This month’s giveaway, valued at $25, is featured at the end of this article. Keep reading for details.

With warmer weather approaching, that generally means less clothing. While we definitely don’t need to hide in jeans and long-sleeved shirts all summer, we still need to make sure our warm weather wardrobe is appropriate. A recent formal-wear article talks about why it’s important to dress modestly, and gives basic modesty tips that can be applied to everyday summer wear as well. For a refresher, read 1 Timothy 2:9, Matthew 5:27-28, and 1 Corinthians 8:9-12 in addition to the articles linked to above.

Make it modest

Purchasing modest clothing can be difficult and frustrating, so we’re going to cover a few tips on how to make immodest summer clothing more modest.

Layer it up. Tank tops can be a girl’s best friend! Yes, summer is hot, but a long, thin tank won’t add bulk to clothing, and will cover a multitude of top troubles. It will hide cleavage on a low-cut top and cover the back and belly on shorter shirts. I personally love Fashion Bug’s long stretch layering tanks. If you have a larger bust, you can carefully cut out the bra part of a tank top and adjust the straps so it will stay high enough. There’s no need to purchase a tank in every color––simply buy several in the colors you’ll use most, such as white, black, and brown. It’s also a good idea to have one or two wide-strapped tank tops to layer with other thin-strapped tops. Remember that these tank tops are for layering, not to wear alone!

Cut it off. Fortunately for the modest-conscious (which I hope is all of us!), bermuda shorts are in! Let’s take advantage of the bermuda shorts, because this is one trend that’d be good for us to keep around. If you’re on a limited budget, get a look like this for free by cutting off an old pair of jeans right above the knee. If you or someone you know can sew, you could also get this look by cutting and hemming a pair of Goodwill jeans to get the bermuda style, then sewing a shoelace onto the front to achieve the drawstring look.

Leg-it under. Last summer’s skirts that are a little too short (and I don’t mean mini!) can be paired with a pair of below-the-knee leggings. Black leggings with a little tie on the hem add some pizzazz to a normal outfit, and plain black leggings are sure to go with almost everything. Anything that’s super short (with the hemline more than a couple of inches above the knee) needs to be tossed, because even leggings won’t make that modest.

Shoe it down. High heels can make skirts and shorts seem even shorter than they are, so this summer, play it cheap and comfortable in a new pair of flip flops.

The giveaway

While it’s sometimes fun to creatively think of new ways to make clothes modest, it’s also refreshing to just look at a store that is already packed full of modest clothing. Bellissima Modesty Boutique is just that––a web store full of cute, modest clothes! Their key verse is “Let the beauty of the Lord be upon us” (Psalm 90:17). They have cute summer tops, some great skirts, fun accessories, and more.

The best part is that Bellissima has generously agreed to give away one $25 gift card to a reader! All you have to do is leave a comment below by Friday, May 29, 2009, stating one article of clothing you like from their site, or let us know your favorite modesty tip, and you’ll be entered in our drawing.

Comments are moderated, so they may take a day or so to appear. Make sure to include a valid e-mail address in your information (this will not appear in the post). The winner will be announced on May 31 and will be e-mailed with simple instructions on how to claim this prize. The winner must contact us back within seven days of our initial contact, or the gift card will go to someone else.

Reminder

Lime Ricki’s special offer is still available for all Pierce My Heart readers. You will save 10% off your entire purchase just by entering the coupon code HEART10 at their checkout by May 15, 2009!

This summer, have fun looking modest while staying cool!

By Davonne Parks

Visit our Monthly Issues page to view all of our past themes, and visit our May 2009 page to read our entire current issue about serving others.

This month’s giveaway, with a value of up to $75, and an additional special offer, are featured at the end of this article. Keep reading for details.

Yesterday we discussed the importance of modest swimwear, so today we’re going to get straight to the fun stuff––shopping!

We all know that bathing suit shopping can be stressful––it’s so difficult to find suits that are cute, modest, and affordable. Mall shopping can be discouraging, because those oh-so-cute bikinis are everywhere, tempting us to give into our fleshly desire to fit in, even when we want to do what’s right (Matthew 26:41). So, last year, I decided to avoid the mall completely and try my hand at online shopping! The task of finding a good web-store was very difficult, but I finally found a store and made my selection. The service and bathing suit were both so great that I want to share this store with you so you can possibly enjoy the experience too!

