{Guest Post} Kristen from Taming Rapunzel

Today I asked Kristen from Taming Rapunzel to write a guest post! She has a great hair blog!
Check it out, you will love it!...._______________________________________________
If a stranger looked at you on any given day, would they use "modest" to describe you? What about someone who knows you?

When we hear "dress modestly," our thoughts may turn to how much skin we bare or how tight our clothes are. Modesty obviously includes that, but it's so much more than that.

Primarily, it is a heart issue. If our heart is right before God, our entire life will be affected, including what we put on. For of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaketh... (Luke 6:45). So in others words, what's going on in our heart, will be reflected in how we talk, how we dress, how we interact with people, etc. Of course, everyone will need to wrestle with the practical out-workings of modesty. What one person thinks is modest may differ from another person's view.

When talking about modesty, we rarely hear anything about the amount of clothes we have. Could modesty refer to how big our closets are?

Try being creative with the treasures you already own.

I love fashion and like any other girl, I love finding new things. Thankfully I am on a tight budget that doesn't allow much room for buying new stuff. Most of my wardrobe comes from consignment, thrift shops, or my sisters' closet. Still, if I'm not careful, I can be immodest by the amount of clothes and accessories I buy. This is why I love using the things I already own to create new outfits. Here is my maxi mix-up:


With 6 pieces (not including accessories), I was able to come up with 9 outfits!

Along with modesty, these are some things I keep in mind when I go shopping:
*Do I need it?
It's easy to get excessive. If we are simply buying it because so and so has it and we just gotta have it, I think we have a heart issue that needs to be worked on. So many times I can talk myself out of buying something by asking myself this question. I'm not implying that we can't ever buy a "want" item, because really, most of the things we buy we don't actually "need". We should check the attitude of our heart.
*Do I love it?
I don't buy clothes that are "okay". I find "okay" clothes just end up sitting in the closet. I want to be responsible with my money, and so I only buy things I really like.
*Does it fit me well?
If I need to gain or lose five pounds in order for the new piece to look right, I probably shouldn't buy it. If it doesn't fit well or makes me feel uncomfortable, I probably won't wear it much. To me, this seems like an incredible waste of money. Clothes that don't fit well typically end up being discarded in a season or two.
*Is there anything in my closet that I could where this with?
If I have to wait until I find a certain other piece to wear this particular new find, I probably shouldn't buy it. I may never find that certain other piece. I buy clothes that will compliment the clothes I already own.
*Is it classic?
For the most part, I don't buy very trendy main pieces. With belts, cardigans, scarves, jewelry, tights, hats and my hair style, I can make an ordinary bottom and top look trendy. If your desire is to keep up with fashion, try switching up accessories rather than main pieces.

A way to get new items

If you are on a tight budget like me yet you like new clothing, try hosting a clothes swap. It's a fun night for a bunch of ladies and a great way to recycle clothing. If none of your friends are the same size, you can still swap accessories. It's amazing how a new belt or scarf can add new possibilities to a wardrobe. You could also try consigning some of the stuff you've outgrown or are bored of. Use the money you make to buy new clothes.

If someone saw your closet, would they use "modest" to describe it?
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Kristen is a wife, mom of two (ages 2 and 6 months), blogger, and hairstylist. She loves being creative and shares some of her "hair" work at Taming Rapunzel.

Happy Fall Ya'll!

YAY!! Fall is finally here! I'm so excited I get "chilly" when I go outside! This weekend we had a fall party for our church staff and it was so much fun! We drank Apple Cider, ate yummy food, and had great fellowship! It was a great time! When I go to potlucks in the fall, I usually bring my family favorite: Corn Casserole..it's always a hit! I usually end up writing the recipe down for a couple of people every time I make it, so I decided to share my recipe and my outfit from Saturday's shin-dig! :)
Skirt: Target
Shirt: J.Crew Factory
Scarf: Charlotte Russe
Flats: Payless
Corn Casserole Recipe

Ingredients
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Now, for my outfit I'm wearing today! I am in love with burgundy for the fall, I wore it Saturday, Sunday, and today! :)

Skirt: Van-Heusen Outlet
Shirt: TJMaxx
Cardigan: Nordstrom Rack
Necklace: NY & Co.
Watch: Aldo

How to Stay in Style

I get lots of questions on things like, "Is this still in style?"..."Is this shirt modern?"..."Is this skirt length in style?"..."Is this necklace still modern?" So, I'm going to give some of my personal tips that I use when I go shopping to help you buy clothes that aren't going to be a waste of money and have to be donated the next season, because they're out of style.
1. Do not buy patterned bottoms, unless it's a classic pattern, such as polka dots, stripes, or leopard. I get many people ask me if their floral skirt from 1990 is still in style....OF course it's not, unless you can find the same print currently in the mall, it's probably not in style anymore. So my rule of thumb is to buy solid colored straight skirts, because they are a classic style. Granted, some colors go out of style, but I don't spend over $15 on colors I know are seasonal.

