CathInfo.com

From: https://www.salvemariaregina.info/Modesty.html

The Marylike Standards for Modesty in Dress (as set down by the Vatican)

"A dress cannot be called decent which is cut deeper than two fingers breadth under the pit of the throat; which does not cover the arms at least to the elbows; and scarcely reaches a bit beyond the knees. Furthermore, dresses of transparent materials are improper."  (The Cardinal Vicar of Pope Pius XI)

The standard set by the Cardinal Vicar of Pope Pius XI (quoted above) is meant to delineate between "decent" and indecent; it would be sinful to wear clothes which "cannot be called decent."


1. "Marylike" means modesty without compromise -- "like Mary," Christ's pure and spotless Mother.

2. Marylike dresses have sleeves extending to the wrists; and skirts reaching the ankles.

3. Marylike dresses require full and loose coverage for the bodice, chest, shoulders, and back; the cut-out about the neck must not exceed "two fingers breadth under the pit of the throat" and a similar breadth around the back of the neck.

4. Marylike dresses also do not admit as modest coverage transparent fabrics -- laces, nets, organdy, nylons, etc. -- unless sufficient backing is added. Fabrics such as laces, nets, organdy may be moderately used as trimmings only.

5. Marylike dresses avoid the improper use of flesh-colored fabrics.

6. Marylike dresses conceal rather than reveal the figure of the wearer; they do not emphasize, unduly, parts of the body.

7. Marylike dresses provide full coverage, even after jacket, cape or stole are removed.

8. Marylike fashions are designed to conceal as much of the body as possible, rather than reveal. This would automatically eliminate such fashions as slacks, jeans, shorts, culottes, tight sweaters, sheer blouses, and sleeveless dresses; etc. The Marylike standards are a guide to instill a "sense of modesty." A girl or woman who follows these, and looks up to Mary as her ideal and model, will have no problem with modesty in dress. She will not be an occasion of sin or source of embarrassment or shame to others.

Keep this guide with you when buying clothes. Make sure that you purchase or make only garments which meet the Marylike Standards.

Just curious.  Does anyone on CI always wear dresses (or skirts and tops) that fit LastTrad’s  interpretation of Mary Like clothing?
See #2 Mary-like dresses have sleeves extending to the wrists; and skirts reaching the ankles.  I’m by no means advocating immodesty, but the only women I know who consistently meet this standard are either conservative Muslims, the most conservative of the Amish, and perhaps some traditional nuns.  
Outside of sewing them yourself, a skill which very few women have these days, or paying someone else to sew them for you—-very expensive—-it’s nearly impossible to purchase such a garment outside of a Muslim store that sells those dresses that meet these standards, but are drab, shapeless sacks.  Mary’s clothes are beautiful, even in the apparitions where she appears weeping.  

It’s hard to find dresses like that.  I found a long floral dress, with short sleeves like this picture of young woman  In Birkenstocks.



I have found skirts.

I’m a fashion hit and miss.

Pretty nice, but the neckline doesn’t qualify at all, or sleeves, or length, not sure about showing shape of the body.  This person is clearly female if you look only at her silhouette from neck to mid-thigh.  You could wear a white or beige shirt that comes up to the neckline beneath the dress, but it might look lumpy around the waistline.  It’s not the style of dress that looks good with a big scarf.  An attractive V-shaped silk filler with some sort of trim could be sewn in front, again, requires sewing skills, because if it isn’t fitted just right, it’ll look exactly like someone who tried to add on a cover up.  Maybe a ruffle of the same cloth added to the hem, a bit overdone, IMO, and the sleeves there’s no extending without looking ridiculous.  You’d have to wear a sweater or shawl, but that doesn’t meet these standards because they’re removable accessories.  
The only solution I can think of that would meet the standards and look good would be to buy two dresses and use the cloth from the extra to fill in the neckline, lengthen the hem to the ankles, and remake the sleeves.  But if you’re going to pay double and go to that much trouble, you may as well buy cloth and make the dress, or, for most trad women, pay someone to make it for you!