The chore

We all know how difficult it is to find a cute bathing suit that fits well and is affordable. Add modesty to the mix (which I hope we’ll all commit to do), and we’ve just given ourselves a seemingly impossible and very frustrating task! And who wants to order online, right? Buy a bathing suit you haven’t even tried on? Yeah, right! But that’s where, last summer, I proved myself wrong.

The store

Lime Ricki is full of cute, modest bathing suits at a reasonable price. They’re slightly pricier than the $20-per-piece bikinis I’ve seen in the mall, but I guess that’s because you’re paying for the extra fabric on them! The store was started when three sisters got together, frustrated about the lack of swimsuit choices available for themselves and their daughters, and decided to design their own suits. This year marks their third summer in business together, and this is one business that’s continually growing and improving. You can read more of their story on their About page.

Our experience

I liked what I saw online, but I had a few questions about their suits, so I decided to contact the owners, hoping they would help me. Unsure of who to call, I dialed all three listed phone numbers. I received the voice mail at each number, so I left messages. Two of the women called back within the hour, and the third called back that evening. They were all genuinely nice and very helpful. One girl spent almost thirty minutes talking to me, and she helped me to choose a fabric that would suit my age as well as my taste. I chose the Emily Halter Top with their Brown Cinch Skirt, and, as promised, it arrived within the week.

Lime Ricki claims their suits don’t need tugged or pulled on to stay in place, and I’ll admit it, I was skeptical. What bathing suit doesn’t need adjusted often? Apparently, the Lime Ricki suits––even with a three-year-old to chase and carry around, plus other swimming equipment to deal with, I rarely had to adjust my suit.

I like my suit so much that when my cousin Lisa (also the assistant editor) e-mailed me in despair over trying to choose a cute, modest bathing suit for herself, I e-mailed her back with a note that said, “Buy a Lime Ricki suit!” I sent her a link to my favorite suit, the Signature Tankini Top (which was out of stock when I’d ordered), and she hesitantly purchased that top with the brown bottoms without ever trying them on. About a week later, I received another e-mail from her, raving about her new suit! She loved the fact that she could go out and look stylish––and modest––without tugging on her swimwear every five minutes.

Your (possible) experience

Lime Ricki suits are made to last, so there’s no need to buy multiple suits for one summer. If you want more variety, you could purchase one bottom with two tops to save money. To save even more, shop their sale page, which offers pieces for as low as $12.50 each. Many of the suits on Lime Ricki recommend a bottom to go with them, and some of them tell which body type would be flattered in that suit, which is very helpful for online shopping!

Their size chart doesn’t measure by inches, but it is very true to size. I ordered the size the website recommended, and my suit fit me perfectly. The only exception is their brand-new, upscale Key Lime collection (I love the Lauren top with the blue bottom!), which runs a size small, so be sure to order one size larger than normal if you choose to purchase a Key Lime suit.

Be careful to avoid suits that accentuate the bust, and wear shorts or a skirt over regular bathing suit bottoms (which don’t cover more than underwear!) the entire time you’re not in the water.

Giveaway

Lime Ricki is giving away a bathing suit to one of our readers!  The winner will be allowed to choose any one top and bottom (excluding the Key Lime collection) or a one-piece. To enter, leave a comment below by Tuesday, April 28, 2009, stating at least one topic you’d like to see covered in this magazine or you could simply let us know which suit is your favorite. You may enter to win the bathing suit for yourself, or to give away as a gift for someone else.

Comments are moderated, so they may take a day or so to appear. Make sure to include a valid e-mail address in your information (this will not appear in the post). The winner, who will be announced on April 30, will be e-mailed with simple instructions on how to claim her new bathing suit. The winner must contact us back within seven days of our initial contact, or the free bathing suit will go to someone else.

Special Offer

In addition to their giveaway, Lime Ricki has generously offered a special coupon code for Pierce My Heart readers! If you purchase an item from their web store by May 15, 2009, you will receive 10% off your total order just by using the coupon code HEART10 at the checkout.

We want to give a special thank you to the owners of Lime Ricki for their generosity!  This summer, have a safe and modest swimming experience.

By Davonne Parks

Visit our Monthly Issues page to see all of our past themes, and visit our April 2009 page to read our entire current issue about caring for God’s creations.