REVIEW: "Fashioned by Faith" by Rachel Lee Carter

I awoke one morning late last year to discover that I was, suddenly, the father of a teen-aged girl. Having never been a teen-age girl myself, there are certain things I will never know. Of course, the greatest of these unknowns is that I will never know how the female mind works. Only slightly behind that is the question of why girls dress the way they do. It seems these days that girls (and even mature women) are taking their fashion cues from prostitutes and sausage casing: "sex sells", and "the tighter, the better". I am fortunate to have a maturing daughter who has developed on her own a certain modesty. Nonetheless, as a Lutheran pastor and father I wish to be of support to her and others in making modest fashion decisions, even if I don't know a thing about fashion myself.

Though it's written with a feminine audience in mind, Fashioned by Faith by international fashion model Rachel Lee Carter is a fine resource for the Christian father who would like insight into the choices their daughters make in clothing. Carter offers three perspectives in each chapter: how boys and men perceive the apparel a girl or woman chooses, her own perspective as a model, and what God's Word says. This is not a trite, lukewarm book. The language is concrete. She addresses topics such as thongs, bra straps, and panty lines, and she talks about how seeing such things affect the minds and hearts of the boys and men who see them. She discusses her battle with bulimia. She talks about self-esteem without sounding like an after-school special, quoting Psalm 139:

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.

She even includes helpful guidance and suggestions for fitting together the clothing a girl or woman already has into a modest wardrobe. The included discussion and study questions help to guide the reader to God-pleasing thoughts and decisions.

I highly recommend this book--not only to young girls who are struggling with clothing choices and body image in a culture dominated by waif-like shadows who call themselves women, but also to the parents of these girls who love and care for these young girls. Rachel Lee Carter has done all of us a great service in sharing her experiences and insight.  Preview it here.




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”