The Worldview: Just Wear What You Wanna Wear
The world says, "If it looks and feels good, buy it. If you have nice curves, show them off. Pick tops that show cleavage, to catch a guy's eye. That's attractive. It's beautiful. It's what's in. The bottom line? Just wear what you wanna wear." The world deceives many, many woman with this view. The more skin you show, the tighter your clothes are, the more guys that lust after you - that's what makes you beautiful. It's very sad. Woman all over the world, non-Christian woman and Christian woman alike, have bought into this lie. If the shoe fits, wear it. If I think I like it and I look good in it, I will wear it. Modesty is relative. What's modest for me may be immodest for you. But that's okay. Just wear what you wanna wear.
The Biblical View: Dress to Reflect, Exalt, and Encourage
"Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:3-4) This passage is almost always looked at in regard to biblical modesty. And rightly so! It perfectly encapsulates the message of modesty: we are to dress to reflect. To reflect not our external adorning, but the hidden person of the heart - our internal adorning.
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) This verse basically sums up the last two reasons why we dress modestly. We dress to exalt Christ. For that is the main reason we do anything. Lastly, we must also be aware of our brothers in the faith who struggle with lust. When a woman dresses immodestly, she often forgets or doesn't realize that she is causing her Christian brother to stumble in his faith. But on the flip side, by dressing modestly, we dress to encourage our Christian brothers.
So the next time you go clothes shopping or decide to go through your closet, line your clothing up to God's standards - does it reflect a gentle and quiet spirit, does it encourage your brothers in the faith, and does it exalt Christ?
For more on biblical modesty, I would recommend reading "A Modesty Heart Check," a fantastic list composed by Carolyn Mahaney. I would also highly recommend Mary Kassian's "What Not to Wear," an article on three guidelines of modesty.