Yep. I’m not particularly conservative/modest but I would also like to not have my bra hanging out of literally everything I own - and my bust is not a size that can ever do without one.
So many times I’ll be looking for something for an occasion and think “that would be perfect if the straps were thicker/it wasn’t backless/there wasn’t a weird cut out/it wasn’t a super mini/etc”.
Am still on the hunt for a red tank top that is all that and hides the bra straps. I had one, it had a nice v-cut wasn't OTT and it got stolen. Wasn't even a good brand either. I think I found it in sports girl on sale.
They are all backless, show way to much chest at the front, will have the bra straps completely visible etc.
It is really really irritating. All of the workwear is hypersexualised or modelled in a strangely contorted way. If the fit is relaxed then they've made it 'boxy' not curved. I don't \*want\* to make a statement with everything I wear, I don't \*want\* to be eye catching. I just want to be well put together without attracting sexual attention for simply having a body. And I don't even feel like that should be labelled 'modest', because that should be the default. It's wild that we have to pay a premium for that.
As far as brands go, I really like Banana Republic, Uniqlo, Target at times, Saba occasionally. Boden have nice dresses too.
100%!!! I love your statement about not WANTING to make a statement in the office every time I wear something!! Thanks for the store tips!! :) target is great, but the quality of preview is getting shittier as time goes on.. but that’s because it’s $$ … hate the conservative premium!
Seconding cos, it’s my go-to for workwear. I tend to keep their pieces for years because the quality is nice. I’d also check out alpha60 and kowtow for stylish, understated but still interesting pieces that aren’t sexualised. Especially good value when on sale.
Muji has a good range like that too.
I adore Uniqlo. Not just bc they have comfortable clothes that you don’t have to have a whole day of mood for, but they organise their store in a way that makes it easy to make decisions. Colours➡️ sizes⬇️ and lots of choice.
Edit for: the spelling of Muji 🥴
Also Muji for the most part still follows Asian sizing. So it’s usually recommended to size up, or at least check the sizing guide if you’re buying online
I bought a long sleeve (as in it has thumb holes and gives you hand minus fingers too) light weighted hoodie for summer and it was amazing! Went outside with work people, while they got burnt I didn't! Sure I looked like I was ready to rob someone but 10/10 for sun smart.
I have two cotton dresses that have been through dozens and dozens of washes, and they still look good and are easy to iron. I also have heattech items and airism items that similarly have durability.
I haven’t bought any of their knit dresses.
Uniqlo quality is top notch. They will last you years and years through hundreds of washes. And they have so many different varieties of clothing that you are bound to find something that you like or that is your best fit
I tried that, and I only find religious modesty clothing.. I’ve thought about mixing and matching modest clothing with what I find but it doesn’t really work out.. 😅
What about Orthodox Jewish fashion? Thinking along the lines of @sophiathejew on Instagram (and TikTok). Orthodox Jewish women do cover their hair but tend to wear modest without fully covering themselves up so maybe looking for stores that cater to that community could help.
Really? I searched and the first three suggestions for me were:
https://femmeconnection.com.au/collections/modern-modesty
https://www.urbanculture.com/collections/modest-tops
https://shonajoy.com.au/collections/modest?sort_by=manual
I’m not familiar with the first two but I know and love Shona Joy. I can’t see any religious undertones for any of the three sites.
Not necessarily, I have some clothes that can seen as super modest, only hands feel and head stick out, but in a nice colour or with part with nice embroidery. No one ever questions, even if I pair with headscarves and more coverings (I get cold easily) In summer I’m the opposite, showing more skin.
OP, those are dresses, because I find that easier to wear, I think you like two pieces so you can mix and match?
I err on the side of conservative dressing, no cutouts or low back/front. I shop at CR, COS, Scanlan and Camilla and Marc. Occasionally I’ll find something at Vik & Woods but they love a low cut front. I haven’t looked at Aje in years except for skirts. Zimmermann is hit and miss.
You can set up a facebook account in a different name, no identifying profile pic. Don't tell your friends/family about it, so that you can access marketplace without all the drama of a social account.
OP shops? You can find some real gems in some of those, especially in some of the more upmarket areas. Designer wear for fairly cheap. They can be hit and miss as to what they stock. Even if it’s expensive for an op shop buy, you’re probably not spending 300 there..
How is Marc's for quality. I want to go look in person but it's quite a distance from me to visit a store. Product review hasn't rated them well but you know it's probably all the salty people.
I used to buy a lot of Marcs for work, it’s held up well! I live far from stores so buy from DJ’s, at least I know I can get a refund if it doesn’t fit.
The difficulty in finding knee length skirts is crazy. I don't want to go shorter and I trip on full length skirts than but it's full length or mini only.
