Maybe you’ve heard it before, maybe you haven’t. Maybe you couldn’t care less about the saying, and maybe its one you personally hold close to your morals. Whatever your presumptions or beliefs are regarding this slogan, a discussion and reconsideration of this topic has certain cultural and social value hard to find elsewhere.

Worship artist Jaime Jamgochian is the one who formally began this campaign:

“The biggest thing God did when I got saved was restore hope in a lot of areas. I was searching for hope in all the wrong places, in temporary things—relationships, body image and success.”

After more background and explanation of her program centered around the phrase “Modest is Hottest,” the main page of the website leaves us with:

“Take out a pink Sharpie, and take note, girls: Modest really is hottest.”

While I genuinely appreciate and admire her earlier words of inspiration and hope, this somewhat tacky ending just left me thinking: why a pink Sharpie?

Anyways, at a Catholic school, the emphasis on modesty is almost expected to be more strict than at, say, a public school. And as a young Catholic woman, I would say honestly: rightfully so. But aside from Bible passages addressing modesty and Nazareth promoting it and banning certain clothes such as yoga pants, modesty  —  and the lack thereof — still exists in our everyday world. When I first heard the slogan “Modest is Hottest,” I laughed a little bit at its cleverness, and consequently revered it, noticing its elements of sheer truth, respect, morality and purity. Shouldn’t a woman possess all of these things?

The answer would be yes, but it is not as simple as that. Until I was informed by a teacher and explored a few articles, I hadn’t thought twice about the effectiveness and positivity of the phrase. However, others’ opinions opened up my mindset about the subject — and I am glad they did. There is something so invaluable in shifting perspectives, seeing as others see.

The truth is, covering up with appropriate clothing is just one facet of modesty. Real modesty is made of a deeper something, that is, it must grow intrinsically. Girls should dress modestly and appropriately because they genuinely want to, not because they are ashamed of their body. If they are only dressing modestly because their society, their mothers and their religion are insisting they do, they are dressing for the approval of others. Sound familiar? It’s eerily similar to the girls dressing promiscuously solely to please or attract men (for the approval of others).

Maggie Harrington, a junior at Nazareth, expressed her meaning of modesty:

“A broad definition of modesty has to do with discernment, dressing in a way that separates inappropriate styles of dress from a wardrobe to have full awareness of ourselves and our environment to practice decorum and self control.  However, modesty may take on a deeper meaning, [encompassing] one’s attitude, demeanor, and actions.”

She recognizes modesty’s implications, centering on the individual’s intent and behavior.

Primarily, the slogan centers on the woman’s body — much like society does. While the workshop offered likely contains more than this,  probably delving into the intellectual, spiritual and future goals of young women, what about the thousands of girls who just see and read the phrase?

Associating the word “hottest,” one inextricably tied to both superficiality and sexuality, with the word and goal of modesty, is a clear dichotomy that not everyone notices. Finding rhetorical techniques is an odd talent of mine, and it was an epiphany when I realized the “Modest is Hottest” is in fact one — a paradox. I know its real message, and of course I read it contextually. I wholeheartedly agree with its overall claim, yet I have a problem with the way its worded. Women who read this slogan may be swayed in the wrong direction; logically, modest breeds the outcome of “hottest” (i.e. the positive approval, albeit superficial, of others and men, and the overall power society holds on the women’s body). But as I said earlier, modesty grows from within, out of confidence, not fear. It is not just conservative clothes that mean modesty. Modesty also implies a respectful way of acting, preserving self-worth and dignity, finding confidence inside yourself and not rudely flaunting materialistic, intellectual or physical gifts you have been given. All aspects should be genuine, not for the acceptance or mere lack of judgement from others.

Real Catholic teaching says that bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit — they are sacred and should be wholly respected. But teaching also expresses the beauty and miracle that is the female body. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people claim that Catholicism believes sex is unnatural and unhealthy — this is far from true. These skewed claims may depend on the lack of knowledge from those who believe it, but they also could be a result of the way certain church leaders, ministers and laity express the Catholic position on sex and the female body. Often it is harsh and shaming on young women, deeming them as sinful if their skirt is, God forbid, an inch or two too short. I’m sorry, but if young men are too distracted by that, they are the one with the problem. Will the circulated reason for women’s modesty be because we don’t want these poor boys to be distracted by girls’ revealing bodies? We need to let girls know the real reason for modesty.

