Interview with Shari Braendel

In October, I got the chance to do a wonderful interview with Fashionista, Shari Braendel! Shari has written a book called "Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad" and it is a wonderful book for every girl and lady who wishes to dress modestly but still fashionable. I hope that you will enjoy this interview and go read Shari's book!

Love, Haylie



1) Why should women dress modestly?

Shari: Women should dress modestly to honor God, themselves and the guys around them. God’s Word instructs us to NOT trip up our brothers in Christ and immodest dressing does just that. The Word also instructs us to honor God with all our hearts and minds and by dressing modestly we do that. But understand that I believe that modesty doesn’t mean fuddy duddy, it can be stylish, fashionable and fun!



2) What inspired you to write "Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad"?

Shari: I never planned on writing a book but I started getting invited to churches all across the nation to speak and afterward women and girls would ask for a resource to take home so the book was born. Zondervan saw it as a great resource for Christian women and took a chance on publishing the first ever (and still only) Christian fashion guide for women in the marketplace.

3) What is your favorite fashion season?

Shari: Fall, for sure. I wear warm colors all year round due to my coloring and having a plethora of hues to choose from that suit me is this fashionista’s dream!


4) What should every teenaged girl have in her closet?

 Shari: A great pair of jeans, lots of long cami’s and a pair of ballet flats.


5) What would you tell every girl who wanted to be more modest or live modestly?

Shari: I would tell her to remember that fashion meets faith the minute she decides what to put on her body each day and that her clothing choices are going to show the world who she is and what she believes. Society will try to teach her that dressing modestly isn’t fashionable and it absolutely can be. I would advise her to be creative with her clothes and show her personality thru her style but never compromise her values.


6) Who are your fashion icons? Why?

Shari: The only book I keep in my living room (besides my bible which seems to travel from room to room) is a coffee table book called A Matter of Style . It’s a portrait of 10 women who changed fashion and so many of those women shaped my views of fashion and the industry. My favorites are Coco Chanel for her classic style, Katherine Hepburn because she was unconventional in her dressing by stepping out and wearing pants way before anyone else and Mary Quant because she had so much to say about style and the way it affected people. I read and re-read that book.

7) What is one of your fashion weaknesses?

Shari: Only one? LOL. That would have to be handbags. I have a rule that when I buy a new one, I give one away, otherwise there would be no room for my clothes. I just bought a fabulous (I mean FABULOUS) Michael Kors classic huge bag that I’m planning on carrying for a very long time. However I just caught myself in the purse department the other day and made myself leave before I bought another bag.

8) What NEVER goes out of style?

Shari: Hopefully my Michael Kors handbag! And also, a classic blazer, ballet flats, silver or gold hoop earrings, jeans and a simple white t-shirt. Put them all together and you’ve got a great outfit.


9) What is one thing you cannot live without?

Shari: I must have at least one cat at all times. Right now I have three, Belle, Lily and Olive. A girl’s gotta have limits, right? Okay, my husband limited me to three, but I will probably be the little old woman in my nineties who lives in a cottage by the lake with a dozen little furry friends! I just love them so much because they have amazing beauty and such individual personalities.


10) What are some tips you would give to a girl who wants to be a junior fashionista?

Shari: Be true to who you are and don’t be afraid to show your style by wearing clothes the way that only you can. Only a fashionista would understand what I mean by that. Also, read every fashion magazine and style book you can get your hands on. I would live in the library if I could, just reading all the books on style, beauty and fashion that I could. I still do that on occasions.





Random Questions:

1) You never leave the house with/without...? I never leave the house without my sunglasses. I never leave the house with: my cats! They have to stay home.

2) Would we ever catch you in jeans and a T-shirt? Jeans, yes; T-shirt, no

3) Muffins or Cupcakes? Cupcakes for sure, hopefully with lots of frosting!

4) Sour candy or Sweet candy? Sweet, especially white chocolate

5) Photographs or Paintings? Paintings

Ask me at Natasha's blog!

You now have an opportunity to ask me, SARAH, questions you've always wanted to know about beauty! It will be like the interview I had with Becca at her blog, except this time, YOU ask the questions.

But don't ask them here, comment at Natasha Atkerson's blog on THIS POST: http://natashaatkerson.blogspot.com/2011/01/ask-sarah-beauty-q-and.html

Hurry, the deadline to submit questions is FEBRUARY 16.

Questions About Hair Answered!

I (Sarah) did a Q&A with Becca Ann aka pink_becca3 on her blog. She asks me questions about all things hair care, and common questions about split ends, hair types, and shampooing and conditioning. I'll include a piece of the interview here, and follow the link at the end to read the rest!

Becca: Is it true that the more you do stuff with your hair (like braids, straightening, etc) the more likely you are to get split ends or cause breakage and even more likely if your hair is wet?