2. Don't spend a lot on trendy items. For example, the bubble necklace was a big trend this past year. J.Crew's version was over $100 when it first came out..I bought mine off eBay for $12. I knew it was a "trend" that wasn't going to last forever, therefore I didn't invest my money in that. Another example, I am currently looking for a gingham shirt, but I know it's a current trend, therefore I'm trying to find one less that $15, because I know it won't be in style very long. Make sense?

3. I use my jewelry, accessories, and tops as my trendy pieces. Reason is, these items are often the cheapest to buy. I always find cute trendy shirts from TJMaxx for $12.99, and if they go out of style in 6 months, I didn't break the bank trying to be trendy! :) I also buy my jewelry from Rue 21, Forever 21, or offline, to get the latest jewelry trends, but also not pay more than $10 on a necklace or bracelet.

4. Invest in your solids. I'm not going to lie, if I find a solid mustard skirt for $25 and under, I'm buying it! To me, it is an investment, because I will wear it all fall and next fall. I spend money on pieces I know I will wear on a weekly basis. Solid Cardigans or blazers are also a great investment. I have a cardigan in almost every color, because I wear one almost on a daily basis. They are definitely worth $20 to me.

5. Throw away clothes you haven't worn in 6 months. Unless, it's your winter clothes and it's summer, if you get to the end of fall and notice you didn't touch 4 of your long, plaid frumpy skirts that you don't look your best in, then donate them to Goodwill or consign them! Don't cling on to clothes! You don't NEED that oversized sweater from college...Give it up! ;) When I got married to my husband, we did a fashion show, and told me yes or no to every item that I wasn't sure about and I tossed them!

Hope that helped some of you ladies struggling with what to look for when out shopping, and what to do with your out-dated wardrobe! Save up and replace some of the things you give away with new items that won't need to be thrown away for a very long time!
Also, the TWO winners of the $25 JUNIEblake gift cards are Sarah Webb and Hannah Nossa! Congrats! Thank you for all of your participation! Love you all! ♥

Red, Leopard, & Chambray

My new favorite look for fall is layering. A chambray shirt (or any buttoned shirt) is a great staple to add sweaters or cardigans over for a different look. Usually, when I wear this sweater with this skirt, I just wear a black camisole underneath it, but I wanted to try a new look, and I love it!
Skirt: JCPenney
Sweater: JCPenney
Shirt: Marshall's
Necklace: Forever 21
Flats: Payless


Todays photo challenge is Arm Candy. I love the watch my husband bought me from Aldo, it has 5 different leather bands! Also, my gold chain bracelet came from Forever 21 for $6!

Snakeskin & Cobalt

I finally broke out the tights and booties this morning! I know it's not cold enough, but 67 is about as close as I'm going to get to cold in Southern Mississippi! I'm so glad I don't HAVE to wear boots and tights though...I do NOT miss the snow! I will always be a Florida girl at heart. I love my sunshine and warm weather!
This morning I wore my snakeskin skirt, cobalt cardigan, and black booties.


Skirt: New York & Co. (Two years ago)
Cardigan: Nordstrom Rack (Last fall)
Booties: Thrift store (Nine West brand)
Tights: Wal-mart (old)
Necklace: Premier jewelry (last fall)
Don't forget to enter in my giveaway for TWO $25 JUNIEblake gift cards! It ends this Thursday!

