We currently sell used modest clothing and a selection of Vision Forum audios and books at about a 20% discount from the retail price. We are looking soon to carry various other God-honoring family books, music and a selection of pretty head coverings. (My husband envisions a store where families can find what they need for daily living-down to the high chair! A place where you go to look because everything we have is reasonable, quality and trusted.)

We strive to offer our items inexpensively for those like us who are homeschooling and on one income. We do pray that when people come to our store they will find it to be a place the whole family can go that is trustworthy. 

Tia:  Adorned with Modesty is a fabulous idea that I’m sure many Christians and homeschoolers would enjoy! How did the idea for this website come about?

Trisha:  We saw a need for inexpensive modest clothing and felt led to meet it to the ability the Lord provides. For many years I have had trouble finding clothes that fit well that weren’t extremely expensive. As we have grown in our walk with the Lord, our desire to dress modestly seemed to make it even more difficult- and then we had two beautiful daughters. Oh, the need seemed so great for inexpensive modest clothing! So, I talked with my husband about providing this service via used clothing. Having seen the need in his own family, he stood up and we had a store! (He is really an amazing man. I would have quit a hundred times, but he has constantly trusted in the Lord with every step.)

One vision of the store is to bring this sweet man home full-time to lead our family (including our home schooling of the girls) in the Lord! And then to raise funds for my husband to attend seminary. Another is the giving of 10% of store profits (above our tithe and giving) to missions.

Tia:   While looking through the website I saw some darling outfits for children and beautiful clothing for women. How do you get the clothes and where do they all come from?

Trisha:  That has been such a neat blessing from the Lord! I can’t tell you how many wonderful people we have met finding clothing for this business. Our clothing comes from several places, but the primary source is from donations– whether it be from friends at church or the charity that was overrun, having to throw clothing away– all goes to helping my dear Eric come home to be with the family full-time and prepare us as a family for the ministry. When we purchase clothing it is often from a local store and the proceeds go to support local Christian charities. We also give clothing, no charge, to those in our local community. If someone you know is in need of clothing in S.E. AZ., please contact us. (See address below.)

(We continually have clothing coming in. If you go to the website and do not see what you are looking for, just email us– ericreschly@hotmail.com– and we’ll see if we have it in our inventory!)

Tia:   I have heard many people comment that it is getting harder and harder to dress their children modestly. Do you have any tips or ideas on how to make it easier to find modest clothing?

Trisha:  Yes. We have found that both second hand stores and small businesses (whether local or online) seem to be the best options. There are many wonderful sites for tailored modest clothing online.

For us this option has just been too costly. So we often go to second hand stores where the chances of finding modest clothing is much higher than the retail stores. An added bonus is that they are often marked way down, as they are no longer “fashionable”, yet they tend to be in better condition than the thrift stores.

There do tend to be brands that keep a basic line of traditional clothing. Keep an eye out for these. Companies like L.L. Bean, Land’s End, Gymboree and the like offer lines each year that are traditional, modest and tend to last longer. Also, the sizing seems to stay the same from year to year, so when you see them at garage sales or thrift stores you need not try them on– last year’s size 8 is still a size 8!

Slips and jumpers are a great help for girls. Not only can a slip aid with thin material, but a pretty decoration at the bottom can extend a dress length for another few months to a year. Jumper dresses are great, too. They are kind of like a suit. Put a different shirt under the jumper and it is a whole new outfit! They also tend to be made out of durable material. Also, we have found that putting a shirt under some sleeveless dresses works quite well. And these are easy to find.

Lastly, there are a number of good free patterns for those who sew. Don’t know how to sew? What a great skill to learn alongside your daughters as they grow. I plan to do this with our girls and incorporate sewing into their curriculum!

Tia:  I’m often asked to define my idea of modesty. Do you run into this and how do you respond?

Trisha:  Yes, we do run into this question frequently. Most often it is directed at what clothing

or dress we consider to be modest. Whereas our first consideration should be the heart of

modesty. Is our humble heart before the Lord expressed outwardly in our clothing? Is the way we dress as ladies honoring to our husbands and fathers? Let each be convinced in his own mind.

Mr. Pollard has a great definition in his book, “ Christian Modesty” that sums up the heart of modesty. “Christian Modesty is inner self-government, rooted in a proper understanding of one’s self before God, which outwardly displays itself in humility and purity from a genuine love for Jesus Christ, rather than self-glorification or self-advertisement.” Or as he states it simply, “If the heart is right with God, it will govern itself in purity coupled with humility and will express itself modestly.”

Practically– a good check for modest dress is… does my godly husband approve? Does my

father want me to wear this? The men God has placed in authority over us are our loving protectors– honor them and listen to what they say about your dress. 

Tia:  Do you have any favorite Bible references that would help others to understand that yes, we are required to consider what we wear?

Trisha:  Of course that sweet passage in I Timothy that directs us... “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess . Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and godliness--with good works became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” (I Timothy 2:8-15)

And we see I Peter 3: 1-7 "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.