HotmailGirls gone mild: Teenagers try on modesty
And where is the male responsibility in all of this? Morrissette acknowledges that one of the most repeated comments on cards left at the 2007 fashion show was that young men need an equivalent program. But there is more than an implication that women are responsible for keeping men pure of thought by dressing in way that doesn't excite.
"We want our young men to be able to sit in class and pay attention to their studies and not be distracted because somebody (who's) dressed very provocatively has to go and do a math problem on the board."
Sharman says "it's more challenging for them (boys) to keep their hearts pure and full of wholesome thoughts. ... Out of Christian charity, we want to protect the hearts and minds of men."
Hannah Walters blames scanty clothes for the downfall of some women, saying, "Dressing immodestly is just the first step toward getting married for 24 hours and having 20 kids out of wedlock and doing drugs. It's just one step after another and after you take the first step, you're just on a slippery slope. So it's hard to stop once you start."
Does that mean decolletage is the gateway drug of clothing, leading to the meth equivalent of fashion crimes, such as proving to the public that you're not wearing underwear?
For Shalit, that's not even the issue. The real issue, she says, is sexuality at too young an age.
"Lots of girls have really good instincts but the media, peers — and sometimes even parents —can wear them down, all under the guise of empowerment. What I'm trying to do is to present a viable alternative to this pressure, and to let girls know that it's OK to be themselves," she says. "We've got to learn how to give an 8-year-old girl the space to develop who she really is, without feeling pressured to look 'hot' for the benefit of adult men."
Still, it's not easy shopping for teens who want to dress both fashionably and modestly. Morgan recalls a search for an 8th-grade graduation dress in 2007.
"Me and my mom spent hours trying to find a modest, decent dress," Morgan said, adding they eventually settled on one that had spaghetti straps but covered enough of her chest. "Then we took another hour finding something to go over it," she said. "It was just really difficult."
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