Why I Created "Modern Modesty"

When I started Modern Modesty (the Facebook group) I NEVER imagined it would get this big! There are over 3,000 ladies in the group and it continues to grow daily. I'm sure you can imagine how much drama I've had to deal with over the past 6 months...opinionated ladies + different standards + different styles = CRAZY! Many times over these past 6 months, I've had to sit back and ask myself..."Why did I create this??" Believe it or not I've almost deleted the whole thing a couple of times. But, when I remind myself WHY I created Modern Modesty in the first place, I quickly forget all the negative people, comments, and critics.
1. I created Modern Modesty to Glorify God. We are the light of the world. We should dress and act in a way that points others to Christ. As wrong as it is, man can only see the outside appearance, no matter how wonderful your heart is, man can't see it, only God can..Therefore, I believe we should ALWAYS try to look our best, you never know who you're influencing. "..for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." I Samuel 16:7b

2. I created Modern Modesty for Others. I have a burden to help other ladies dress more modern & modest. Many Christian ladies hide behind their frumpy skirts, oversized shirts, and out of style outfits, because they have lost their confidence. I wanted to show ladies you don't have to be "out of style" to be modest. Also, I wanted to help ladies feel beautiful and stylish again. I've had HUNDREDS of ladies message me thanking me for Modern Modesty..here's a few messages/emails I've received.

Thank you so much for starting the modern modesty group!!! I go to a church (that I love) but the women tend to dress dowdy to be modest! It is so encouraging to see so many other women dressing modestly but looking so amazing doing it!!!

I have been meaning to write you. I am a pastors wife. My husband year ago took a rather liberal church. Dress and music standards were very low. I have been working with some key ladies and them I introduced them to this group. This has done more for the dress standards in our church than any other thing I have been saying. Truly a picture is worth a thousand words. Thank you.

Thank you for starting this group, Modern Modesty. Such classy ladies are posting great pictures, which say so much more than anyone else ever could in a talk or class. Really, you all are showing others that you can be modest and adorable, sophisticated, trendy--in a good way, and feminine.

Hey Lauren, just wanted to say hi and thanks for the modern modesty site, in April I was at a ladies conference and one of the speakers said they we're so thankful for this modern modesty trend, and that it's nice to be able to wear cute clothes and show the world you can be modest and stylish. I live in a little county town and before this group I had to wait until conferences to see what was in "baptist style". It's nice to get ideas for outfits I'd never been able to think of on my own. Thanks for the tips, it's fun.

Thank you so much for Modern Modesty. What a blessing. My daughter and I both just love it. I just wanted to write you and tell you thank you. I know this is such a touchy subject and for whatever reason can make many ladies angry, and I'm sure you have probably had some not so nice comments. This site is what we need...a kind, yet very fashionable site for those of us who want to be different from the world!

I know you don't know me but I just wanted to send you a little message and tell you that I really appreciate the time you have taken to be a blessing, encouragement, example, and friend to all of the ladies on Modern Modesty. You have been an encouragement to me and some of the ladies that I am friends with. Thank you so much for being a Godly example to others! I believe that modesty is very important and should be something that you can make fun & interesting! You have really opened my eyes to new ideas and I thank you for that.
3. I created Modern Modesty for Myself. My style is naturally very classic. My husband on the other hand is very trendy and stylish. I wanted to challenge myself to take the trends of fashion and convert it into my modest style. I believe posting an outfit a day has truly made me dig in my closet, and find many new options. As a Christian school teacher, I can't go buy expensive name brands, so I've learned to thrift and find modern styles for less.

Contrary to what many people think, I do not post my outfits to "show-off" or get likes...as you can see I do it to help women get ideas to incorporate in their own style! Modern Modesty is a ministry to me. I just want to glorify God and help ladies. Thanks to all the sweet ladies for encouraging me everyday!

Green & Navy

My all time favorite color combo has to be green & navy! I love how preppy and classy the two colors look together. In my photo challenge, yesterday was pattern mixing and today is the color green, so I wore green & navy two days in a row! :) So, I figured, I'll just throw them both in a post and call it a day!
For today's look, I layered my chambray shirt under my green cardigan and paired it with my my navy polka dot skirt. I topped it off with some pearls and wore camel wedges! (I love how my new dark hair looks with green too!)


Skirt: Ann Taylor $25
Shirt: Marshalls $10
Cardigan: JCPenney $20
Pearls: Forever 21: $10
Wedges: Goodwill (Nine West) $6
Here's yesterday's look!Skirt: Goodwill (Worthington) $6
Shirt: Steinmart $7
Scarf: H&M $6
Shoes: Payless $15
Don't forget to enter in my giveaway for TWO $25 JUNIEblake gift cards! It starts today and ends next Thursday!

