High fashion meets high standards
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
SANTA MARGARITA, CALIF.
Fifty-two young women from the Santa Margarita California Stake came together to walk the runway in a fashion show put on by professional stylists, makeup artists, hair stylists and 25 local vendors to celebrate fashionable modesty.
"The goal of the fashion show is to teach that the way you dress is a reflection of what you are on the inside," said Liz Forrest, stake Young Women president . "The way you dress sends messages about you to others and often influences the way you and others act, which is why the Church teaches modesty in dress."
To the pulsating beat of music and spotlights shining, the group of 16- to 18-year-old young women walked the 40-foot runway Saturday, March 6, at the MY STYLE Fashion Show.
Months of preparation and support from vendors and the surrounding communities made it possible for the girls to demonstrate their beliefs about the sacred nature of their bodies and their desire to be 'in' the world but not of it.
Standing alone on a runway with more than 400 guests watching can be a little scary, but standing out at high school is something these models do naturally. Dressing in a way that reflects who they are and what they believe is a challenge these young women tackle everyday.
Madison Koelliker, a 16-year-old junior in high school and member of the Live Oak Ward said, "The fashion show was so much fun. It was a great experience showing all the girls out there how we can be modest and fashion forward at the same time."
Jenny Evans, first counselor in the stake Young Women presidency, was also one of the stylists. "I could not have been happier with how the MY STYLE Fashion Show turned out," she said. "Our purpose was to teach women ... how to choose clothing from the stores they love and wear them modestly, looking beautiful and current," she said. "Both the guests and the models expressed to me how much fun they had and shared their appreciation for all the hard work that went on behind the scenes. Despite the girls' inexperience, they walked down the runway with confidence. They felt good and looked beautiful while showing everyone how to dress fashionably and modestly."
