How Wide Are Your Straps?

               In the many discussions about modesty one issue that often comes up is whether or not it is appropriate to wear sleeveless clothing. Size of the arm holes, straps, etc, figure into the discussion, sometimes turning into a legalistic rule that we (especially women) should steer clear of sleeveless dresses/tops altogether. And then on the other hand you have the people who, in an attempt to point out an almost hypocritical view bring up the question: how wide do the straps on a dress have to be before it's considered modest? Are we afraid of showing a bit of shoulder? So my question is, does the width of my straps make a difference? I would suggest that it does - but not in the way you may be thinking.
 
              I wear sleeveless on occasion. I think sleeveless dresses can be adorable and can definitely be a lot cooler in the hot summer months. Recently I added two simple, cute sundresses to my closet, both of which I love. One I wear as is, to work, church and anywhere, the other I may wear around the house as is but if I go out I generally prefer to have a jacket over it. What's the difference? The size of the straps. Forget about the modesty arguments against "strappy" clothing, let's look at this from a different point of view: which is classy and which is not?

 
      I make my living altering clothes for people. You wouldn't believe the difference even as little as one quarter of an inch can make in the look of something! Just last week I shortened the sleeves on a young man's dress coat - and yes, I went up a quarter of an inch. But it made a difference in the look of his suit. Ask my friend Jessica, she'll tell you that we both like our skirts and our sleeves a certain length. Anywhere in-between risks hitting that awkward length that just isn't that flattering or comfortable on either one of us. So we have a certain length we look for when shopping and we generally stick to that length. The same principle applies to the width of straps. A half inch can make a definite difference in the look of the outfit.

   In general I say go for sleeves, it's just classier all along. However I am well aware of how hot sleeves can be and I love ditching the sleeves as much as anyone. But it depends on the situation. Some situations call for something a bit more formal than the sleeveless, "strappy" look. And so I may wear my blue plaid dress around the house but when I go out I'll stick with my cute white jacket over it. :)