Frazzled Fridays!

The 5 Bs of Style

Happy frazzled Friday to you!  It has been a particularly busy week for me so I am very much frazzled today!

I originally planned to talk about body shapes/types today but as I prayed and asked the Lord to guide my thoughts for this post He brought me back to Ezekial 16:14 which says " And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I HAD GIVEN YOU made your beauty PERFECT declares the Sovereign Lord." (NIV - emphasis mine)

Wow, have you ever really pondered that (1) the Sovereign Lord made you beautiful; (2) the beauty that He gave you is perfect?  The God who created the heavens and earth created us (you and me) beautiful and unique, specifically the way He wanted us!  That is hard for me to wrap my brain around, I'm just sayin'...

The word splendor (Hebrew - hadar) describes what is beautiful and instills awe and ascribes high value or status to what is majestic. It is an appearance that is considered attractive.  Through the prophet Ezekial, God tells us that he gave us splendor making our unique beauty perfect.  Again, wow.

Because God sent Jesus to earth to pay the penalty for our sins (death - eternal separation from God) when we confess our sins and commit our lives to Him (allow him to be Lord of our lives) we become children of the Most High God!  Because of Jesus, we are God's special possession.  We are to be light to the world so the world may come to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

So let's stop for a moment and talk about the 5 Bs of Style... hang on, just follow me here...

Rule #1 - No bra straps.  They are not to show at anytime, anywhere period.  It's just not neat, even if all the fashion magazines in the world tell you it's the greatest, newest trend!

Rule #2 - No Bust Exposure.  This is a biggie (LOL, yes the pun was intended!!)  Make sure the tops/shirts you choose are not too tight at the bust.  You can tell... is it pulling?  Are there gaps between the buttons?  Is there cleavage showing??            

         
I expect there will be push-back on this one, but seriously friends, let's look at it two ways:  Men.  They are visual, that is absolutely the way God wired them!  But do we need to be a stumbling block for them?  Do we need to be showing other women's sons and husbands what we have (or dont')??   Go get a professional bra fitting - yes, professional.  Try a department store like Dillard's or Soma Intimates.  I have found both of these stores to be excellent in bra fittings personally.

Rule #3 - No bellies.  Your tummy should be treated a private part.  Men find bellies to be very sexy, so don't tempt them. 

Rule #4 - No bottoms.  Do you draw attention to your bottom by wearing pants that have words written on them?  Do your underwear show because your pants are too low?  I recommend keeping shorts and skirts no more than 2-3 inches above your knee.  Why?  No one wants to see up your skirt, except those who shouldn't!

Rule #5 - No Bubbling. Bubbling is what happens when your pants/jeans are too tight.  If you see ridges and wrinkling in the area of your thighs (with pants on, LOL) this means they are too tight.  Try a different size or style.  Good fitting jeans can be as hard to find as a bathing suit.  Mercy!  But don't give up!

When we expose ourselves and cause others to stumble, we jeopardize our usefulness to God's holy purpose.  Therefore, we must be modest in our dress.  But wait!  What is soooo cool about fashion is that we can wear the newest, popular styles AND do it modestly.  It's all about learning how to take each style and make it respectful.  This may mean layering a tank under a low cut dress or shirt.  Or wearing a colorful shirt or tank under a see-through blouse.  It may mean wearing leggings under a shorter skirt.  If you need help with that, please ask me!  I will help you brain storm ideas. 

So, let's do a self-check.  Get in front a full length mirror (yes, full length).  Bend over.  Anything spilling out of the front or back?  Raise your hands over your head.  Any tummy exposure?  Are your bra straps showing?  You may need to tighten the band or adjust the straps... OR you need to get a new one!!  Soooo worth it friends!  Think about it, you are wearing one every day! 

Modesty starts at home.  My daughter just turned 8.  She is just like other girls in that she wants to dress stylish.  But (and this is HUGE)... she is watching how I dress!  And I do have to make gentle suggestions from time to time.  I have to remind her (and me) that just because it's in style or all the current rave, doesn't mean that it's something she or I should wear.

I will leave you this week with something to think about and maybe a project to look through on-line pictures.  If we are dressing to impress, whoever that may be, do we realize that not only the person or persons we are trying to get attention from are seeing us, but others as well?  Let me be blunt.  If a young girl is dressing to get attention from a let's say 16 year old guy, she needs to be told that she is going to be looked at and get attention from guys that are 6, 26, 46, and 66 plus.  Does she really want that?  And for those of us that are no longer 16 (tee, hee, hee), the same goes for us.  We draw the attention of boys and men of all ages, which includes the men we work with and go to church with.  Is that ok??  

