Finally - Teenage Fashions that Fit
By Caroline Schermerhorn

"There's a lot of pressure through the media that the fashion is to show off your body. I'm not interested in that." - Katy Kiracofe, 17, Newark.

Katy's comment echoes a national trend that buyers are just starting to notice - and parents appreciate: fashionable modesty. The trend recently came to light when Ella Gunderson of Seattle, Washington wrote to Nordstroms department store, asking why they don't carry modest versions of the fashions she loves. Nordstroms took notice, and a resulting media storm landed 11 year old Ella Gunderson on the Today Show.
This week, Our Town interviewed four local teens who have made modesty a priority in their wardrobes.
Katy Kiracofe 17, is a perky brunette who dresses smart and to her own taste. When asked why modest fashions are important to her, she said it was a personal choice. "I just don't want to show off my body to people. Besides, guys should not be interested in me just because of my clothing. I can't be comfortable if I'm showing too much skin. On the other hand, I can still be comfortable and cute without being over-revealing. My friends don’t all feel the same way, but I find it totally comfortable."
For Katy comfort and modesty go together when she can find a "completely adorable but not revealing top".
Sonya Knoefel, 17, is also a graduating senior. She takes great care to wear what she calls, "cute, but modest clothing". Admittedly, this was a requirement first imposed by her parents. "But," Sonya added, "Once I was around fifteen, it was a decision I made for myself. I decided I didn't want to wear revealing clothing because at that age, guys start looking at you, not because they like you - but because they are looking at you. I'd much rather wear something because it makes me look pretty, but not sleazy. I like to wear clothing that makes me feel good about me - not just because everyone else thinks it looks good."
Hilary Madrid, 16, is another teen who's known in her circle of friends for good fashion sense that doesn't "let it all hang out". She admitted that she works hard to keep her standards high. "For me dressing modestly is a big thing because I find that I gain more self respect. I have a lot of guy friends now, and I know that if I was dressing immodestly, they would take our friendship for granted."
Mature words from a teenager, but these girls back it up with their actions. As Anna Pugh, another modestly graceful seventeen year old offered, "a girl should dress tight enough so that you know she's a woman, but loose enough that you know she's a lady."
The media pressure surrounding fashion doesn't help, Hilary admitted. " Everyone wants to keep up with what the media is giving them."
So, how does a teen in today's culture go about finding modest clothes that don't look like a shapeless oatmeal-colored burlap sack? All three girls agreed: you have to work for it.
For starters, they go shopping with their mom or a good friend who shares their taste in clothing. "I really need that second opinion when trying on clothes," Hilary admitted.
Secondly, they take time to try on clothing and see if it fits well. They move around in it asking:
Is the neckline high enough? Does it gape open?
Are the armholes small enough not to give a peek show when arms are raised?
Do tank tops have straps wide enough to hide underclothing?
Do shirts cover the midriff when arms are raised?
Do shorts or skirts ride up high and reveal underclothing when you sit down or bend over?
Are waistlines high enough not to be distracting in mixed company?
Hilary raised another point: skin-tight clothing. "Lots of girls wear it because they think it makes them look skinnier" she said, "But skin-tight clothing actually makes you look fatter, because it really does show all the lines. If you want to look thin," she explained, " find the same style and shirt, but a bigger size -- still form fitted. I like form fitted clothing, but I always try for not tight. Go one size bigger. Go the extra mile to get the respect."
Surprisingly, buying modest clothes isn't about going to the right places.
Walmart, American Eagle, Gap, Plato's Closet and Old Navy all made the cut with these girls - you just have to look through it to find what you want. Generally, they said that the immodest clothing is featured in the front of the store. As Hilary explained, "You can go to any store and find really cute clothes. You just have to dig through everything else. Don't look just on a superficial level. Dig deeper."
The girl's also like thrift stores, where they find modest clothing at modest prices.
Katy offered additional encouragement to girls struggling with MTV-inspired fashions: "There's more to life than how you appear to others. You don't have to be pressured to wear the trendy, revealing clothes. You can be cute and modest without being overly revealing… there's more to life than that."

This article was recently published in Our Town newspaper, published by Plus Publications.