T-shirts under dresses: Yipes? Or Yay!
Hi, friends. So, I’m a musician. And that’s why most of you normally visit my blog, to find out my thoughts on music and the topics of things I write music about. And I have big plans for some upcoming posts that will most likely be just what you want. However, I’m taking a detour on this post to talk about something that isn’t really music related. Fashion.
I don’t consider myself a fashion icon. I’m a 37 year-old pregnant woman. Not exactly a supermodel. So you can take all of this with a grain of salt. (Or grain of cupcake?) But I have always cared about my clothing, and I’ve always tried to make unique, stylish choices. I love clothes, probably a little more than I should. I also consider it a priority to dress modestly. Especially because I have two daughters who look up to me, and I am now expecting a son, who will one day hang out with women who have to make wardrobe choices of their own.
Sometimes there aren’t enough stylish options for people who want to dress modestly. There are a couple of things we’ve all tried to do to fix that.
Some of us write letters. A few years back, some proactive teens from Mesa, Arizona wrote letters to Dillards about the prom dress choices they had. And Dillards listened. It was a big victory. And now at least in Arizona and Utah, you can go to Dillards and buy basically the same cute little cap sleeved prom dress in about any color you’d like. There’s not a mind blowing selection of styles, but the effort is much appreciated.
Some of us started clothing companies based on dressing modestly. One of my favorites is Downeast Basics. Another great one is Shabby Apple. And one of the very first ones that really made a huge impact was a company called Shade. Shade’s main product was a plain cap sleeved t-shirt that could be worn under anything that might be too low cut, or that might not have sleeves. That was the dream, anyway. Lots of companies have jumped into that game. ModBod. Half Tee. Apricot. The list goes on and on. You can now pretty easily find that t-shirt in any color imaginable. And it’s been a big help. It has also become the signature Utah Mormon look. For the most part, I’m okay with that. That glorious t-shirt continues to solve a host of wardrobe problems for me. But every once in a while, it bugs.
I really dislike it when someone goes out in a nice dress, maybe in a fabric with some sheen to it, and a really cute cut. But it is sleeveless or low cut, so the person throws a faded cotton cap sleeved T underneath. Some dresses just don’t work that way. In fact, when the shirt is particularly over-washed and faded, to me it just starts looking like ratty underwear sticking out. Or sometimes no matter how well maintained the t-shirt might be, the sleeve style and/or fabric just won’t work with the dress. I realize that most people think their only other option is to buy one of the purple sparkly cap sleeved prom dresses from Dillards, which is not the most appealing concept to someone aged 25 and up. And most people in Utah just don’t care. Everyone does the t-shirt thing, so it has become accepted and normal. But every now and then someone not from Utah points out how it looks a little off, and I tend to agree. Maybe you can see here what I mean. (I mentioned before that I’m a 37 year old pregnant woman right? Also I’m standing in front of my husband’s equipment shop, which doesn’t help. But try to focus on the t-shirts.)
I’ve decided I want to suggest some new options. Whenever I can, I try to buy shirts with a similar cut to the cap sleeved T, but with nicer looking sleeves, to go with some of my dresses. They’re not easy to find. Most of the time cute sleeves also means ruffles on the bodice of the shirt, or otherwise bulky things that won’t work under a dress. There are sometimes some exceptions, like this one. But it still kind of has the gathery stuff on the sides, as you can see there in the picture.
This past month I decided to just sew a couple of things I could use, since the type of shirt I need is so hard to find. Here’s what I came up with. I just sewed some rows of lace and trim on the sleeves of some cap sleeved t’s I already had. I’m pretty psyched about how it turned out, for a first try:
Now, I don’t have what it takes to start a business right now, and I’m really not that great at sewing. So here’s my plea. People who own these modest clothing businesses, can you give us more options for ways to add sleeves to a dress? Can you make these shirts with cute, more dressy sleeve options? For some outfits, can you make us a few that are also in some nicer looking fabrics? Something with a bit of a sheen, like even rayon? Make it a full fledged line, so we can find them in all colors and styles of sleeves? And until then, folks who want to dress modestly: Can we try a little harder to find solutions that go with the whole outfit? Seek out those cute sleeves? Find a cute cardigan? (hint, there are some cute ones at Downeast Basics.) I know it is hard. Believe me I know. But I just want to prove to people everywhere that you really can look stylish and modest at the same time. Let’s give it a try. I want to hear from you about what you think about this.
