A La Modest Interview! Introducing...Rachel Dahl!

I was given the honor of interviewing Rachel Dahl via the Internet. I have not met her in person, but as all of you can attest, you sometimes feel as if you 'know' someone from reading their blog. Rachel's high standards for modesty, and love for God shine true and bright through her blog. Rachel describes her blog as being "geared towards modesty and high standards in indie fashion. It showcases photos of everyday wear for inspiration. Rachel is a modest fashionista, indie music and arts enthusiast, living aphrodisiac to the hubby, believer of the invisible, avid fan of the intellectually funny and artistic. She is married to a handsome stud, Rob. He is also the copy editor of a la Modest." You can visit her blog at www.alamodest.com




Natasha:First of all, thank you for being willing to do this interview! I admired your style and character as soon as I found your blog! I've been reading your blog for quite some time now, and the first time I found your blog, I actually read all of your old posts! Which is a rare thing for me to do!

Would you please introduce yourself to my readers and tell us a bit about yourself?


Rachel: I am Rachel E. Dahl, and my initials are R.E.D! I like telling people that because it explains why my engagement ring has rubies. A lot of people think it's my birth stone. Mine is actually emerald because I was born in May. Anyway, there goes a random fact about me because Natasha has already introduced the obvious! I am the person behind à la Modest, a personal modest style blog.

Natasha:Why do you think modesty is so important?

Rachel: Well, this is kind of a big question. My whole blog is based around why I know modesty is important, and the Bible speaks about it. Ephesians 5:3 says that as God's holy people, we must not show even a hint of sexual immorality and impurity. Clothing that is designed to attract sexual attention undeniably causes lust among men and women. A woman may still be lusted after even if she is covered up, but modesty makes things a lot easier on the eyes of the man trying his best to avoid that sinful lingering thought of her or even the man who doesn't even try at all. A lot of girls blame the guys for acting inappropriately when they allow themselves to dress with lots of skin exposed. I think what girls might not know is that clothing like that begs to be gawked at. By wearing cleavage shirts and mini skirts, they are indirectly asking to be lusted after whether they like it or not. That's why I don't buy into girls' excusing their skin-tight clothes by saying they don't act slutty, so they should be okay. We cannot completely control the reaction of others, but we can help minimize guys inappropriate acting or thinking towards us by wearing decent clothing---something that God would approve of because he wants us to be pure and holy.

A lot of people come to me and say that they like my modest style and that it suits me well when I believe modesty is so much more than just a "style". It's a lifestyle, a mentality, and constant devotion to not contribute to the world's lustful living.

Natasha:You've expressed a strong desire to honor God in your wardrobe, was anyone -or anything- heavily influential in instigating this?

Rachel: My husband Rob of course was of great help to me! I honestly didn't think modesty was a big deal before I met him because it was even rare to see modestly dressed women in church! I didn't realize how much of a problem God-fearing guys go through everyday because they struggle to keep their minds and bodies pure around women and images of women. I knew that other guys like my brothers had issues with pornography, but I didn't do anything about it on my part until I met my husband. I care about him more than anything, and God used him in my life to open my eyes to how women's clothing contribute to the bigger picture of sexual immorality. I had to be broken before I really understood what His Word was clearly teaching me. I loved expressing my individuality through my clothing, and God shook that part of me up and made me a better person.

Natasha:Your style is un-deniably daring, stylish and modest! A mix of modern and vintage pieces, can you tell my readers where your favorite place to shop is?

Rachel: To be honest, my favorite place to shop are thrift shops because I am the thriftiest person I know and also because I like buying vintage. Vintage pieces that fit my budget and aren't hand-me-downs are hard to find! I like to buy non-vintage items either online on Ebay or Amazon or discount retail stores such as Ross or Burlington Coat Factory.












Natasha:What are some ways my readers can stay 'stylish' without sacrificing their modesty?

Rachel: I like the word "stylish" because it sounds more personal than the words "fashionable" or "trendy". The problem with a lot of trends is that they often aren't modest. Creating your own personal style is something more intuitive than following what's hot at the moment. I personally don't like to blindly follow trends except when I think they fit my personal style--- being retro, eccentric, and of course, modest!


Natasha: In a world saturated in im-modest clothing, have you ever been ridiculed for being "too modest"?

Rachel: Ah, yes. Of course. I get criticized both online and offline especially because people who hear about my stand often think they are being indirectly looked down upon. Often times they get personal, conscious of what they are wearing when they're around me, or highly defensive when I'm not even attacking anyone in particular at all.

Natasha: What are some sites you frequent and recommend?

Rachel: I have a lot of sites I frequent! To make my recommendations more suitable for your readers, I like to read RelevantMag for controversial Christian topics to get me challenged, so I am warning you to read with caution! I also like to listen to Ravi Zacharias' Just Thinking online broadcast or Stand to Reason's radio.

Natasha: On a more personal note, how long have you been married?

Rachel: I have been happily married to Rob since March 21, 2009 :) To date, it's been a year and a half.


Natasha: Any advice to my older readers 'waiting for their prince charmings'?

Rachel: A good book I often recommend is Joshua Harris' I Kissed Dating Goodbye or Boy Meets Girl. I have definitely read more courtship books than these two, but Josh seemed to have made the biggest impact both on Rob and I's lives. We both read IKDG before we even knew each other, so it was a good starting point for us as singles dealing with purity issues. When we decided to court, we both picked up copies of BMG and started reading together. My personal advice from experience is to let go the mysticism of waiting for the "right one". That means no looking out for signs except when there is an obvious red flag in the person's character. There is no perfect guy out there, and God gave each of us our free will and wisdom to choose our partners mostly based on our unique personal preferences. 1 Corinthians 7 says that marriage is a "concession not (as) a command" by God for controlling our lust. That is why dating around without the purpose of marriage is a dangerous thing because couples are putting themselves in a tempting situation of mutual sexual attraction without giving in to the concession of a lifetime commitment that God provided for those who "burn in passion". I had incredibly strict parents who controlled my dating life or non-dating life, I should say! I dreaded it of course when I was a teenager, but when I look back on it, I am glad I never dated anyone else but my husband-to-be. It was for my protection. I think that girls shouldn't "date" unless they want to be married pretty soon. I went through courtship when I was I think, 20 or almost 21. I got married when I was 22, so it was a short courtship. It was a good enough time to get to know each other but not too long to burn in our passion because we set strict boundaries on our physical affection while courting! We just couldn't wait to get married after lots of prayer, biblical meditation, and godly counsel!


Natasha:Thanks so much for spending this time with my readers and I! Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Rachel: Nothing, really! I do want to thank you, Natasha, for interviewing me and for being such a loyal reader! I like reading a lot of blogs too, and my absolute favorites are from people who have a passion for more than just their clothes. I like that you stand behind your faith so proudly on your blog!



Photos courtesy of Rachel Dahl http://www.almodest.com/

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