Rappers, Rock Stars, and Ruffians

Is it just me or do many of the clothes in stores look like a tiger has clawed through them after having been drug on the back of a truck across America?

What is with the new wave of putting seven-years-olds not in bows and sparkles, but rather in studded hot pants and strappy mini dresses? Let's talk about the wave of fashion from rappers, rock stars, and ruffians. We have been taking fashion advice from this group and other celebrities for decades. There is something so alluring about the way they dress and act. The attitude is, "I don't care what you think. I am going to be myself!" This is the problem... 

Sisters, the last thing I want is to "be myself." "Myself" is a sinful, self-centered wretch that will eat me alive. Christ has saved me from myself and now my life is renewed in Him!

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.  Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. (bolding mine)

Colossians 3:5-11

 And so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled,pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

Titus 2:4-6

So my question is: If rock stars and rappers dress in a certain way to express their worldview of following one's self, then should we desire to dress like them?

Well, it goes back to the question of how you want to be perceived. People are looking at you and summing you up as soon as you walk out of the door by how you dress. Grungy rock star or tight and flashy pop star clothing will send out a message that you want to be like them.

"And behold, the woman meets him dressed as a prostitute..."

Proverbs 7:10

The Proverbs 7 woman is an example in the Bible of a bad girl. She is after sin and lustful ambitions. This verse tells us how she dressed, because her appearance told men she was open to their affections. In biblical times, there was strong distinction of dress. Virgins dressed differently than married women. Sometimes in today's society, it can be hard to tell what a girl is trying to show through her attire... but maybe it's not so hard.

Oftentimes, we dress for acceptance and this is okay, but first think about the crowd you long to be accepted by before jumping into the way they dress and act. Ask yourself if their attitudes and lifestyles are ones that are aligned with scripture and for the glory of the Lord. This will help you determine if you should desire to dress like them or if you should run from their fashion statements.

Keep your eyes on Jesus and not the things of this world; He will help you make wise choices as daughters of the Highest King! We are not lost daughters of the earth, doomed to empty goals, following our own selves to death. So let's pass over the items in the store that are inspired by Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Madonna, and Miley Cyrus. Their paths are set in darkness, and we have the privilege of showing light!

From mud pies to bubble baths...

It's magical, in a way. Little girls running around with no concern of grooming, then, almost overnight, turning into young women who care a great deal about how they look. From pony tails to curling irons and mud pies to bubble baths!

The transition from girlhood to womanhood, when kept pure, is one that can be full of delight! It can be the start to becoming a beautiful biblical woman -- or a start down the path of the wily Proverbs 7 Woman. Little girls who come from a strong family are oftentimes very confident and feel secure. Their biggest concerns are playing with dolls and arguing about what they dislike on the plate of food set before them. My niece is still of the age that she has never looked in the mirror and disliked anything she sees. She believes (and my family and I often reassure her) that she is beautiful, and because she doesn't compare herself to other four-year-olds, she never thinks anything different. The transition between girlhood to young womanhood can cause a girl to feel very vulnerable. She does a lot of comparing and thinking about how she measures up. The world is well aware of this vulnerable time and tries to take full advantage of it.

This transition can be compared to a small tender blossom about to bloom, and every girl is faced with a decision -- will she become a beautiful rose, or a thorn that pierces her family and friends? A tender blossom is in great need of care and guidance. If she doesn't find beauty reflected at home, she will seek it outside the home, looking at anyone who will show it to her. Many times the beauty is fake, but the blossom receives it as truth and then patterns her life after this new source of "beauty." This outside source could be the latest pop star or the most popular gal in town. It is never a question of if the blossom is following someone -- the question is who she is following.

When I was very young, my mother sought out role models for me. In a sense, they paved the way for me in fashion, character, attitude, and relationships with friends, family -- and with Christ! Maybe they didn't realize this little girl's watching eyes, mimicking their every move, or perhaps they did. Till this day I still look up to these young women as they now show what biblical wifehood and motherhood look like. I pray someday I can still follow in their footsteps.

We are either role models or observers -- or oftentimes both at the same time! We all learn by observation and then mimic what we have seen. This is the way we learned to talk, eat, and walk. My concern is that so many tender blossoms are being neglected and unguided by older sisters in Christ who could illuminate the path of the Christian walk; instead, these older sisters choose to live selfishly with no concern for the little feet behind them.

So be warned if you are a teen and beyond -- you are being watched by little eyes who will pattern their lives after you. That is not said to "puff up" your ego; this is just a simple truth. My prayer is that tender blossoms will grow into beautiful blooms with the opportunity to pattern themselves after godly young women who seek to follow the Lord.