In parting, let me say that I am anticipating some of the comments I will get back.
#1. “Those froofy sleeves are just too much. Too fancy shmancy. I want to stick with my plain t-shirts under my dresses.” To you I say, great. I’m not saying that we should all replace all of our plain t’s for fancier ones. Like I said before, I still love that style of t-shirt and wear it all the time. Maybe you spend most of your time in Utah, and most of your friends don’t care how it looks under a fancy dress, and most of all, you don’t care. That’s cool. Maybe it works with all the clothes you wear. And actually, some people do the casual t-shirt with fancy formal thing on purpose and it rocks. Maybe you’re going for a punk/vintage kind of look. My friend Meaghan Smith rocks that style. Doesn’t she look amazing? Style wise, honestly she can do no wrong. See Meaghan Smith. And after that, go to her official page here and check out her music, because she rocks. Honestly though, I think a lot of people think their cap sleeve+fancy dress outfits look that cool, when really they don’t. It’s a tricky thing to be able to pull off.
Possible comment #2. “For goodness sake, just ditch all the t-shirts and show your *&#$ shoulders and cleavage, for crying out loud!” I get it. We all make our own choices.
I’m just trying to suggest a few new ones.
Now if only I could find a way to stylishly add length to some dresses and skirts. Will I have to sew again?
Can’t wait to hear from you.
P.S. Want to know where I got the dresses I wore in the photo? A cool website called modcloth.com. In this case, the “mod” in the title isn’t short for modest. But there’s a ton of stuff on that site, and when it’s short/sleeveless I can usually adapt it somehow. The sheer number of options there makes it a site worth loving.
Hi Cherie!
I have long been a fan of your music! I wanted to let you know that I absolutely agree with wearing something a little bit more dressy underneath sundresses and such. I have just started a modest clothing boutique online that for now has capsleeves with a sheen around the neck and sleeves. I would actually be very interested in created a shirt with some lace on it in different colors. Your idea is darling! Hopefully sometime close in the future I can make something similar a reality.
Check out my online boutique and let me know what you would like to see more of!!
http://www.whimseylaneapparel.com
Julia Smith
Owner/Designer
First of all, you look fabulous as a 37 year old pregnant lady! Great skin tones, beautiful hair, etc. But then, I always thought you were gorgeous! I agree with you about the doudy look of the plain t’s under a fancy dress. The ones I find the most ridiculous are the strapless dresses over a plain T. I NEVER like the strapless cotton dress on ANY woman, but especially woman who are full figured! That being said, I think your idea and creation to add lace and some nicer fabric is a terrific idea.
In the first photos, they look like plain dresses. With the added touches you made, they became dress extraordinare!
Some day I will tell you about your song I choose to put as background music for my ‘mind movie’ and what it did for me. It’s a kind of long story so someday I will blog about it and send you the link.
You are awesome and I love reading your Face Book comments. You make me smile!
Carma (now living in Las Vegas, so any time you are heading this way, come stay with us – we have a huge house near the temple on the east mountain.)
Cherie –
Bravo! Being a California girl with parents who chose the modesty battle of covering clevage rather than shoulders, I grew up in tank-tops. I still fight the tendency to say that shoulder-revealing dresses are MUCH more attractive than those with t-shirts underneath. However, I realize that covering the shoulders should become a higher priority and I have adjusted as I’ve grown up. With that being said, I have NEVER worn a t-shirt under a dress because I just can’t get used to the idea. I buy dresses that cover the shoulders on their own, unassisted. BUT (and it’s a big “but”), your alterations to those simple shirts is completely transforming! I wouldn’t even think twice if I saw someone in a dress with one of those shirts underneath – it looks like part of the ensemble. Seamless. I LOVE it. This is an amazing idea. You should pass it on to Krista so that she can share it on her Good Things Utah clips that she does regularly. Maybe we can start some publicity and retailers will pick up on it! Basically, this comment is saying: Cherie – you’re the bomb-dot-com.