JUNIEblake Giveaway

I'm so excited to be working with JUNIEblake! JUNIEblake is giving away not one, but TWO $25 gift cards! There will be two lucky ladies who win! The giveaway ends next Thursday, and I will announce the winners! I absolutely love their clothing line. There are not many trendy, modest clothing lines, so I am a big supporter of ALL of them! Here are a few of my favorite JUNIEblake picks. Good luck! Let me know which JUNIEblake item is your favorite!
Be sure to enter in the Giveaway below!
Katy Dress
Jane Dress on sale $30.00
Jocelyn Skirt
Alejandra Dress on sale for $35.00
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cobalt Two Ways

I'm so excited to be collaborating with the gorgeous Ginny from My New Favorite Outfit again! Ginny and I have very similar styles and have a lot in common. We're both teachers, wives, and love fashion! Today, we decided to show you two ways to wear cobalt. I love how Ginny and I both paired our cobalt with black..totally unplanned! I told you, we're twinsies! I love her stunning Stella & Dot necklace paired with a classic black belt and heels to show off this trend! Make sure to stop by My New Favorite Outfit to check out the details to Ginny's look and to say hello to her. You will LOVE her and her blog!
Now to my look: I paired my cobalt skirt with my black and white striped peplum. I found this peplum top at TJMaxx for only $12.99! I love cobalt with black and white, it's so chic! I found this beautiful necklace at Rue 21 for $12.99 also! I know, I know, I always find good deals! (God loves me!)



Stay tuned for an AMAZING giveaway that begins tomorrow!!

Sunday Best

I don't know if I'm the only one who does this...but I always save my favorite/best outfit for Sundays. I love dressing up on Sundays, actually, I love dressing up every day! (Good thing I am a teacher, I have to dress up!) I sat in my house for the past two days in my pajamas...my husband and I were both sick...and I told him yesterday night, for as much as I like being lazy, I could NOT do this everyday. I would GO crazy. I have to get up, get dressed, do my hair and make-up to feel like an accomplished woman!
Thank God, I felt better enough to go to church this morning! It was good to see the light again! ;)
This is my all-time favorite dress. I love burgundy. I got this last year for fall/winter, and it is so comfortable and dressy at the same time!
Dress: TJMaxx, last year
Belt: Ann Taylor, last spring
Shoes: Goodwill (Payless brand)
Cardigan: Nordstrom Rack, last year
Necklace: Rue 21, recently

Today's challenge was Heavenly heels, and these are my favorite heels! I love nude shoes, so classy and versatile!
Threw one in with the hubs. Love this guy! ♥

Linked up: Fashionably Employed

Polka Dots on Polka Dots

Hello, lovely ladies!
Today is Thrifty Thursday! I found this orange polka-dot cardigan at Goodwill for $2 last summer, brand new, with tags! I am so in love with thrifting! It's so fun to find gems like this! I paired this cardigan with my navy polka dot scarf from H&M, that was only $5.95!
Just a thought...It doesn't matter what brand you're wearing, how nice your hair is, or how trendy your outfit is, if your heart is ugly...you are doing everything in vain. I'm not saying I am the sweetest person alive, because I am definitely not, but I try everyday to make sure my heart "looks" better than my outfit. God doesn't see our outfits, He sees our hearts! Let's make sure our hearts match our outward appearance! :) LOVE all of you beautiful ladies! ♥



Have a great day! :)

My Daily Make-up & Hair Routine

I've had many requests to show how I do my make-up and hair everyday...so I finally caved in and made a video. I am NOT a make-up artist AT all (or a videographer at that)...So if you're a real make-up artist, don't crucify me! I was just asked to show people what I do...this is what I do, everyday. Excuse my awkward faces, the back of my hair (had a scarf on all day), and my random non-stop talking...

Hope that helped someone...or I just talked to myself for 10 minutes for nothing...haha!

Stripes & Leopard

I know this look isn't for everyone..but I love it! I think blogging has really helped me to open up to have a more risky style. A year ago, I would have NEVER mixed stripes and leopard, but I've grown to love and embrace the style of pattern mixing! Don't get me wrong, I will always stay true to my personal style, but I definitely have more of a open-minded attitude towards new trends now. My main goal is to have a style that is "wearable" by anyone and everyone.
I recently saw someone on FaceBook say that people who don't wear expensive clothes aren't "real" fashion bloggers...and that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I would rather see someone be able to dress stylish without spending $100 on a skirt and $68 on a shirt. I am a cheap skate, I guarantee you, I will NEVER spend more than $25 on ANY item...Don't get me wrong I LOVE expensive brands, but I can find the same or similar style for waayyyyyyyy cheaper. Therefore, I think fashion bloggers on a budget are more talented, because they have to search for deals & styles! :) (rant over!)
Now, on to my outfit! I love this burgundy skirt, it was definitely a great buy for this fall. You will see it used many more times this season!