So what makes the ‘modest’ clothing list??

[MissChief001]

Was browsing the M&S app and came across an option for Modest Clothing in the Women’s drop down list. So are they saying all clothing items outside of this is deemed not modest? And who decides what is modest? If I cover myself with a duvet do I become ‘extra modest’??

P.S but I do agree that ‘Full coverage’ would be better because so many people do attribute moral judge to clothing choices.

It's not 'full coverage' though, is it? Modest doesn't always mean that every inch of skin is covered.

Why has this upset you so much OP? Can't put my finger on it

I am diabetic and I wear a sensor on my arm. I hate having this on display at work. It can be sometimes be hard to judge online whether tops will cover the sensor. Thanks op - I didn't know about this filter, I will use that.

Seriously though, filters just help people find the clothes they are looking for. They don't limit choice, just make life a bit easier.

Just because social media is binary, life isn't. You can have a 'modest' clothing range, without every other single item being deemed 'immodest'. I am sure the same item of clothing appears under multiple filters.

The implication is that other clothes are immodest

Only if you want it to be. What’s wrong with immodest clothing?

This is like when I got outraged in a camping shop advertising Mummy sleeping bags about how ridiculous it was to assume women needed a specifically patterned sleeping bag and why Mummy? Do women without children have different sleeping bag needs?

Friend laughed at me then calmly pointed out it's the shape, tapered at the foot and so vaguely like an Egyptian sarcophagus.

Just because social media is binary, life isn't. You can have a 'modest' clothing range, without every other single item being deemed 'immodest'. I am sure the same item of clothing appears under multiple filters.

Well put.

I don’t have an issue with it at all. I much prefer “modest” swimwear. So it’s handy having a common use word rather than having to Google swimsuit with shoulders/ short sleeves/ shorts and seeing what internet throws at you.

It’s just marketing, OP.

The target market for these garments is Muslim, and in some parts of the country Orthodox Jewish, women who dress ‘modestly’ for religious & cultural reasons.

😁

I don’t think there’s an issue with it! I’ve worked with a few Muslim women, both who wore western dress but were fully covered in modest clothes. The last woman, (early 20s) we used to go to Zara in our lunch break together but she explained to me what she wore and what was considered modest, including when she went on a beach holiday to Turkey and to Dubai, eg burkinis. She also had a boyfriend which she kept quiet from her family.

Is it? Does it mean covered fully from head to toe or not quite that full coverage?

It is ridiculous. Everyone with the slightest bit of intelligence should know what "modest" means in this context. It's just the items that fits the religious requirement of "modest clothing" gathered up from all the other sections. Given these clothes also appear on the other sections, it's blindingly obvious that these sections are not "immodest clothing"

Wow such a mixed bag of responses- for everyone who thinks i didn’t understand that target group etc- well I do. But I suppose what I’m trying to understand is why label groups in this way?
Im pretty sure the buyer is perfectly capable of picking the outfit of choice from a dropout option titled ‘women’ - if they are trying to target a specific group surely you can have a different clothing line like Autograph etc?

Cambridge dictionary:
modest adjective (CLOTHES/BEHAVIOUR)
used to describe something, such as a woman's clothes or behaviour, that is intended to avoid attracting sexual interest:
a modest walk/manner

Obviously it is a loaded term. I'm curious to know if there is a 'modest' section in the men's department. If not, why not?

Well, my reply got deleted for no reason that I can see so I'll try again. Hang on, was drawing attention to the religious basis for modest clothing offensive?

The OP is spot-on. "Modest" clothing, which, as has been pointed out has no male equivalent could quite easily be dealt with by dint of this who like this type of thing looking at the measurements of garments. There are drop-down menus that allow this.

I am amazed the apologists for this use of language.

How happy would you be to find a girls' school uniform requirements described as modest?

How happy would you be to have your work dress code specify "modest" ?

Obviously it is a loaded term. I'm curious to know if there is a 'modest' section in the men's department. If not, why not?

1. Men’s clothing in general isn’t designed to provoke sexual interest from women, whereas much of women’s clothing is designed to emphasise secondary sexual characteristics and erogenous zones.
2. Men in general don’t want to discourage sexual interest from women, so they wouldn’t buy clothing that did.
3. Though women find men physically attractive, they aren’t attracted by their physical form in the way men are.

How happy would you be to have your work dress code specify "modest" ?

Why would I be unhappy? I’m a teacher, and it makes perfect sense.

Or men who run religions don’t impose ludicrous dress restrictions upon themselves?

I didn’t include that because to some extent they do.

Google”modest clothing Muslim men”

https://www.shukr.co.uk/men.html

I agree with this, it separates women into "modest" - good, compliant, obedient, virtuous and "immodest" - bad, disobedient, deserving of contempt, sexual harassment or assault because of their "provocative" clothes.

Yep

I think the appropriate finger is the one between ring finger and index finger

I am amazed the apologists for this use of language.

and I am amazed that anyone can't understand that words have different meaning depending on context.

It's really annoying the way people wheel out the word "apologists" to insult those who don't agree with them.

"Modest" clothing, which, as has been pointed out has no male equivalent

the vast majority of male clothing is "full coverage" anyway. There would be very little "inappropriate" clothing for someone to wade through when shopping.

How happy would you be to find a girls' school uniform requirements described as modest?

absolutely fine. I mean, that's pretty much what it is anyway - for both sexes. It's a single word that conveys exactly what is required. Everyone should be able to work it out

Having a section called "modest" doesn't imply that everything else is "immodest", especially as all the clothing appears together in the ordinary sections for jeans, skirts, whatever.

It's just a filter (like you might have, more specifically, mini dresses or long sleeve tops) aimed to show items from the range which might appeal to those who don't want to reveal a lot of flesh.