Same here! I need a new skirt, but it seems because “fashion” I can’t buy one this season because I’m late 40s and on the larger side so a mini is out and I’m tall too so the full length skirts just don’t work on me either. There is almost nothing in between.
I don’t mind things changing with seasons and keeping things interesting but the slavery to certain styles/cuts to the exclusion of all others makes me want to scream. I just want a damn skirt that looks nice and I’m quite certain I’m not the only one feeling excluded by this current skirt trend.
Have you tried the midi skirts? I’m 40s and tall and love a midi.
For example I’ve got a denim pencil skirt from CR, a satin Kmart slip skirt and a Witchery midi skirt that’s workwear made of like suiting material.
Thanks but they are still too long - finishing on my widest point of my calf so not flattering and just overall too much fabric. I bought one online from Trenery which I thought looked a bit shorter and my husband said I looked like I was wearing a towel wrapped around me - i.e. they just look heavy on me. I tried on some at Witchery and DJs and my friend agreed they just don’t work on me.
ETA I am a size 18 and have a reasonable size belly on me which might be why - I think the extra fabric needed to fit me at the waist results in too much extra fabric lower down.
That’s a shame. It’s tricky when the current fashions don’t work.
I remember when floaty, above knee dresses were in and I couldn’t find anything long enough anywhere as anything above knee looks like a mini skirt on me, so I’m loving the midi length.
I wear a lot of Jacqui E for this reason. I'm 5'10" and their length is usually good for me. I like my dresses and skirts for work to sit just above the knee. I look ridiculous in anything midi.
Decjuba usually has a wide range of high neck, long length dresses with a full skirt. Also try Zoe Kratzman. Her clothes are beautiful and always high neck but expensive.
I would recommend Princess Highway - styles that are flattering on all ages and body types, at a mid range price point. You may have best luck finding modest garments looking at autumn and winter ranges (dresses are often longer, or have long sleeves), as the spring/summer styles typically have short sleeves etc. Most blouses cover the chest completely, or have the option to be buttoned up to the neck.
protip: you can find a lot of their dresses on AliExpress because Dangerfield sources from the same factories - you're essentially just buying AliExpress in store.
Just use Google lens and it should pop up :)
Kishama on Instagram posts modest outfit ideas. She still buys from all the trendy brands but styles them in a way that she can still wear as a Muslim. Could be worth looking at :)
Old person here, yep, more flesh since Y2K Britney/Xtina. I didn’t like the look when I was younger either. No criticisms to those who are less conservative with dress, it’s just not for me.
I think you just have to look around as you said and rely on suggestions others have provided you. I’m an old person I stick to classic cuts, I like Sportscraft a lot, but I realise it’s not suitable for younger people but you could still get some items out of it if you go. Uniqlo is good for conservative basics, even Kmart/Target has some things, you can do it.
Low cut tops is good for bigger breasted people and skivvy for smaller. I have to go for lower cut myself. High slits has been done by Liz Hurley to death. If you have a very long dress, a bit of a slit is good to make it easier to wear, give flexibility.
No, it's definitely tricky! I was looking for a dress to wear to a wedding recently and I found one that looked perfect. Pleated midi, long sleeves, v-neck but not too low for me and a covered back...but it had a random cut-out above the belt. Why?!
I KNOW right!! The cut outs are a pain in the butt!! There’s so many beautiful dresses ruined by the cut outs! Somehow I’m just convinced “they’re” (lol) trying to make us all show skin and not be conservative! lol
Yep, surprised David Lawrence hadn't been mentioned more here. They're particularly good for work-appropriate attire and there's usually a fair selection available in the 'sale' section of their website.
Just a tip but try brands from countries with a more conservative dress. I don’t have any suggestions at hand but I know I’ve had luck in the past with Middle East or even Indian brands (high end but not couture range)
I am guessing that vintage styles are not an option as you can't find anything at Myers or David Jones. Some popular brands are Review, Princess Highway, Hearts and Roses. I prefer smaller, independent brands, my favourite being Number 9 Fashion, but other brands being Karma East and Lazybones (both ethical). Brands that sell woollen garments may also work, Merino Country, Smitten Merino, but wool is more expensive than most. For most of the brands I have bought, their price range is $50 to $200 a piece.
SO many times I've found beautiful dresses.... then they turn out to be backless. Or have some fugly cut-out.
Sorry that I don't want to show every inch of skin to all and sundry. 😒
Honestly I got so sick of the offerings in stores, I learned to sew. Skirts are super easy to start with, and then you can progress into dresses. Once you start, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
This is the reason I've returned to perusing proper vintage clothes markets, where the clothes are personally sourced from classy old women's wardrobes / estate sales. Classic pieces, amazing quality, cut, design etc. Beautiful coats, elegant shoes, old Gucci scarves, evening dresses, furs/velvets/silks, pencil skirts, tweeds and paisleys, timeless leather purses and tailored leather coats.
