MODEST FASHION

to dress in a more discrete way than what’s considered “trendy” now in the regular runways and the media, with dresses and skirts that go all the way to their ankles or feet, clothes that don’t expose the cleavage or the arms and all kinds of pants – but specially the baggy ones.

As we talk about Modest Fashion and its grown in the society and in the fashion industry, it’s important to know that the idea of making modest clothes came from the visualization of a new market, inspired in the needs of religious women, as a way to bring fashion to them without disrespecting their faith, but it has become so famous that it’s not about religion anymore: anyone can wear it and look amazing. It is known to be the most inclusive fashion trend till this day, because every person that is interested and passionate about Fashion can be part of the tendency in their own personal way, without the need to settle for something they are not comfortable with, whether it is being active in the fashion world or just seeing it in stores and social media.

Fashion’s origin is more than the need to protect the body from the cold, it is in the human necessity of standing out socially, it was even used to measure ones prestige in the society, based in many standards – which we´re still trying to overcome. But today we don’t have to fit in anymore, because we’ve learned and accepted that Fashion is all about expression and communication going from the individual to the world, having an important role when it comes to someone´s personal identity. Our clothes are the first things we choose in the morning when we wake up, and even if you don’t think about it that much, you’re making a statement about yourself and your personality to everyone you meet that day – and that’s why they are so important. Based on their personalities or even on their feeling in that specific day, some people like to put on sparkly and revealing clothes, which is awesome if it makes them feel good about themselves, but other people just like to dress modestly, maybe because of their faith or religion, maybe for personal preference. Either way, modest fashion is a growing business and we already know for sure that it isn´t just a trend; it is here to stay. Often attributed with religious and cultural dress, Modest Fashion extends to all those who simply prefer

What started with the desire to sell clothes to a specific group of people became a lot bigger than anyone could think, so big that it has now its own fashion weeks, already happening in Miami, Indonesia, Dubai, London and other places around the world. They are extraordinary events about ethic, culture, innovation and education that have the purpose to bring integration between brands, designers and the audience in a place that shows diversity while presenting the latest news in Fashion – so much that Modest Fashion is seen by some as the next haute-couture. Along with that, so much attention has been brought to the subject in the last decade, that Modest Fashion gained a special digital platform in 2017, “The Modist”, specialized in luxury modest clothes, with clothes that were signed by some of the biggest high-fashion brands, like the italian maisons Valentino and Dolce & Gabbana – part of their collections was even destined specifically to The Modist, but the website went out of business in early 2020, when the pan- demic of the Corona virus made the young project so vulnerable it had no option but to close, leaving all its buyers devastated. Today, luxury modest fashion can be found in other platforms, like the Net-a-Porter. Also, while the regular fashion industry just started focusing on comfort now, during the quarantine and lockdown restrictions caused by the pandemic that made impossible (or at least a lot harder) for people to get out of the house, Modest Fashion has always been more about being comfortable than just glamorous, as it is easier to spend the whole day in a suit than in a tight dress, especially if you have to go to work or something like that –but of course, there’s no problem at all if you like doing it in a dress. Giving people – and specially women – the chance to wear clothes that are confortable and cozy without losing its sense of style and fashionable side of getting dressed is a big win, considering the fact that women clothes have been uncomfortable and almost trapping through the whole human history, like all the layers of fabric and pieces that were part of the antique dresses, for example.

We have to recognize that having the opportunity to choose how we, as women, want to dress and show ourselves to the world is something to celebrate, as it’s only possible because many women fought for this right – and we got to keep on fighting for them for us and for the next generations to come. But as the market kept on growing, the biggest goal of the modest fashion, which is to guarantee access to more clothing options to this specific market and make these people seen, started to lose itself when it became just a big ‘trend’. It does not take away the importance of Modest Fashion, but it is something to be aware of when talking about it, and especially when buying and wearing it. Make sure to buy it from sustainable and ethic places and to make it more than just a picture in your instagram feed, wear it with confidence and conscience.

By the end of the day, the most important thing is to feel like the best version of yourself every time you get dressed, and that´s why the Modest Fashion movement is so important and empowering, because it gives everyone an option. It doesn’t matter if you feel better in a croptop or in a long closed-cleavage dress, you’re beautiful in your own way and the clothes you choose to wear should enhance that beauty and show it to the world.

Since I was little, I always knew what I was meant to do in this world. And it was writing. I could only express myself through words, and they always came to me in the most natural way. A few years later, I discovered fashion and became obsessed.

It was my way out of the chaos of the world. So when it came to choose what I wanted to do for a living, I didn’t even have to think about it: I had to be a fashion journalist. My heart made the choice for me a long time ago, and I couldn’t be happier about it.