Sarah: Yes, definitely. Wet hair is much more fragile than dry hair. Putting your hair in a ponytail can easily cause you hair to break because the hair expands as it dries and the ponytail holder cause stress to the strand, possibly causing it to break off. The same goes for tight braids. Not using a heat protection product on your hair when blow drying or using mechanical heat (like flat ironing or curling) can actually cause it to melt from the inside, even if you can’t tell from the outside. NEVER use mechanical heat on wet hair!


Becca: Is there any ways that you can make your hair grow faster by eating certain things, or using certain things?
 

Click here to read the answer and more!

We've been interviewed!

Haylie and Sarah have been interviewed by one of the beautiful ladies who participated in the online fashion show... Yours Truly! She included questions about beauty, inner beauty, fashion, futures, what makes us laugh or cry, angry or happy. It was so much fun! Thanks, girl!

To read them, go here and here.

Interview with the Ladies from Modest is Hottest Blog

This past month I was privileged with the opportunity to interview two wonderful, Christian girls who you may know as Sal and Me. They are ‘two best friends who live 2,000 miles apart’ who write a modesty blog known as “Modest is Hottest”. They have happily agreed to do an interview with us and I am honored to share their wonderful story and testimony with you lovely ladies! Let us begin!

1) What does modesty mean to you?
~ Me “To me, modesty means dressing and acting in a way that deserves respect. When you do that, people respect you for who you are. When you dress inappropriately people don’t respect you because the way you dress shows that you’re not looking for respect.”
~ Sal “Modesty means not only covering your body appropriately, but also your attitude. There are girls who dress modestly, yet do not have an attitude and heart that is sending the same message. This contradicts your way of dressing. Modesty does not mean wearing long skirts and loose, home sewn shirts. You can have fun when you dress modestly, and people will notice that you are dressing nicely and yet you don't show skin! Some girls think it is impossible. It is a challenge. I love to make an immodest item of clothing modest, but let me warn you, it's not possible with everything!”

2) What do you think the secret to modesty is?
~Me “Living it! Don’t just say you want to dress modestly. Live it with all your heart and make it one of your biggest goals in life. Picture yourself as an example to others and dress how you want your little sister or daughter to see you. Don’t judge others just because they dress outside your opinion of where the line should be drawn. If you do that, people won’t respect your opinions.”
~Sal “Your attitude. Your heart. If you dress modestly because you know that its right but you don't really want to, people can see that and you can too. You can slip into a way of dressing that is not flaunting skin, but still immodest because of an attitude like that. Wanting to dress modestly is a key to success. Making it an everyday thing is a key to success also. Something that I like to think about is that I am a princess. I need to dress in a way that shows that. I am not flaunting skin to attract a guy. I am waiting because my Father, the King, has a prince for me. I dress modestly knowing that when I do, I am helping a guy save his eyes and mind for his princess someday.”

3) What are some verses that you have discovered that help you with your modesty? How have they helped you?
~Me Psalm 139:13-16 “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are they works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (KJV) This verse really helps when you need to know that someone cares. God loves us so very much that He planned it all way ahead of time. You are no mistake. He already has my days planned out ahead of time and I am of worth to Him. I don’t need to dress to get attention because I don’t need it. I already know He loves me. I already know that someone cares.”
~Sal “Matthew 6:30, Psalm 45:13, Proverbs 31, Jeremiah 1:4-10 Psalm 45:13 “The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.” (KJV) I need to trust God to bring me the clothes that I need and desire, and when I do, He does. (Matthew 6:30) I am a princess and I need to dress and act like one. (Psalm 45:13)I need to be the woman God created me to be. (Proverbs 31- I (Haylie) highly suggest you read this chapter.) I need to show the world that there are youth who choose their way of dressing with wisdom, because many people out there think we are all thinking about drugs, money, guys, etc. We need to show them we are more than what they think. We are more than just youth. (Jeremiah 1:4-10)”

4) What is your definition of fashion?
~Me “Fashion isn’t about what all the celebrities are wearing even though that’s how people distort it. Fashion is about what YOU think totally rocks!”
~Sal “Fashion? What's that? Seriously, I don't care what is in style. If something is in style and I wear it, it's because I really like it. If I buy something that is “in" it is because I have liked it and it was never available but now that it's “in" it is available to me. I don't keep up on the latest trends. I think a lot of them are ridiculous. I have my own style, and there is no way I am going to dress like everyone else just because that's how everyone else is dressing. For me, fashion is not at all on my mind. I just don't think about it.”

5) What encouraged you to write this blog?
~Me “...I went through a long period during the ages 10 and 11 where I was a total tomboy who wouldn’t wear anything pink LOL! It was then that I realized how distorted everything was! I was hit by the shock of people dressing to get attention and I just wanted my voice heard among all the confusion. Sal is a perfect example to me of someone who lets her voice be heard. After I started the blog, I asked [Sal] to join forces with me... It has proved to be a total success and something very influential to my life in the past few years.”