A band-aid until you find the right fix might be to invest in high quality camisoles/under shirts. I wear mine sooooo much, and they make attire a lot more flexible for different occasions (can't let the girls hang out at a work social 😅🤣)
Can I ask where you get your camisoles from? I bought some recently from jockey but they were quite uncomfortable so I’d love to know some brands that offer camis that are better quality/more comfortable
Depop is a great app/website for find nice used ones at a discount! I buy a lot of undershirts from kmart, target, best and less, etc. But if I want a thicker basic, I like online shopping from Uniqlo :)
Maybe Trenery? It’s a more conservative version of Country Road.
I haven’t purchased from there but I’ve noticed Petal & Pup have some long sleeve, maxi dresses. Also Forever New and Gingham & Heels.
Influencers are good at their job but they're basically paid ads most of the time! Their clothes are hit and miss so imo might as well buy from the same place they're buying instead of paying them a 300% markup
Boden has good stuff that first this bill. Target Preview also has some good stuff. Uniqlo if you aren’t too curvy yourself. Birdsnest also has some nice options.
Not being funny but do hit up the Muslim shops! There's a lot of long sleeve maxis with modest necklines, really beautiful colours and fabrics. I've not bought any but got the same problem, especially to be dressy and warm in winter.
Try Nancybird. Not conservative but good coverage.
https://nancybird.com/collections/dresses?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4f6zBhBVEiwATEHFVv-4LXE4uqS0e4LpP0oY6KGkMV9TXHAtqHhCXzzclMfUtX6vPgojYRoC2k0QAvD_BwE
Yeah, I got really sick of the cuts forcing you to go braless that were everywhere this last summer. Backless everything was everywhere!
Right now my one-woman crusade is against crop tops. It's WINTER. I'm COLD. The waists of our jeans are dropping, yet the tops are still short as fuck.
This is my biggest issue with Aussie fashion. It’s so hard to find anything here, so I mainly shop overseas.
Try Reiss. They’re pricey, but beautiful quality.
Yep. I find this a lot with swimwear too. It's either great-grandma style with patterns that belong in 1999 (and not in a good way) or dyed dental floss that I'm somehow supposed to pin between all my bits.
I've resorted to purchasing some of my dresses off Etsy and have them custome made. They have cost me $150-$200 and are are made according to your measurements.
I’m not sure about the current range, but I’ve bought some nice long sleeved, collared maxi dresses from Dotti that have nice prints (and so are conservative but not boring, and always seem to get compliments).
I think they must have been during the cottagecore craze, but can still be found on ebay and op shops.
I want to dress modest as well. I really find a woman beautiful when she's covered. Every season, I would buy 1-2 dresses. Found dresses at Uniqlo and H&M. Would cost around $100+ but it's a good buy.
I'm not conservative really but I like to be more covered up because I'm fair and I can get sun burnt on a 10 minute walk around the shops! I see a lot of nice looking dresses that are sleeveless or too short, and both of those are a no-go for me.
I want to buy some dresses from Elise Designs for next summer. They are modelled on vintage fashion and are beautiful, very femine & flattering.
https://elisedesign.com.au/
I love Decjuba dresses as they are modest but cute. I buy most of them on sale or fb but & sell. It’s so discouraging to find a beautiful dress and for it to have nasty cutouts or no so modest fits.
I have quite a few items from MNG that have been conservative enough for office attire but can dress it up if going out. I’ve probably owned most of them for over 10 years now. They usually have pretty good sales especially during European summer. I’ve found amazing outerwear items for <$100.
You have to go outside the box.
In my 20s, I would buy pencil skirts, plain white, blue or striped oxford shirts, thick long-sleeve cotton T-shirts, v-neck merino jumpers and dress pants for office jobs from Sussan or Sportscraft or Country Road. Sure, I was about 20 years too young for their demographic, especially for the first two brands, but they were very good quality for the price. And aren’t fashion-victimy. I still have a lot of them 20 years later.
Plus I would buy linen button downs and linen drawstring pants for summer travel and beach ups at Sussan and Sportscraft.
I too found buying dresses a problem. I didn’t buy their dresses, apart from one little black dress in fine wool from Sportscraft, because I found them too staid.