I LOVE the new sleeves you made. I don’t do those kinds of dresses because of the very same t-shirt dilemma. I’ll have to try something like that. You are gorgeous!
I’ve always looked at the tees as more of a way to “cheat” I guess. There are some shirts I owns that would look stupid without one, but I really don’t like the idea of buying a trendy immodest dress with the idea in my head that I can just throw a tee under it and call it good.
I have realize as I’ve gotten older (and 22 isn’t old by any means) that I have become my mom. I walk through the mall and many of the stores I pass I look at the clothes and think to myself, “My goodness those are hideous!”, but that’s what all the teens, and even people much older who should know better, are wearing these days. That was the day I realized I was an old person.
I love Modbods and will continued to buy them (until I get around to making my own), but I don’t think that the youth of today should get used to the idea that anything can become modest with a shirt underneath that can, in some instances, make it look undeniably tacky.
Cherie, I love your idea of the fancier fabrics and sleeves for more formal looks. See a need, fill a need (so quoteth the girl raised on Disney). I think I may take this idea (with your blessing) and run with it.
These are FABULOUS! I want to make some for me now too!
I think they look amazing & I’m in total agreement about the fabric types needing to match. thanks for such fun ideas.
i love the ideas, this is a constant struggle- modesty or looking pretty. if you try lengthening dresses, could you show a close up or two of what you do? i love to sew, but am not that creative. i can’t really tell what you did to the sleeves- or rather how you did what you did to the sleeves.
I do like the ruffels you put on the sleeves in the second set of pix, it just dressed the jumpers you had on a bit more. Overall, though, I’m not a fan of the “wearing a tshirt under a spaghetti strap or strapless maxi dress/blouse” kind of a gal. I just really look for shirts and dresses with sleeves on them to begin with. However. I do LOVE Shade tshirts and their maternity line as well. I have several of their tanks and tees that I can wear under maternity blouses, because those all poof out at the bust for some reason on me. Great post. Thanks ~~Joyce
I absolutely love that idea. I agree that the capsleeves under nicer tops/dresses look funny. And sometimes the necklines just don’t match up, and it looks wonky. And then some ladies wear the nude colored tops with strapless dresses, and it looks REALLY bad! I recently figured out that if I layer a half/long sleeved top under some of my dresses/tops, it looks like I meant to layer instead of the obvious “utah cover up.” I love what you did with your sleeves, and my sister did too. That could easily and inexpensively be done. Thanks for the idea. I pinned it because I loved it so much. As for adding length to dresses and skirts, I’ve seen gals add lace or ruffles to the bottom of slips to wear under skirts. The lace/ruffles stick out, adding length, and the slips can be used for more than just one skirt. That could be a pretty simple option for you. Thanks for posting this, it got my creative brain working again!
I say Yay! But then again, I love lace and I think you look beautiful in it. I also think it’s entirely possible to look modest and pretty at the same time.
In regards to lengthening skirts, I buy lace, long pieces of ruffles, and matching or contrasting fabric panels in the fabric stores, and have my girls pull out the sewing machine and stitch them to the bottoms of their skirts and dresses. They also have various over-the-knee skirts that they wear under their dresses, that just look like a bohemian addition to their outfits. I decided that if I’m going to ask my girls to be modest, besides providing them a good example, I may as well take the time to make modest fashion as fun as possible for them and for me. Thanks for the inspiration!
I LOVE this! Can you please post the instructions so that I can make some?
Great post! Such a difference. Now I better go check the outfits I wear my “t-shirts” with