In under 24 hours over 500 people took the “Do Women Dress too Sexy” survey, which was the least scientific, most general survey the researchers at FlowerDust.net has ever conducted.
It was a short survey, so here are some of the results:
On a scale of 1-10 (1 being extremely immodest and 10 being extremely modest) how would you rank the level of modesty for women who claim to be followers of Christ? The average rating was 5.
On a scale from 1-10 (with 1 meaning extremely immodest and 10 meaning extremely modest), how would you rate the modesty level of women who claim to be irreligious? The average rating was 3.5.
Have you ever been distracted by what someone was wearing at church or a church event because it was immodest? 89% said yes.
Do you think women should dress more modestly in general? 87% said yes.
The top five most “immodest” things women wear (depending on context – in order of most votes to fewer votes):
- Deep V-necks (showing obvious cleavage) 94%
- Short Skirts 82%
- Short Shorts 79%
- Tight Fitting Jeans 43% *(it should be noted many people also added leggings in an “other” field).
- Tight Fitting Shirts 31%
And finally, here are 10 comments I chose that represented ideas presented consistently in the “If there was one thing you would want to tell women about dressing modestly, what would it be?”
“Guys have a harder time than you think, so think like them for a second while you plan what you wear.”
“I know that women probably roll their eyes a lot when they hear to dress modestly, but seriously, its a huge help. A. Huge. Help. Look, if you are an attractive woman, you are right, you cant control where guys thoughts go. But you dont have to help them get there quicker. A lot of us are really trying, and small skirts or deep cleavage just sets us back, no matter how strong we are. “
“Cover the cleavage. It’s intoxicating, they’re wonderful but I should really concentrate on my wife’s and not yours.”
“My sister, when it comes to being tempted visually, I am your much weaker brother. I would humbly ask, as you exercise your wonderful freedom in Christ, you would demonstrate grace and help me in my quest to live a life that honors our great God. YOU can help ME in my weakness.”
“If women knew the devastation that their immodesty could cause a man who is struggling with porn/lust (and his family), I think they might reconsider. ESPECIALLY in church….which “should” be a safe place for men to not have to dart their eyes every 2 seconds.”
“I would tell them about my husband’s former struggles with pornography and fantasy, about how much we underestimate the power we have over helping or hindering our brother’s walks with God, and the marriages of our sisters and how much a glance at another woman’s cleavage is heartbreaking to a wife. I would tell them that while that is not their FAULT, dressing modestly is a way to love and cherish our brothers and sisters in Christ, even when the temptation to get the attention and feeling of being noticed and desired is great (especially in our society). (Maybe that’s two things? I don’t know!)”
“What makes me sad is that most of us Christian girls don’t care about protecting our Christian brother’s purity. True, there are some things a guy can do, such as look away and not look again once he’s seen the girl dressed in skimpy clothes, but we need to do our part in helping them too. The way that God made them, it’s hard for them to not look and imagine the rest. If you think what you’re wearing is modest when you’re standing up, bend over and if your breasts or buttocks hang out, change into a less revealing outfit. Also, I’ve been told by Christian guys who care about this issue that even bra straps, or anthing that looks like bra straps, coming out from under a shirt can cause their minds to go off.”
“Dressing immodestly may seem harmless to anyone but yourself, but you must realize that’s not true. Try to be respectful to men who are trying to overcome sin. They struggle with lusting after immodestly dressed women. Some have absolutely no self control to look away. It’s really hard for them!”
“You don’t understand the intensity with which men are compelled in and battle these things…not giving us more to mentally work with does not win our battle (nor does dressing provocatively lose it) but simply being thoughtful in how you dress and doing your best to help us see who you are instead of how your body looks is greatly appreciated.”
“If you are a Christ-follower, please understand the lust issues that men face. It is difficult enough for us to stay mentally pure.”
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So there you have it. I understand the survey was extremely broad and everyone has a different opinion on what “modest” is to begin with. But I hope that you’ll see some consistencies and common threads woven throughout how people responded.
Any final thoughts?
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“There are serious constitutional problems in banning someone from going to church, not to mention this runs counter to the church’s mission of inclusion, hospitality and redemption.”