Yep, go to a suburb where a lot of Turkish/Arabs live. Lots of modest dressers that you describe. I don’t mean the Muslim cloak type clothing called abaya (there are plenty of those too) but I mean really elegant conservative and modern dresses. I think because Muslim women wear conservative fitted elegant dresses at women’s only gatherings (without hijab)
I like brands like JCrew, Anne Taylor, White House Black Market. They are pricier brands but high quality so I generally do consignment stores and shop secondhand.
Do you have any preloved markets in your area? Rent a racks etc? Depop is a good online alternative. Look for Sally Phillips, Camilla & Marc, Perri Cutten, Joslin, Scanlan, Friends with Frank, St Agni etc.
This why I buy so much Mister ZIMI. They feel like the only brand that consistently release an option that is conservative. I’m a mum and a teacher. I don’t want to reveal my chest, have random cut outs or show my midriff. I want to be able to bend over and not worry about flashing my heiny. It’s definitely expensive, but I buy 2-3 a summer season and I have many that are still in rotation nearly ten years on. The quality is that good
You said your in Canberra so i would try cassidy's in jameison and robyn verrar (belconnen) as well.
Sportscraft is good. I find the myer brand regatta pretty good. Harris scarfe can be ok for an occasional peice.
Best place to find good clothing without breaking the bank is the op shop or facebook marketplace. If you're willing to spend >$300 you can find something excellent on facebook marketplace. Set a 500km search radius, you can just get them to post it.
We’re not a very conservative culture and are very liberal so that’s why there isn’t the demand. However, I would look at Islamic brands as they have pretty and modern conservative clothes that cover everything but look classy. I’ve seen some from Malaysia and the Middle East. I’d look on Etsy as a lot of people are making custom clothes there that are conservative and there would be shops in western Sydney catering for that market. Best of luck!
Yep. I’m not particularly conservative/modest but I would also like to not have my bra hanging out of literally everything I own - and my bust is not a size that can ever do without one. So many times I’ll be looking for something for an occasion and think “that would be perfect if the straps were thicker/it wasn’t backless/there wasn’t a weird cut out/it wasn’t a super mini/etc”.
There’s so many times I’m like “maybe I could just alter it “ but then I’m like as if THATS ever going to happen hahaha 🤣
Hahah, I have zero skills so it’s “could I get it altered? Who am I kidding, there’s no time for that…”
Cut outs ruin everything unless it's a keyhole neckline
Completely agree. Also, I like my internal organs to be warm.
Agreed! I so wish designers would quit with them.
Am still on the hunt for a red tank top that is all that and hides the bra straps. I had one, it had a nice v-cut wasn't OTT and it got stolen. Wasn't even a good brand either. I think I found it in sports girl on sale. They are all backless, show way to much chest at the front, will have the bra straps completely visible etc.
Would the Nola top from Fayt work? Recently got in one in Cherry red.
It is really really irritating. All of the workwear is hypersexualised or modelled in a strangely contorted way. If the fit is relaxed then they've made it 'boxy' not curved. I don't \*want\* to make a statement with everything I wear, I don't \*want\* to be eye catching. I just want to be well put together without attracting sexual attention for simply having a body. And I don't even feel like that should be labelled 'modest', because that should be the default. It's wild that we have to pay a premium for that. As far as brands go, I really like Banana Republic, Uniqlo, Target at times, Saba occasionally. Boden have nice dresses too.
100%!!! I love your statement about not WANTING to make a statement in the office every time I wear something!! Thanks for the store tips!! :) target is great, but the quality of preview is getting shittier as time goes on.. but that’s because it’s $$ … hate the conservative premium!
Definitely check Boden online. I’ve found that i’ll find something I think is more conservative & then they’ll be a cut out on the back or midriff. 🙄
Yeah exactly, guys don’t have to pay a premium to buy clothes that cover their body and still look nice. “Conservative” is the default for them
I find COS is great for understated and stylish clothing that isn’t clingy. Lots of natural fabrics too.
Seconding cos, it’s my go-to for workwear. I tend to keep their pieces for years because the quality is nice. I’d also check out alpha60 and kowtow for stylish, understated but still interesting pieces that aren’t sexualised. Especially good value when on sale.
I find Uniqlo can have some modest women’s dresses and skirts. Japanese styles tend to be more conservative.
Muji has a good range like that too. I adore Uniqlo. Not just bc they have comfortable clothes that you don’t have to have a whole day of mood for, but they organise their store in a way that makes it easy to make decisions. Colours➡️ sizes⬇️ and lots of choice. Edit for: the spelling of Muji 🥴
I just had a look at Muji, I've never heard of them before, it's perfect! Thank you such much for commenting that recommendation.
