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The Beauty of Modesty: Cultivating Virtue in the Face of a Vulgar Culture
A look at our cultural preferences today of showing as much skin as possible transposed against the choice to be modest and the values of the choice.
226 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 21, 2022
Modesty is a topic that isn't talked about much these days. I found this book refreshing in its willingness to boldly address this topic from a biblical perspective.
Some of the things that struck me were -
1. Immodesty in women is not a new issue. (There were a number of quotes from writers of yesteryear that seemed like they were written now.)
e.g. - quoting Martin Luther - ".....neither were public prostitution and lewdness tolerated (as now)." The "as now" are his words. Also, a godly woman should dress in "edifying apparel, which offends, entraps, or scandalizes the eyes of no one."
quoting John Newton - "Why should a godly woman, or one who wishes to be thought so, make herself ridiculous, or hazard a suspicion of her character, to please and imitate an ungodly world?" Why, indeed!!
2. Although modesty is, in part, and outward display, it comes from the heart attitude. As you read the book, you may have reason to look at your heart attitude.
3. Modesty is not just about dress, but about words and actions as well.
A couple things I did not appreciate about the book:
The authors characterized fundamental Christians (as a group) negatively. (This was a minor part of the book.)
Also, chapter 9, "Hearth and Home," was my least favorite chapter. There was a definite covenant theology flavor, and there were also some confusing statements, as well as contradictory statements.
Overall, I thought this book did a good job in calling for modesty to be an integral part of the Christian community. (Although, sadly, it is often lacking.) Read the book with discernment, but also with a willingness to be convicted and changed.
Some of the things that struck me were -
1. Immodesty in women is not a new issue. (There were a number of quotes from writers of yesteryear that seemed like they were written now.)
e.g. - quoting Martin Luther - ".....neither were public prostitution and lewdness tolerated (as now)." The "as now" are his words. Also, a godly woman should dress in "edifying apparel, which offends, entraps, or scandalizes the eyes of no one."
quoting John Newton - "Why should a godly woman, or one who wishes to be thought so, make herself ridiculous, or hazard a suspicion of her character, to please and imitate an ungodly world?" Why, indeed!!
2. Although modesty is, in part, and outward display, it comes from the heart attitude. As you read the book, you may have reason to look at your heart attitude.
3. Modesty is not just about dress, but about words and actions as well.
A couple things I did not appreciate about the book:
The authors characterized fundamental Christians (as a group) negatively. (This was a minor part of the book.)
Also, chapter 9, "Hearth and Home," was my least favorite chapter. There was a definite covenant theology flavor, and there were also some confusing statements, as well as contradictory statements.
Overall, I thought this book did a good job in calling for modesty to be an integral part of the Christian community. (Although, sadly, it is often lacking.) Read the book with discernment, but also with a willingness to be convicted and changed.
February 1, 2009
Own. Style is weak, but the thesis and defense excellent. Only 1/3-1/4 is about clothing. Modesty is a matter of the heart.
November 13, 2009
Oh yes, I would recommend this book with high regard! This book is smacked full with plain old biblical wisdom, with a solid understanding that dress and manner alike are for the sake of others. The book fleshes out the meaning of “my life for yours.” It highlights how we honor or dishonor others by our dress, and by the manner in which we carry ourselves.
Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan have girded up for this book, and are hitting the lies of the flesh, the world, and the devil smack in the face. This book is for the whole family! It is not just about tight pants and low cut tops, this book unveils what we are saying by the way we dress – be it man or woman. We show honor to a bride and groom, by wearing beautiful clothes to their wedding, as opposed to dishonoring them by wearing jeans. A potato-sack dress dishonors the body because it denies the truth that God made women as the glory of man. In the same way that a low-top dishonors the body because it denies the truth that our bodies do not belong to us. Our bodies belong to our spouse and the sensual parts of our bodies are to be honored and reserved for their unique purpose, which is to intoxicate our spouse, not our neighbor.
This book could not have come at a better time, when so many Christians look just like some tramp of the world. Whether it is high class or low class immodesty, we need a wakeup call. I hope God uses this careful cutting book, The Beauty of Modesty, to give a good shaking to His sleeping church.
Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan have girded up for this book, and are hitting the lies of the flesh, the world, and the devil smack in the face. This book is for the whole family! It is not just about tight pants and low cut tops, this book unveils what we are saying by the way we dress – be it man or woman. We show honor to a bride and groom, by wearing beautiful clothes to their wedding, as opposed to dishonoring them by wearing jeans. A potato-sack dress dishonors the body because it denies the truth that God made women as the glory of man. In the same way that a low-top dishonors the body because it denies the truth that our bodies do not belong to us. Our bodies belong to our spouse and the sensual parts of our bodies are to be honored and reserved for their unique purpose, which is to intoxicate our spouse, not our neighbor.
This book could not have come at a better time, when so many Christians look just like some tramp of the world. Whether it is high class or low class immodesty, we need a wakeup call. I hope God uses this careful cutting book, The Beauty of Modesty, to give a good shaking to His sleeping church.
