Modest Women: How Feminism Is Influencing The New Generation of Style Visionaries

Scrolling through close to one million photos under Instagram's trending hashtag #modestfashion, I expected to see mostly Hijab-clad women, Mormon-style clothing, and Orthodox fashion. Instead, I noticed something different. I saw millennial women, dressed in feminine button downs, beautiful long dresses with cinched waists, and gorgeous designer boots to match their handbags.

Sweeping across the closets of western culture, these were real women I was seeing in the near 1 million photos, all sporting different body types, smiling, and happy in their own skin. According to Who What Wear in January, "searches for "modest fashion" [on PinterestUK] are up 500 percent since the beginning of this year." I took a page from Carrie Bradshaw's book and I wondered: is modern, chic modesty the new IT girl trend?

Kate Hudson attends The 2018 Golden Globe Awards in a polkadot gown. Photo Courtesy of Mirror

One factor that seems to influence most fashion trends is a question of whether or not your identity within the clothing and what you feel it represents.

As an example, I have a proclivity for gorgeous, vivid loafers of all different colors, as they fulfill my need for a simple pop of color that reflects my personality. In the midst of the workweek slump, when I am up to my eyeballs in work and feel at my most vulnerable, my vibrant shoes give me comfort and confidence.

This notion certainly holds true to modest fashion, as people who identify as modest seek out the clothing of modest fashion companies. But what about the other way around? Many modest styles are gearing toward trendy, modern, and attractive styles that fall within many unified standards of acceptable dress. In Hollywood, A-list Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Kate Hudson, Zendaya, and Beyonce' have all sported less skin on the 2018 red carpets this season in their dare I say conservative, well thought out dress choices that definitely don't compromise fabulous for extra fabric.

A change is upon us. People are leaning toward the modest notion because they can identify with themselves and the confidence, not to be swept up with the western culture of provocative wear. Actress and Emmy Award winner Mayim Bilalik, known for her role in Big Bang Theory, penned a powerful essay as an op-ed for the New York Times on feminism in the Weinstein era. In it, Mayim noted that the power she felt as a figure in Hollywood many times involved a conscious decision of how she portrayed her body and her dress in order to navigate the harsh, overtly critical landscape that surrounded her. In other words, her modesty was her personal power. In the modern political sphere, it can oftentimes seem incredibly daunting and uncertain, as women have been jumping through the hoops and hurdles of society's laid out expectations for centuries.

C'est Moi Clothing Spring/Summer 2018 Ruffle Midi Dress.

So, how do we bridge the gap between the “old spinster" stereotypes of the past and the modest fashion icons of the future? For starters, outlets like TheModist.com are gaining popularity, serving up Net-A-Porter vibes and sleek, eye-catching designs. Women of all walks of life now have options, further clearing the notion that longer inseams and lower hemlines are oppressive and defeminizing. Macy's recently announced its collaboration with Verona Collection, the Muslim-founded brand featuring sparking both blame and backlash on social media and online reviews from all over the world:

Lisa Vogl, the brand's founder, said in a press release, “Verona Collection is more than a clothing brand. It's a platform for a community of women to express their personal identity and embrace fashion that makes them feel confident on the inside and outside." Vogl continues to express that her designs are not, in fact, oppressing women of the western world at all, she is not force-feeding any shoppers her hijabs to wear as accessories.

On The Verona Collection website, Lisa states:

“After embracing Islam, she had a stark realization: modest and fashionable clothing were both hard to acquire and difficult to afford. After doing a bit of research, she realized that many other women, both Muslim and non-Muslim, felt the same way."

Thus, her goal is to present options in shopping malls all over the country in an area which was once an empty void to purchase with positivity and inclusivity. Other notable brands that have come out have been Orthodox Jewish and Mormon-inspired designers, boasting fashion-forward designs and affordable basics.

Jen Loch, a Mormon mother of three and founder of Jen clothing, describes her struggles in realizing that modest can be fashionable growing up.

“As I grew up and got married I finally started to understand why modesty was important. I now have a passion for helping young women discover the value of modesty, and that 'modest fashion' doesn't have to be an oxymoron!"

Valentino's Spring Haute Couture, Paris Fashion Week 2018

Wherever your personal style falls in the modest spectrum, we can all ultimately agree that this fashionable niche is on the rise on a global scale. It is not only incredibly fascinating seeing each designer's unique take on their pieces, but it is empowering knowing that we as women with different inherent beliefs can unify under our stylistic standards of our own choosing. The future is now, and we have the ability to resonate our message to the generations to come. My hope as a stylist and designer of essential pieces is for you to evolve and adapt your own wardrobe repertoire in a way that isn't forced. Be bold, be chic, be comfortable, and above all else, be you.