Also Muji for the most part still follows Asian sizing. So it’s usually recommended to size up, or at least check the sizing guide if you’re buying online
So very welcome! 🥰
They're sun concious that's perfect
I bought a long sleeve (as in it has thumb holes and gives you hand minus fingers too) light weighted hoodie for summer and it was amazing! Went outside with work people, while they got burnt I didn't! Sure I looked like I was ready to rob someone but 10/10 for sun smart.
Nice. We don't really remember we're not supposed to be here as white people 😉
help I'm a vampire!
Stay inside!!!
How do you find the quality though? I haven’t been impressed with the few items I’ve purchased from Uniqlo
I have two cotton dresses that have been through dozens and dozens of washes, and they still look good and are easy to iron. I also have heattech items and airism items that similarly have durability. I haven’t bought any of their knit dresses.
Uniqlo quality is top notch. They will last you years and years through hundreds of washes. And they have so many different varieties of clothing that you are bound to find something that you like or that is your best fit
Thank you!! I’ll have a look :)
You might have more luck using modest dressing/clothing in your searches instead of conservative
I was going to suggest ‘modest’ as well. Seed has some higher boat neck style tops at the moment.
Seed has nice style but is HORRENDOUS quality. It is very expensive considering its abhorrent quality.
I found a work blouse for $8 on SHEIN that was the same quality and cut as SEED lol 😂
Oh dear 😅😅😅
Ooo I’ll have a look at Seed, but ugh it’s so hard haha 😩
I tried that, and I only find religious modesty clothing.. I’ve thought about mixing and matching modest clothing with what I find but it doesn’t really work out.. 😅
If it’s styled with a headscarf, usually those pieces are removable from the garment itself.
Not sure what you mean by 'religious modesty clothing' but asos have a whole modest clothing section.
Like full covered clothing for Muslim women. Which is super beautiful, but I’m not looking for that. :)
What about Orthodox Jewish fashion? Thinking along the lines of @sophiathejew on Instagram (and TikTok). Orthodox Jewish women do cover their hair but tend to wear modest without fully covering themselves up so maybe looking for stores that cater to that community could help.
TWIICE is a religious-inspired modern brand that I find includes fairly neutral (modest) work wear.
Really? I searched and the first three suggestions for me were: https://femmeconnection.com.au/collections/modern-modesty https://www.urbanculture.com/collections/modest-tops https://shonajoy.com.au/collections/modest?sort_by=manual I’m not familiar with the first two but I know and love Shona Joy. I can’t see any religious undertones for any of the three sites.
Modest will bring up religious stuff.
Not necessarily, I have some clothes that can seen as super modest, only hands feel and head stick out, but in a nice colour or with part with nice embroidery. No one ever questions, even if I pair with headscarves and more coverings (I get cold easily) In summer I’m the opposite, showing more skin. OP, those are dresses, because I find that easier to wear, I think you like two pieces so you can mix and match?
I err on the side of conservative dressing, no cutouts or low back/front. I shop at CR, COS, Scanlan and Camilla and Marc. Occasionally I’ll find something at Vik & Woods but they love a low cut front. I haven’t looked at Aje in years except for skirts. Zimmermann is hit and miss.
I look at those stores too, they’re just so damn expensive! But I guess spending big dollars is my only choice here 🙃
I buy some from Facebook buy and sell groups for those specific brands. DJ’s sometimes have them on sale, I rarely buy full price.
I don’t have Facebook anymore.. the only thing I miss is Marketplace. Living in Canberra, marketplace is full of good brand APS clothing lol 😝
You can set up a facebook account in a different name, no identifying profile pic. Don't tell your friends/family about it, so that you can access marketplace without all the drama of a social account.
That’s what I do. I have a FB account I use exclusively for Marketplace and logging into games etc, with my middle name.
Once you find your size in those brands I would suggest shopping on Depop.
Depop is great! I bought a C&M blazer recently for a third of the price! Perfect condition.
100% and there is more variety out there.
OP shops? You can find some real gems in some of those, especially in some of the more upmarket areas. Designer wear for fairly cheap. They can be hit and miss as to what they stock. Even if it’s expensive for an op shop buy, you’re probably not spending 300 there..
How is Marc's for quality. I want to go look in person but it's quite a distance from me to visit a store. Product review hasn't rated them well but you know it's probably all the salty people.
I used to buy a lot of Marcs for work, it’s held up well! I live far from stores so buy from DJ’s, at least I know I can get a refund if it doesn’t fit.
The difficulty in finding knee length skirts is crazy. I don't want to go shorter and I trip on full length skirts than but it's full length or mini only.
Same here! I need a new skirt, but it seems because “fashion” I can’t buy one this season because I’m late 40s and on the larger side so a mini is out and I’m tall too so the full length skirts just don’t work on me either. There is almost nothing in between. I don’t mind things changing with seasons and keeping things interesting but the slavery to certain styles/cuts to the exclusion of all others makes me want to scream. I just want a damn skirt that looks nice and I’m quite certain I’m not the only one feeling excluded by this current skirt trend.
Have you tried the midi skirts? I’m 40s and tall and love a midi. For example I’ve got a denim pencil skirt from CR, a satin Kmart slip skirt and a Witchery midi skirt that’s workwear made of like suiting material.
Thanks but they are still too long - finishing on my widest point of my calf so not flattering and just overall too much fabric. I bought one online from Trenery which I thought looked a bit shorter and my husband said I looked like I was wearing a towel wrapped around me - i.e. they just look heavy on me. I tried on some at Witchery and DJs and my friend agreed they just don’t work on me. ETA I am a size 18 and have a reasonable size belly on me which might be why - I think the extra fabric needed to fit me at the waist results in too much extra fabric lower down.
That’s a shame. It’s tricky when the current fashions don’t work. I remember when floaty, above knee dresses were in and I couldn’t find anything long enough anywhere as anything above knee looks like a mini skirt on me, so I’m loving the midi length.
I wear a lot of Jacqui E for this reason. I'm 5'10" and their length is usually good for me. I like my dresses and skirts for work to sit just above the knee. I look ridiculous in anything midi.
Tailoring is the secret. I get all my skirts taken up as I'm 5'
Decjuba usually has a wide range of high neck, long length dresses with a full skirt. Also try Zoe Kratzman. Her clothes are beautiful and always high neck but expensive.
I would recommend Princess Highway - styles that are flattering on all ages and body types, at a mid range price point. You may have best luck finding modest garments looking at autumn and winter ranges (dresses are often longer, or have long sleeves), as the spring/summer styles typically have short sleeves etc. Most blouses cover the chest completely, or have the option to be buttoned up to the neck.
protip: you can find a lot of their dresses on AliExpress because Dangerfield sources from the same factories - you're essentially just buying AliExpress in store. Just use Google lens and it should pop up :)
Love princess highway. Fun and cheery and comfortable. I just don’t have the upper body strength to get the clothes out of a Dangerfield rack.
Kishama on Instagram posts modest outfit ideas. She still buys from all the trendy brands but styles them in a way that she can still wear as a Muslim. Could be worth looking at :)
Kishama Meridian? :)
Yep!
I don’t have instagram, maybe she has reels on YouTube, thanks for the suggestion :)
r/modestclothing. Eta ahhh I swear there was a modest fashion sub.
Old person here, yep, more flesh since Y2K Britney/Xtina. I didn’t like the look when I was younger either. No criticisms to those who are less conservative with dress, it’s just not for me. I think you just have to look around as you said and rely on suggestions others have provided you. I’m an old person I stick to classic cuts, I like Sportscraft a lot, but I realise it’s not suitable for younger people but you could still get some items out of it if you go. Uniqlo is good for conservative basics, even Kmart/Target has some things, you can do it. Low cut tops is good for bigger breasted people and skivvy for smaller. I have to go for lower cut myself. High slits has been done by Liz Hurley to death. If you have a very long dress, a bit of a slit is good to make it easier to wear, give flexibility.
No, it's definitely tricky! I was looking for a dress to wear to a wedding recently and I found one that looked perfect. Pleated midi, long sleeves, v-neck but not too low for me and a covered back...but it had a random cut-out above the belt. Why?!
I KNOW right!! The cut outs are a pain in the butt!! There’s so many beautiful dresses ruined by the cut outs! Somehow I’m just convinced “they’re” (lol) trying to make us all show skin and not be conservative! lol
Probably so it's an update so we'll get a new one every season 😆
Seed, Sportscraft, Trenery, SABA, David Lawrence are all great for this :)
Yep, surprised David Lawrence hadn't been mentioned more here. They're particularly good for work-appropriate attire and there's usually a fair selection available in the 'sale' section of their website.
Boden is good for workwear.
Just a tip but try brands from countries with a more conservative dress. I don’t have any suggestions at hand but I know I’ve had luck in the past with Middle East or even Indian brands (high end but not couture range)
Sportscraft is great for this
Omg yes. I am so sick of seeing all the deep V dresses. I stick to Witchery, Seed, Uniqlo and H&M these days.
Cos ?
SHEIKE has quite a few, they have a dedicated page for modest styles [here](https://www.sheike.com.au/collections/the-modest-edit) :)
Oh my goodness! Thank you 🙏
I am guessing that vintage styles are not an option as you can't find anything at Myers or David Jones. Some popular brands are Review, Princess Highway, Hearts and Roses. I prefer smaller, independent brands, my favourite being Number 9 Fashion, but other brands being Karma East and Lazybones (both ethical). Brands that sell woollen garments may also work, Merino Country, Smitten Merino, but wool is more expensive than most. For most of the brands I have bought, their price range is $50 to $200 a piece.