March 24, 2025
I thought this was a very helpful book for Christians, male or female, to read and consider. It was not a list of do's and don't, but rather a biblical treatise on the heart and how the heart overflows into our actions (including our appearance). I will be reading it with all my teens in the coming years.
February 17, 2019
Two out of ten.
It's hard for me to be objective with this book, I admit. I believe modesty is important, but the entire effort is terrible. An embarrassment to the Christian community, really, like most other products of the Religious Right. It's stylistically abysmal, condescendingly patriarchal, and theologically suspect.
There's little or no original thought in this book. In fact, its single bright spot is the high volume of quotations from more learned and/or respectable sources--including Wendy Shalit, whose book A Return to Modesty seems to be a much superior account of modesty issues. The text actually written for this work consists mainly of pseudotheological obfuscation and right-wing Evangelical religious clichés. Further, this volume contains enough simple grammar and mechanics inconsistencies to annoy any careful reader.
Though the cover notes David J. Vaughan and his wife Diane Vaughan as coauthors, it's obvious who had the final word, consciously or subconsciously, on multiple issues. A continually recurring theme is the old game of blaming male lust issues on female "immodesty" including, sometimes specifically, culturally appropriate attire. What's more, modesty is presented as an imperative strictly for females within the 187 pages of the book proper; a discussion on modesty in men is restricted to about five short paragraphs in an afterword.
The Beauty of Modesty is chock-full of personal dogma, which is unapologetically presented as universal truth. Perhaps there's a correlation between that and the website dedicated to stories of "spiritual abuse" at David J. Vaughan's church. (That's a pretty nasty ad hominem, but I can't help feeling it's warranted.
Don't read this book expecting a well-reasoned defense of a Christian ideal. Nor a practical handbook for appropriate application. In fact, I remain unconvinced of its general utility.
It's hard for me to be objective with this book, I admit. I believe modesty is important, but the entire effort is terrible. An embarrassment to the Christian community, really, like most other products of the Religious Right. It's stylistically abysmal, condescendingly patriarchal, and theologically suspect.
There's little or no original thought in this book. In fact, its single bright spot is the high volume of quotations from more learned and/or respectable sources--including Wendy Shalit, whose book A Return to Modesty seems to be a much superior account of modesty issues. The text actually written for this work consists mainly of pseudotheological obfuscation and right-wing Evangelical religious clichés. Further, this volume contains enough simple grammar and mechanics inconsistencies to annoy any careful reader.
Though the cover notes David J. Vaughan and his wife Diane Vaughan as coauthors, it's obvious who had the final word, consciously or subconsciously, on multiple issues. A continually recurring theme is the old game of blaming male lust issues on female "immodesty" including, sometimes specifically, culturally appropriate attire. What's more, modesty is presented as an imperative strictly for females within the 187 pages of the book proper; a discussion on modesty in men is restricted to about five short paragraphs in an afterword.
The Beauty of Modesty is chock-full of personal dogma, which is unapologetically presented as universal truth. Perhaps there's a correlation between that and the website dedicated to stories of "spiritual abuse" at David J. Vaughan's church. (That's a pretty nasty ad hominem, but I can't help feeling it's warranted.
Don't read this book expecting a well-reasoned defense of a Christian ideal. Nor a practical handbook for appropriate application. In fact, I remain unconvinced of its general utility.
April 21, 2012
I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would, I actually didn't end up finishing it because it didn't jibe with what I expected. It was far more theological than practical - but if that aspect of modesty appeals to you, or is something you are interested in researching, this would be a good book for you.
May 22, 2013
Modesty matters! Yes, it concerns clothing. But it is more than clothes. What we wear on the outside reflects what we believe on the inside. And it isn't just a female issue. Modesty concerns both men and women.
[To read my full review, visit my blog Sarah, Plain & Average, here: http://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot...]
[To read my full review, visit my blog Sarah, Plain & Average, here: http://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot...]
February 25, 2012
If I was able to I would rate this book 5.5 stars, but they won't let me.
I love how biblically based the ideas put forth in this book. This book gives a really good foundation for what modesty is, that modesty starts and is mainly to do with your mind set.
I love how biblically based the ideas put forth in this book. This book gives a really good foundation for what modesty is, that modesty starts and is mainly to do with your mind set.
January 15, 2009
Quite good.
August 19, 2009
Best book I've read on the subject
January 5, 2010
This book was more then just about outer purity, it when deap into the inner workings of our mind on how we veiw modesty and how our thoughts influence out dress.
February 13, 2013
Such an AMAZING book! You will learn there is more to modesty than just the way you dress. Every family needs to own and read this book together!
July 27, 2016
Should be required reading, dressing modestly or not. A great discussion of what is now called "modest is the new sexy" and the blandness of too much skin
December 9, 2010
Excellent book for parents and young ladies to read and discuss.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews