There once was a time when I thought I was considered modest. A conservative modest, nonetheless. I never broke the dress code at my small private high school, I wore a shawl with all of my prom dresses, and I even added off shoulder sleeves to my wedding dress.
And then, I had a semi-hellish experience as a teacher, where a mom decided to publicly crucify me for having a belly button ring. Yes, moderately/conservative/goody t-shoes, had a BELLY BUTTON RING? Lordy Lordy. I didn’t broadcast it but one of my students figured it out. This mom spread the news around school, and suddenly, my stomach became the topic of everyone’s conversation.
And, 7 months later, my stomach once again became the topic of everyone’s conversation, when I finally became pregnant with our Gregory. (Spoiler Alert– I don’t still have a belly button ring. After I was about 6 months pregnant, I decided I didn’t want to be “that” mom and took it out).
It was then I entered the “Mommy Era” of Modesty, where everything is turned upside down on it’s head. For the first 24 years of my life, I was taught to COVER UP my chest and make sure that cleavage didn’t miraculously escape and flash someone. For the next 3.5 years, I had to teach myself how to strategically UNDRESS in public so as to nurse my baby.
Nowadays, I think less about modesty, and more about convenience. Thoughts such as, “If I wear this, will I still be able to pick up the kids and not embarrass myself?” are what I deal with. I think this is why I always want to wear yoga pants– they just don’t let you down in the comfort-meets-function department! Being a mom with young kids is basically an athletic event, right?
When it comes to skirts and church, I stick with the “longer is better” code because I am involved in a 2 hour standing/bending/picking up marathon. I love wearing boots with skirts, because it’s spring time and the sun hasn’t quite met my skin in a while, giving my legs a transparency vibe (and not the good kind). And a scarf just makes everything better, am I right?
See this awesome bracelet my sister in law gave me for Christmas? You can find it at World Market. And if you say (or politely think to yourself) that I have veiny hands, I KNOW, RIGHT? Every nurse in my entire life looks at my veins from afar and says, “OOH! You have great veins!” like a vampire.
What are your thoughts on Mommyhood and modesty?