SO many times I've found beautiful dresses.... then they turn out to be backless. Or have some fugly cut-out. Sorry that I don't want to show every inch of skin to all and sundry. 😒
Honestly I got so sick of the offerings in stores, I learned to sew. Skirts are super easy to start with, and then you can progress into dresses. Once you start, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
I've been thinking about this honestly. And once skilled enough, I can make whatever I want.
Little Party Dress is really good for higher necklines and more modest lengths. I think a lot of teachers order from there...
I feel like Elk has clothes that would fit the bill. I don't look at the items and think "conservative" but many would meet your criteria.
This is the reason I've returned to perusing proper vintage clothes markets, where the clothes are personally sourced from classy old women's wardrobes / estate sales. Classic pieces, amazing quality, cut, design etc. Beautiful coats, elegant shoes, old Gucci scarves, evening dresses, furs/velvets/silks, pencil skirts, tweeds and paisleys, timeless leather purses and tailored leather coats.
A band-aid until you find the right fix might be to invest in high quality camisoles/under shirts. I wear mine sooooo much, and they make attire a lot more flexible for different occasions (can't let the girls hang out at a work social 😅🤣)
Hahah!! I don’t let them hang out ever 😅😅😅 they’re for one man to see only. Haha 😅
Love your post, OP, and agree it’s for one man only. The low cut styles are hard also for A-cup girls who don’t have anything to hang out. 🤭
Can I ask where you get your camisoles from? I bought some recently from jockey but they were quite uncomfortable so I’d love to know some brands that offer camis that are better quality/more comfortable
Depop is a great app/website for find nice used ones at a discount! I buy a lot of undershirts from kmart, target, best and less, etc. But if I want a thicker basic, I like online shopping from Uniqlo :)
Maybe Trenery? It’s a more conservative version of Country Road. I haven’t purchased from there but I’ve noticed Petal & Pup have some long sleeve, maxi dresses. Also Forever New and Gingham & Heels.
Yes gingham heels is great! 😊 I’ll try petal and pup. :) thanks!!
Petal and pup is basically a drop shipper, you might as well buy from aliexpress
Yep it’s absolute trash quality
Really? That’s good to know. I notice a lot of influencers have stuff from there and thought it might be ok for a cheaper option.
Influencers are good at their job but they're basically paid ads most of the time! Their clothes are hit and miss so imo might as well buy from the same place they're buying instead of paying them a 300% markup
To be honest, I haven’t purchased from there as cheap clothes aren’t really my thing, but OP did ask for cheaper options and to each their own.
Target, Uniqlo, Muji, Princess highway, for fun dresses and prints
Flo & Frankie?😁
Boden has good stuff that first this bill. Target Preview also has some good stuff. Uniqlo if you aren’t too curvy yourself. Birdsnest also has some nice options.
Honestly it's where you shop Go to an area with a higher Muslim population and you will find Beautiful conservative dresses. Its out there.
Kookai has some conservative get modest dresses a lot of them r skimpy but there is a few that r absolute gems
Not being funny but do hit up the Muslim shops! There's a lot of long sleeve maxis with modest necklines, really beautiful colours and fabrics. I've not bought any but got the same problem, especially to be dressy and warm in winter.
Honestly, I reckon check out some Muslim and Indian clothing sites. They're much more modest and have some really beautiful dresses.
Are there any Muslim or Indian clothing brands you would recommend in particular?
Try Nancybird. Not conservative but good coverage. https://nancybird.com/collections/dresses?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4f6zBhBVEiwATEHFVv-4LXE4uqS0e4LpP0oY6KGkMV9TXHAtqHhCXzzclMfUtX6vPgojYRoC2k0QAvD_BwE
Yeah, I got really sick of the cuts forcing you to go braless that were everywhere this last summer. Backless everything was everywhere! Right now my one-woman crusade is against crop tops. It's WINTER. I'm COLD. The waists of our jeans are dropping, yet the tops are still short as fuck.
This is my biggest issue with Aussie fashion. It’s so hard to find anything here, so I mainly shop overseas. Try Reiss. They’re pricey, but beautiful quality.
Yep. I find this a lot with swimwear too. It's either great-grandma style with patterns that belong in 1999 (and not in a good way) or dyed dental floss that I'm somehow supposed to pin between all my bits.
You could try online places like Ivy city co or Baltic born - they’re based overseas but do cater for more conservative dress styles.