Furthermore, an important factor to consider is the judgement, behavior and actions of men. Women are objectified everyday. Some call it inevitable, and to some extent, it may be. That is not to say the respect and self-control of men can’t be promoted more regularly or more powerfully. Obviously it would be a false generalization to say it was all or most men to blame, but you’d be surprised at how many girls have experienced a whistle, sexual harassment, or even some form of sexual exploitation, to whatever degree, at a certain point in their lifetime. Sadly, even at a Catholic school this seems to be a problem just the same. 1 in 8 girls will be sexually abused in their lifetime. It is not solely men responsible for the issue of women objectification; its beginnings are ingrained in the social and gender structures of society. But this is a statistic that speaks volumes and cannot be ignored. I do believe women should dress modestly, but if an outfit she wears is revealing or is merely stylish and eye-provoking, it is not okay for men or other women to react in judgement, harassment or any kind of abuse.

I strongly believe girls should be taught, from a young age, the importance of inner beauty and the confidence they must attain and emit to stand strong amidst a world that dictates their self-worth through their body. Why is there not a presentation or talk about this pressing issue in all schools? Why is all young women hear at their school pertaining to modesty You will be given a detention if you wear x, y or z? I deeply appreciate the More Than a Pretty Face Campaign last year, but this seems to be one of the only specific women-empowering activities at Naz in all of my four years. That is not to say I’ve felt particularly oppressed, but more so just a strong suggestion for Nazareth’s future classes. Even just referrals in guidance to things like community events or workshops regarding this issue could go a long way.

There may not be many activities or presentations regarding modesty at Naz, but Harrington still believes “modesty and piety are the foundation of [Nazareth’s pillars: Scholarship, Service, Spirit, and Unity].” And they are. But how exactly is that imposed on girls?

Nazareth senior Megan O’kane also shared her thoughts on the subject:

“ Nazareth has enforced modesty very well through our school code, and having a uniform definitely helps… [but] a controversial issue is the ban on yoga pants and leggings. I understand why these clothes aren’t allowed, and respect the rule. But the issue also brings up a good point. I respect anyone who has the confidence to uphold themselves in a modest way through their appearance, but I also commend those who have the confidence to dress in a way that maybe would not be deemed modest by all, but in what they are comfortable to wear and feel good in.”

I don’t want to change or fight against the yoga pants rule. What I want to point out is what it represents, what it implies. Even if it is upheld with good intentions for young women, it still symbolizes this restriction on specifically females. The whole idea of dictating what we should wear, and instilling a fear in us that we will receive a detention if we break the rule is — alone — really not the ideal system. However, with different clubs, events or speakers happening throughout the year, modesty would be more truthfully and accurately defined, communicated and upheld. I think the question is, how can we dress for ourselves while simultaneously remaining appropriate?

It’s also important to note the real intentions of women and their personal freedoms. Women are scolded with derogatory names, yet this is often based on superficial matters. “The way I dress is mainly determined to the mood I am in that day or how I want to feel in an outfit,” said O’kane. “My outfit decision does not always revolve around who I think will be seeing what I’m wearing.”

Her point embodies my overall claim: women should never dress solely for the approval of others, but rather to express their own idea of beauty and style. Furthermore, I think there are situations where more professional and conservative dress is required, but outside entities should never scare or shame us into modest dress. Years and years after the feminist movement, women oppression is still a lingering presence in our current world.

Modest is Hottest and its future legacy, although not the most widespread yet, will likely be subjects of contention and disagreement in our society. For a strong argument, leaders, writers, students and most importantly women themselves should discover the inherent complexities of the issue, the historical ties of women oppression and even the ambiguous quality of the very word modesty. Additionally, it is important to note that this is not just a religious matter. The phrase may have its roots in religion, but its relevance and importance are stemmed in all of society.

You cannot ignore the flaws of the campaign, and moreover the slogan itself. Like all paradoxes though, at least it contains some element of truth.