6) How did you girls become friends?
~Me “Our families have both known each other since before we were born. We spent our first several years of life seeing each other on a regular basis. Our parents were traveling together a lot in ministry when we were toddlers.”
~Sal “We have known each other our whole lives. Literally. Me's family and my family knew each other before we were in the picture.”

7) Are you girls really best friends 2,000 miles apart?
~Me “Oh yeah! We both have been best friends ever since we were tiny little girls! Just because we live so far apart doesn’t mean we can’t be best friends. No matter how far apart we are, we will always be close. Sal and I are so much alike, yet so different. Our friendship is very special to both of us and means more to me than just about anything.”

8) What made you girls 2,000 miles apart?
~Sal “Once upon a time, which we can barely remember now because it was so long ago, we lived next to each other. Off and on through the years since then, we have lived in the same state, though still hundreds of miles apart, and not for very long. It's hard to arrange sleepovers at these kinds of distances. LOL!”

9) What is your favorite thing about fashion?
~Me “My favorite thing about fashion is that I can make it mean anything I want to me. Whatever I like is in style to me! I don’t have to follow anyone’s rules because I’m the boss of what I like!”
~Sal “My favorite thing about fashion is that I don't have to follow it. I don't need to memorize its do’s and dont’s, other than don't pair gold with silver or black with brown. (Some people can actually pull them off; just usually one of those people isn't me). I make up my own rules about what I am going to wear. I do love how, because of fashion, new things come onto store shelves and I get to have a variety of things in my wardrobe. I also love how, because of fashion, people get rid of clothes that are like new because they aren't "in" anymore and then I get to discover them!”

10) What are your favorite stores to shop in and why?
~Me “I like ‘Wal-Mart’ because you can get really low clearance prices on super cute stuff. I like ‘Claire’s’ because they have so many cute accessories, and ‘Deb’s’ because they have awesome stuff for low prices. ‘Maurice’s’ is great because they have cute jeans/shorts, and I like Ross because of their prices…the list goes on forever!”
~Sal “I like ‘Wal-Mart’ because of the low prices. I like ‘Christopher and Banks’ because of their skirts. ‘Kohl’s’ is great because of their shoes and great sales. Thrift Stores are fun because of the great, almost new, and sometimes new clothes to be found there for low prices. I also like any store that sells fabric so that I can make some of my own clothes!”

11) If you could tell girls ONE thing, what would it be?
~Me “I want everyone to realize they’re beautiful. I want people to know that they’re of worth. Don’t spend all your time worrying about what people think of you or wondering if anyone cares. Accept yourself for who you are and know that God does care and he loves you. He made you beautiful.”
~Sal “Girls, you are so beautiful, and you don't even know it. Stop looking at the mirror. Look to Jesus because He is the very reflection of His Father, and do you know how beautiful He is? He wants His beauty to reflect off of your face so others can see it. Don't try to flaunt skin to get a guy. God's got one for you and all you have to do is wait, pray, and trust God. Don't let peer pressure get you down, do what you know is right. Love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and body.”

Interview with Modest Blends!

We've been interviewed! Thanks to Elizabeth from Modest Blends for taking the time to ask us some questions. You can check out what we said about fashion, modesty, and being different on purpose here.

Interview!

Hey, Ladies! We’re over on Shannon Primicerio’s blog today! She is the author of The Divine Dance, and the Being A Girl series, among many more.

Before you head over there, check out what she says about modesty in her book, The Divine Dance:

“With questions like “How much cleavage is too much?” and rulers that measure to make sure that shorts and skirts just barley make the grade for school dress codes, Christian girls are selling themselves short and are buying into the trends of this world. We toss purity out the window on return for popularity. Many times, we get up on the stage and take off the righteous garments Christ has clothed us in and we are left standing naked before an audience that doesn’t really care. I think we are so willing to be immodest in our outfits because we have forgotten who we are. We are daughters of the Most High God; we are princesses from the line of the King of Kings. Princesses do not dress like women off the street who are selling the bodies. As a daughter of the King, you are expected to dress and act like a princess at all times, not just Sunday mornings when you find yourself within the palace walls.”

And one last thing from Shannon before you go…

“The biggest problem with Christians and clothing is that our thinking is off. We forget that our clothing defines the way others see us. We forget that we are dancing not for the applause of men, but for God’s applause. We forget that the point of our lives is to lead others to Him, and if they do not see an outward difference in our lifestyles, they will never see the inward difference in our hearts. Sometimes the message of Christ’s death on the cross is lost because we have adorned ourselves in so much glitter that people cannot see Jesus.”
“So next time you find yourself flipping through the racks of your favorite store, remember fashion isn’t a crime – but bad fashion is. Invest as much time into putting on the fruits of the Spirit as you do putting on your clothes and your makeup.”

Okay, now go! :)