Thanks for the suggestion!! ☺️ I’ll have a look :)
I've resorted to purchasing some of my dresses off Etsy and have them custome made. They have cost me $150-$200 and are are made according to your measurements.
Modest clothing on Amazon. I refuse to bare skin when I'm swimming, just nope. Plenty of modest clothing stores online
I love these suggestions but I also love Next.
I’m not sure about the current range, but I’ve bought some nice long sleeved, collared maxi dresses from Dotti that have nice prints (and so are conservative but not boring, and always seem to get compliments). I think they must have been during the cottagecore craze, but can still be found on ebay and op shops.
You should checkout the modest dress sub
I want to dress modest as well. I really find a woman beautiful when she's covered. Every season, I would buy 1-2 dresses. Found dresses at Uniqlo and H&M. Would cost around $100+ but it's a good buy.
It's more money because fewer people will buy it
Yes! It’s so frustrating. I am really liking Fayt the label at the moment as I am finding their stuff quite modest at the moment.
I'm not conservative really but I like to be more covered up because I'm fair and I can get sun burnt on a 10 minute walk around the shops! I see a lot of nice looking dresses that are sleeveless or too short, and both of those are a no-go for me. I want to buy some dresses from Elise Designs for next summer. They are modelled on vintage fashion and are beautiful, very femine & flattering. https://elisedesign.com.au/
I love Decjuba dresses as they are modest but cute. I buy most of them on sale or fb but & sell. It’s so discouraging to find a beautiful dress and for it to have nasty cutouts or no so modest fits.
I have quite a few items from MNG that have been conservative enough for office attire but can dress it up if going out. I’ve probably owned most of them for over 10 years now. They usually have pretty good sales especially during European summer. I’ve found amazing outerwear items for <$100.
You have to go outside the box. In my 20s, I would buy pencil skirts, plain white, blue or striped oxford shirts, thick long-sleeve cotton T-shirts, v-neck merino jumpers and dress pants for office jobs from Sussan or Sportscraft or Country Road. Sure, I was about 20 years too young for their demographic, especially for the first two brands, but they were very good quality for the price. And aren’t fashion-victimy. I still have a lot of them 20 years later. Plus I would buy linen button downs and linen drawstring pants for summer travel and beach ups at Sussan and Sportscraft. I too found buying dresses a problem. I didn’t buy their dresses, apart from one little black dress in fine wool from Sportscraft, because I found them too staid.
Yep, go to a suburb where a lot of Turkish/Arabs live. Lots of modest dressers that you describe. I don’t mean the Muslim cloak type clothing called abaya (there are plenty of those too) but I mean really elegant conservative and modern dresses. I think because Muslim women wear conservative fitted elegant dresses at women’s only gatherings (without hijab)
I like brands like JCrew, Anne Taylor, White House Black Market. They are pricier brands but high quality so I generally do consignment stores and shop secondhand.
Do you have any preloved markets in your area? Rent a racks etc? Depop is a good online alternative. Look for Sally Phillips, Camilla & Marc, Perri Cutten, Joslin, Scanlan, Friends with Frank, St Agni etc.
For the low cut but otherwise modest dresses I just wear a black tank top underneath. Perhaps that could work?
Might have what you need: https://www.birdsnest.com.au You can also customise searches for exactly what you want.
This is PERFECT!! 😍 thankyou!!
You’re welcome! ☺️ In my experience, their customer service is also very helpful if you’re unsure about the fit/size of a garment.
Target is my absolute go to for work wear
This why I buy so much Mister ZIMI. They feel like the only brand that consistently release an option that is conservative. I’m a mum and a teacher. I don’t want to reveal my chest, have random cut outs or show my midriff. I want to be able to bend over and not worry about flashing my heiny. It’s definitely expensive, but I buy 2-3 a summer season and I have many that are still in rotation nearly ten years on. The quality is that good
You said your in Canberra so i would try cassidy's in jameison and robyn verrar (belconnen) as well. Sportscraft is good. I find the myer brand regatta pretty good. Harris scarfe can be ok for an occasional peice.
Perfect thankyou! Love me a local suggestion! Ahaha :)
Best place to find good clothing without breaking the bank is the op shop or facebook marketplace. If you're willing to spend >$300 you can find something excellent on facebook marketplace. Set a 500km search radius, you can just get them to post it.
We’re not a very conservative culture and are very liberal so that’s why there isn’t the demand. However, I would look at Islamic brands as they have pretty and modern conservative clothes that cover everything but look classy. I’ve seen some from Malaysia and the Middle East. I’d look on Etsy as a lot of people are making custom clothes there that are conservative and there would be shops in western Sydney catering for that market. Best of luck!
I’ve always found lots of higher necklines and dresses with sleeves etc on the iconic