What does modest fashion mean?
A Muslim, an Orthodox Jew and a Christian walked into a room, but it wasn’t a bar and this was no joke. On the contrary, representatives from each of the Abrahamic religions had gathered during fashion month at New York University for the Meeting Through Modesty fashion symposium to discuss something they take very seriously: modest style.
A generous smattering of hijabs, skullcaps and discreet wigs were spread throughout the room, along with Proenza Schouler skirts and Rachel Comey shoes.
“There’s a general misconception that modest clothing is inherently oppressive,” said Michelle Honig, the keynote speaker and an Orthodox Jewish fashion journalist. “But if women in so-called liberated countries still choose to cover their bodies, then they have made a choice. They have agency.”
Honig had layered a Tanya Taylor top and Marc by Marc Jacobs skirt under a striped Prada dress to keep her elbows and knees concealed, in addition to wearing a wig to keep her head covered, per Orthodox custom.
The symposium was just one of a growing number of modest-fashion events in recent months at universities like Fordham, Princeton and the London College of Fashion. The trend in academic settings reflects a broader movement on the internet as devout women use social media to discuss, celebrate and experiment with modest fashion.
Interpretations of modesty differ across religious boundaries and even within them. “Modesty” in a Muslim context may be expressed by wearing loosefitting pants and covering one’s head with a hijab, while an Orthodox Jewish woman may wear skirts or dresses only and cover her head with a wig.
Still, the shared interest in staying relatively covered up while still looking stylish is enough to connect women across religious, racial and cultural boundaries.
“Making connections with other Christians, as well as Muslim and Jewish women, has probably been the most exciting benefit of blogging,” says Liz Roy, a Christian who runs the personal style blog Downtown Demure. “We all have different standards for modesty, but we share this common goal, which can be a bit contradictory to secular standards.”
These connections have the potential to yield more than just warm, fuzzy feelings, according to the Jewish Orthodox sisters Simi and Chaya Gestetner of the modest indie label the Frock. While they enjoy the personal connections they build with customers of any faith (including their Orthodox neighbors in Brooklyn and their Mormon fans in Salt Lake City), they also see the mobilization of the modest-fashion community as a real boon for business.
The sisters report seeing a significant increase in sales every time the Jewish Orthodox street style star Adi Heyman posts Instagram images of herself wearing their pieces, often mixed with separates from brands like Gucci or Chanel. Since Heyman’s blog, Fabologie, flows from her desire to find more modest options in mainstream fashion, the continued success of brands like the Frock is something she is deeply invested in.
But perhaps the greatest point of consensus about modest fashion across a range of faiths is that it need not be experienced as a limiting factor in style or in life.
“You want to experience life,” Honig said. “Modesty shouldn’t hold you back.”