a cute find online. They sell simple rompers, skirts, overalls, and dresses for women and children. There are also some tops and bloomers (and some toys). https://littlecottonwood.com/

So Sew Modest: “Let modesty empower you!” the site says. They offer sales and coupons announced in their newsletter. They have modest activewear, dresses, skirts, plus sizes, and kids options. There is a limited-time A-line swim dress. https://www.sosewmodest.com/

Honeymark: A recent viral find, this company specifically creates swimsuits for women they that they describe as supportive, effortless, and with coverage. They seek form and function. Their one and two pieces look much classier than the stereotypical string bikini. https://honeymark.co/

Kosher casual: Making a donation on every purchase and advertising low prices for quality clothing, this is a modest clothing site. They offer basics, kids, swim, and maternity-friendly options. They also have articles and a blog to read. https://www.koshercasual.com/

Piper and Scoot: Begun by a mom who wants to provide “cute AND comfortable” clothes for motherhood, including pregnancy and postpartum and everyday life or special occasions. The aim is to provide for all body types with affordable but timeless designs. https://piperandscoot.com/

A Dressy Occasion: This site advertises itself as a place for modest styles for special events, including wedding dresses, flower girls’ dresses, and some casual options. Their gorgeous pictures will get you excited for whatever occasion you need to be glammed up for. Check out the sales tab on their site for deals!https://adressyoccasion.com/

Alive Loves Clothes: Owned by a lady named Alice, she provides clothes from her boutique based in Utah and makes it affordable by photographing herself in them to model. They come in sizes S to XXXL. She isn’t specifically a modesty clothing site, but she sells great options for dresses and skirts, and even some pant options are gaucho-esque and basically, a skirt sewed up the middle if you want to try something new. https://alicelovesclothes.com/

Mountain Aire Boutique: This boutique is owned by Rachel, and her aim is to provide modest and affordable dresses. She includes nursing and maternity options, younger girl dresses, and some tops and bottoms. https://mountainaireboutique.com/collections/new

Pink Desert: This store is also owned by a woman, Darci, who wants to provide modest clothing, specifically in her own swimwear line. The swimsuits are made in America and definitely cover more than most you see in stores. She includes Pink Desert exclusives you can’t find anywhere else. https://www.thepinkdesert.com/

Basil and Blush: This store is owned by Kristina, who went from civil engineer to clothing store owner because of her clothing hobby. She provides trendy clothes that she doesn’t advertise specifically as modest, but many options are. https://basilandblush.com/

Janie Lanie: Janie owns this store, which sells self-proclaimed “Stylish, Modest Clothing.” She is a mom who was frustrated by the lack of clothing available at a decent price. She sells tops, dresses, and skirts that are modern. https://janielanie.com/  

This is a shorter list of sites that aren’t directly promoting modesty (some options are pretty obviously immodest, to be honest), but have enough modest options that they are worth a click:

Love Olive Co.: They include some nice, long dresses that are still fashionable and classic as well as other clothing pieces, like shirts and bottoms. Some of the shorter dresses would also be good as tunic shirts. https://loveoliveco.com/

Rosevose: It’s a popular site with tops, bottoms, and dresses. They are an international online vendor with some sale codes at the top of their site. https://www.rosevose.com/

Pop and Mod: This is also a popular site that is very similar to Rosevose and might even have better sales. https://popandmod.com/category/maxi-dresses

Meet Querl: This is also almost exactly the same as Rosevose and Pop and Mod, but you never know what you’ll find on one and not the other. They have sale prices advertised as well. https://www.meetqearl.com/

We aren’t sponsored by any of these websites or companies, nor did I purchase a dress from every single option to check their customer service, but I hope this helps end frustration in finding more and better options.

There’s always a risk buying online, so be prudent and don’t be afraid to return things if you’re not satisfied.

Where do you find modest clothes?