Silk and Purple was created, in part, to act as a positive role model for young ladies where none else can be found. This is a role we take very seriously, and we continually examine all we do in the context of pointing girls to Christ.

So will you lead these tender blossoms into a beautiful bloom showing them the difference between flowers and thorns? Will you model Christ?

"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

1 Timothy 4:12

*******************************************

This is a book my mother and I read when I was young. A great read for girls!

To find this book, click here!

Question and Answer

Q: How high is too high when it comes to high heels?

A: Let's think about why and when heeled shoes were created. A small heel has been around for hundreds of years, but I would say it was during the Renaissance and especially the Baroque eras that shoes became their own fashion statement. They were no longer just necessity, but could be frivolity!

The classic pump as we know it today appeared in the early 1900s. The purpose behind wearing these shoes was to make one taller and create a longer looking leg. Dresses at this time became a lot shorter than in previous annals of history, so legs were now noticed. As time moved on, so did the height of the heel -- from a small 1-1.5 inch to a shocking 6.5-7! The 1960s and '70s platform also changed the shoe movement. These generations seemed to want to push the limit on everything! In the '80s and '90s, heels took a little rest. As women were climbing the ladder of success in the corporate world, shoes had to become more practical, and the only gals wearing the over-the-top high heels were Hollywood stars and desperate prostitutes.

Along the way, taking us into the new millennium, we met up with a woman named Carrie Bradshaw, a.k.a., Sarah Jessica Parker, on a provocative, hit television show. She taught us that you can "have it all" and "do it all" in sky-high, sexy, platform heels! Parker and her gang changed the face of western civilization by somehow "empowering" women to be symbols of lustful ambition and still be "classy," just because they were searching for “true love.” Their view of fashion has now penetrated our culture -- shoes being an ultimate symbol of lust!

Now, let's don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Shoes are not evil! They can, however, become objects of a stereotype. I personally like a reasonable-sized heel when I'm dressing an outfit up a little more. When I wear a longer dress or skirt, heels are a great way to balance the proportion to my form. Also, they are a great way to add a splash of color and personality to an outfit -- very classy when done correctly.

When selecting any shoe to wear, first consider the efficiency it will provide you. If you are only thinking about keeping your balance in a pair of 4-inchers, then I would suggest picking a lower-sized heel. Playing to our vanity can be easy to do when all we are thinking about is what we are wearing. Our concern should be for others, not keeping our balance and wondering how many people are admiring us when we walk across a room.

A pair of 2-inch black heels are, I believe, a basic, but talk with your parents about the shoes and find the best fit for you as a representative of Christ and your family.

************************

Have a question? 

Send it to us via facebook or e-mail and we will try our best to answer it and post it on Silk and Purple's QnA Page!

Reflections from the Dressing Room

I've seen it more times than I wish to -- girls snapping photos in the dressing room in the shortest tube dresses they can squeeze into and then posting it on their social networking pages. As if wearing the dress in real life isn't bad enough, now they have it documented in the public archives of their lives.

What is with the obsession of snapping photos of ourselves, then

posting them on our social feeds?

I think it all has to do with the little thing called vanity.

Oooooh, how it hurts to admit it.

Our vanity is easily fed by the technology around us. We want folks to look at us and admire our beauty and material possessions, but what if we desired for people to admire our hearts? I don't mean becoming a Pharisee with a "holier than thou" attitude, but living a life that exemplifies character rather than what a camera or mirror can capture.

We are in great need of examining ourselves in a mirror, and I'm not referring to the ones on the wall or in our purses. The mirror I'm referring to examines the reflections of our hearts -- the Bible. God has left His Word as a way for us to reflect on His goodness and statutes. We need to look deeply into His mirror to see if we are truly reflecting Him!

So here is a challenge to you and me: let's purpose to spend an equal amount of time in reflecting on what is in our hearts as we do reflecting on our outward appearances. Yes, we must take time to properly groom ourselves to be presentable, and I love to see the joy of youthful delight through a photo on social media, but the young woman who portrays the wily Proverbs 7 woman brings disgrace and temptation to all who view her picture. The immodest photos young women snap from their dressing rooms are displaying their bodies in a way that creates lust. Perhaps many don't realize what this is doing to the men around them, but then again, many do.

We must be very careful of the way we present ourselves to the world. A photo can speak a thousand words, and as Christians, we should desire for those words to be honoring to our Heavenly Father!

Ask yourself what the world sees. For me, I hope you see Jesus : )

Great Interview

Take a few minutes and listen to this interview with Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin about their new book It's (Not That) Complicated: How to Relate to Guys in a Healthy, Sane, and Biblical Way.

Click here to listen to the interview!
Find out more about the book here!