Blessings!
Dawn

Fall/Winter Fashion - Hem lengths

Well it finally feels like Fall here in the south!  And in celebration of our cooler temperatures let's talk about the new hem lengths for fall and winter.  No more miniskirts!  

Hem lengths for skirts and dresses are much longer this season.  You will see asymmetrical draping, fish tails (no, not what you think), and hems cut on the bias.  And the fabrics are much softer, much more sophisticated and elegant. 

Ok, that's great and all, but who cares?  When choosing your skirts and dresses you need to make sure that the hems hit you in the right spot so you look balanced and not frumpy.

How do I look balanced and not frumpy you ask?  Here's how:  stand in front of a full length mirror, heels together, toes pointing toward 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock.  Look to see where your legs touch and where they do not.  The places where your legs don't touch (openings) are called the "diamonds" in your legs.  (And yes, diamonds are still a girl's best friend!!)  

Those diamond openings are of significant importance!  That is where all your hem lengths (not only skirts and dresses, but shorts, cropped pants and capris) should end.


Try it out... if your skirt or dress falls below the diamond between your calf muscle and your ankle then you either need to befriend a tailor and have it hemmed OR you are planning on wearing said skirt or dress to a formal event.    If the skirt or dress falls above any of the diamonds openings, then I would encourage you to find another style or simply go up a size!  And friends, size does not matter here... please understand that different designers and different fabrics, and the way that particular item is cut makes a big difference in the way things fit.  It just does!  So, don't fret about going up a size.  If need be, have it tailored.  No one sees the tag inside that shows the size!  Well, except you... and if that's an issue CUT THE TAG OUT!  The important thing here is to dress to flatter your gorgeous, God-given body shape.   In doing so, you will always look and feel great regardless of your size (or the size printed on the tag)!

The style this season is to wear tights or ankle socks with skirts.  Depending on how you like to make a statement with your fashion.  I'm not quite on board with the whole ankle sock thing.  However, that does not mean that this would not be a good look for you! 

Blessings!
Dawn 

Frazzled Fridays!

Hello, my name is P-Earl. 

One of the hot fashion accessory trends this fall and winter are pearls.  The word pearl has become a metaphor for something very rare, fine, admirable, and valuable.

Pearls are so delicate and come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors.  Kind of like us!  A pearl’s beauty really comes from adversity.   In my quick research of how pearls are formed I learned they are formed inside a protective shell.  A pearl begins to form when an irritant is introduced… the pearl is formed to cover the irritant.  Umm, beauty from irritation?  Now that’s an odd concept!  Something irritating and uncomfortable turns into something beautiful and strong!   Yes, I can hear some say “what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.”  But I think it’s more than that.

Life has been challenging lately (anyone else?), and I’ve been discouraged and frustrated and sometimes just wanted to completely give up!  (which is a blog within itself)  Especially since I consider what I’ve been doing lately as being obedient to the call God has placed on my life.  I find myself asking the Lord, “did I not hear you correctly”, “are you sure this is what you want me to do”?  And other times it’s “I don’t think I’m the right person for this Lord”, “this hurts too much”… you get the picture.  During times like this I forget that God is working it all out… and it will make me stronger and more beautiful, like a pearl.   Even though at the time all I can feel is the weight of the physical, emotional and spiritual heaviness.  

You know how hindsight is 20/20; looking back we see how the rough edges smooth out, our attitudes and possible inappropriate reactions are reshaped.  

In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus tells the story of a pearl merchant; “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.  When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!”    Matthew Henry’s commentary explains that  Jesus Christ is a Pearl of great price; in having him, we have enough to make us happy here and for ever.  A man may buy gold too dear, but not this Pearl of great price. When the convinced sinner sees Christ as the gracious Savior, all things else become worthless to his thoughts.  

Our growth as Christians, becoming more like Christ (not in anything we do, but the Holy Spirit in us) is like the pearl merchant selling everything he owns to have that “Pearl”.  The kingdom of heaven (Jesus Christ) is a pearl of rare and highest value in that we should follow him at all cost.

So, what person(s) or event(s) in your life has made you stronger and more beautiful?  

For me, when I left corporate America (not-so-shortly after hearing the Lord whisper that He was calling me into ministry – again, another story) I was thrown into a tailspin of mental and emotional struggles.  I had been a professional all my adult life.  I then became a stay-at-home mom with two small children.  Completely new thing!  And no, I did not have a degree in early childhood anything!  Talk about a fish out of water!    Friend, (I hope you don’t mind me calling you friends) that was almost 7 years ago and a LOT has transpired over these past years.  I am now embarking on the ministry the Lord has called me to.  


So what about you?   I look forward to getting to know you better and offering encouragement and fashion advice/tips along the way!

Blessings,

Dawn

P.S.  Also visit me at www.christianfashionspeakers.com