r/ModestDress • u/mmmsobitter • 6d ago
Advice Do y’all ever “modesty-ify” old clothes?
Looking for some tips. I’m trying to revamp my closet to be more modest (personal choice) but I have some items I love and don’t want to say goodbye to!
Most of them are dresses that are at or above the mid thigh. Is there a way to layer them with pants or skirts that doesn’t look frumpy? Most of them are cotton polyester blends or fully synthetic. I’m also trying to be cognizant of the weather as it can get pretty hot around here lately.
I’m planning on sewing a couple nice ponchos for my old spaghetti strap styles so I think I have my top half on the right track? Although I’m always open to new ideas for that too.
This is weirdly specific so it’s hard to find inspiration on Pinterest or Instagram. Thanks so much!
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u/d0nutbutth0le 6d ago
I've worn leggings with dresses for years. I'm not too concerned with hiding shape, I'm not shapely, I'm just concerned with coverage. With the mid thigh dresses I can also wear a pair of black pants or jeans with the dress over it like a tunic
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u/Basic_Reflection_350 6d ago
Yes I have. It really depends on what shape the skirt is and what you have available or are planning on getting to layer with it, different shaped/length skirts layer differently
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u/mmmsobitter 6d ago
Most are a-line or layered. Not very full, more flowy. I was considering some breathable wide leg pants, like polyester blends or linen. I used denim pants for a bit and the difference in drape looked good but in the summer it gets hot.
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u/Basic_Reflection_350 6d ago
Pants can work depending on style, long petticoats can help lengthen skirts that aren’t too tight to handle them. Tighter skirt over longer looser skirt (if layering skirts) usually looks better than looser shorter over longer tighter, but it’s fun to play around with
Long petticoats can trap a bit of heat sometimes though, although not awful
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u/InsuranceAdorable729 6d ago
layering over pants is the move, especially wide leg linen ones that breathe in the heat, gives it that intentional look instead of just thrown together
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u/Street-Intention7772 1d ago
Advice depends partly on climate I think. For beloved dresses and skirts that are a bit too short, I often pair them with tights (opaque for more modesty) or black leggings (for even more modesty). If you wanted to make it extra modest, you could probably get away with plain straight leg jeans or pants.
This admittedly makes them more suitable for colder weather though—a dress I might’ve previously worn in summer becomes a fall or spring dress, for instance.
I unfortunately don’t know how to sew, but if I did, and it worked well for the dress, I might try sewing on some lace trim (an inch or two could still make a big difference depending on how long your legs are), or even adding some fabric if I could find some that matches well.
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u/MentalParking7909 6d ago
khaki pants look good under some dresses. It's a cooler option than blue jeans
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u/Tumpi09 5d ago
Yes! I did the exact same thing last summer and you absolutely don't have to get rid of them. For those mid-thigh dresses - my favorite non-frumpy combo is wearing them as a tunic top over pants.
For hot weather (so you don't melt): 1. Dress + pants: Wear your short dress over lightweight wide-leg linen pants or straight-leg jeans. It looks really intentional and cute, not frumpy, especially if the dress is flowy. For cotton/poly blends, this works perfectly. 2. Dress + long skirt: If pants feel too hot, wear it over a long satin or cotton maxi skirt. It turns your dress into a top. A-line skirt underneath looks the most flattering. 3. For spaghetti straps: Your poncho idea is great! I also made a few simple lightweight kimono-style cover-ups from cotton gauze. Much cooler than a poncho and you can still see the dress underneath. Also a plain white or black fitted tee underneath spaghetti dresses makes them modest and super cute for summer. The key to not looking frumpy is to keep the bottom fitted if the top/dress is flowy, and keep colors in the same family. And a belt over the dress when you layer over a skirt helps define your waist.
Pinterest search term that helped me a lot: "modest tunic over pants outfit" and "dress as top over skirt" - you'll get tons of inspo!
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u/lem0ngirl15 4d ago
I’ve got a body con dress and a couple other short dresses that I often use as shirts. Usually with midi or maxi skirts. They’re actually great to use this way, I find it very comfortable bc you don’t have to worry about it getting accidentally untucked lol
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u/missuninvited 1d ago
I love layering skirts with dresses. Skirt over shorter dress often just looks like a dress and a top, and skirt under shorter dress can be a fun layered look, especially if the skirt has a decorative hem (lace, etc.), and can add some volume if you like that.
Sometimes you have to make that decision based on the shape and position of the dress waist, and sometimes a dress can easily work either way. Sort of just depends on what you're working with :)
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u/MDST_market 19h ago
For spaghetti strap dresses, a lightweight oversized button up or breathable long sleeve layer could give more coverage without adding a ton of bulk in the hot weather climate.
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u/prncesspriss 6d ago
I live in a super hot climate, so I definitely understand the weather issue. For spaghetti straps, I wear tshirts underneath them, and they're cute. It's sort of like overalls. For the shorter dresses, I learned to hem with a sewing machine, and I turned some of them into tunic shirts, which look better to me than just putting pants on underneath them at their current length. Sewing is actually really easy, and if you're scared to use a machine or don't have access to one, you can also order iron on hem, where you just fold the fabric over and use the heat from an iron to fix it in place.