Because it's not just for wintertime, church, and tradition...
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City Fashion Shoot Video
/This video was truly a group effort. It was directed by Mom Powers, filmed by Delaney, and edited by Taylor Murray. While Lakeland has some great spots for photoshoots, we loved changing it up by heading over to the streets of downtown Orlando. This shoot features some looks that we have already posted and some that are coming up in the next couple weeks. Hope you have a great day!
A GOD CENTERED LOVE STORY
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In today’s culture, couples are expected to be physically intimate in dating relationships. Young women feel pressure to have a boyfriend for acceptance and value. She may even feel she must do “whatever it takes to keep the boy interested,” especially when she is comparing herself and it appears the competition is tough… Then we have the fashion magazine articles, among many things, that encourage more and more of this. How to have your “Best first time,” “How to Make Him Want More,” and “What to Wear to Get Him in Bed,” are all titles of reading material you can find when you open up the standard Fashion Magazine. (Actually, those are the non-explicit versions.) We say… Thanks. But No Thanks! This Valentine’s Day, with the increase in sexually explicit material, we’d like to offer an alternative.
Chase and Paige Wagner met in 2009, were married in 2012, and have been together for 3 and ½ years. They met while at Biola University in La Mirada, CA, (outside of LA). Currently, Chase is the Worship Leader at Southeastern University, and just this week they released their new album on iTunes called, No Other Name. His wife, Paige, is a student at SEU.
First, we were able to catch them sharing a cupcake and cappuccino together. We felt a bit like intruders, but it wasn't long before they invited the whole crew to share their cupcake with them. Which we gladly accepted!
Then we walked through the downtown Lakeland area for the photoshoot. Seriously, this couple looks like they walked right off the set of a movie. The difference though, is that their love is real. It’s authentic. It’s not a photoshop creation or a fake love affair. We asked them to share their story with us because we knew many young men and women would be encouraged by their relationship and how their focus on God has led to a beautiful, healthy marriage. They are still in the honeymoon phase, but no doubt they will be together “until death do they part” if the principles they have built their relationship on thus far are kept.
THE INTERVIEW
Paige, What did your life look like before you met Chase? I met Chase the first month of my freshmen year of college. Before I knew him I was a high school senior ready to graduate and start my college experience in Southern California.
Did you notice him before he noticed you? I don’t know who technically noticed whom first, BUT I definitely noticed him before he introduced himself to me. It was 2009. At that time the “Zac Efron” hair was in style, and Chase rocked it so hard that he actually looked like Zac. Later when we were dating, random people would approach me and ask if I was the girl dating Zac Efron.
So Chase, what was it about Paige that caught your attention first? Paige was breathtakingly beautiful and still is.
How did you ask her out? I gathered up the nerve to introduce myself after randomly running into her and her friends in a parking lot in town.
Did she respond the way you hoped she would? Yes even in that first conversation she was fun, flirty, and energetic. But at the same I could tell she had self-respect. Being naturally “fun” is a great quality for a girl to have.
Where did you take her on your first date? I asked her to go to church with me the next Sunday.
Paige, we want to know! What do you remember most about your first date? Our first date, Chase asked me to go to a night service with him at Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, CA. I remember talking about missions the whole time. I had felt called by God to go to India, and Chase had been to India a few years past. Come to find out, Chase had worked with the author of the book, Revolution of World Missions, while he was in India ...which was the very book that had inspired me to go there. I also remember at the end of the night Chase leaning in to grab my hand. I guess I misread the signal, because I took it as a “handshake” not a loving hand graze. We laughed at the awkward misunderstanding and from then on we “hand shaked” almost every time we left a date.
What did your dating relationship look like? We were pretty inseparable from the minute we met. We spent a good amount of time in group settings when we first started dating but made sure we also had alone time to get to know each other deeper. We went out to eat, went out for yogurt, sipped Boba tea and drank a lot of coffee (we’re quite the foodies). With no previous understanding of each other’s lives, we had a lot of getting to know each other. Conversations were spent telling stories from our lives, about our families, our understanding of God and our dreams of the future. We set clear boundaries physically, knowing that waiting for physical intimacy would honor our values, each other, and our future together.
What quality do you like most about Chase? I love that Chase’s heart is postured like Christ’s. Chase is always aware and thinking of other people before himself. He is so selfless in his giftings. Chase is always depositing the blessings God’s given to him into other people, seldom holding them for himself. He has such a kind spirit about him always making people feel welcomed and heard.
What role did your relationship with Christ play in your dating experience? Christ didn’t play a role in our relationship; He was the POINT of our relationship. Devotions and attending church together were a regular part of our time, but in the beginning we guarded our own personal relationships with God. Of course we would share what God was speaking to us, but personal time with God is so intimate. We wanted to make sure we didn’t share too much while dating just in case the relationship didn’t end in marriage.
Chase, when did you know she was the "one?" After our first conversation. I knew we’d get married.
That’s pretty bold. How did you know she was the "one" that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? After discussing faith with her and watching that faith play out in the way she lived her life, I knew. She had a real authentic faith, not something that was forced through upbringing or the church or whatever. I loved watching her figure out how God's plan would play out into her personal reality. Her faith was honest and real. She had real questions and real struggles with God. But in the midst of all that I would describe her as “fun” and “light”- never taking herself too seriously.
All the girls want to know, how did you propose? I proposed to Paige at a summer camp she was working at in Northern California. She went to that summer camp every summer as a kid and accepted Christ there when she was 12 years old. The summer I proposed she was working at the same camp as a counselor. I drove down from Seattle her last night at camp and coordinated a candle light bonfire under the stars. It was there I asked Paige if she would accept me as her husband in the same place she accepted Jesus to be her Savior. She said yes.
Chase, we have lots of young female readers who hope to one day marry a man that will love and respect them unconditionally, What one piece of advice would you give our young female readers as to the importance of holding out for God's best?
Every person has baggage. Every person has made mistakes. Have GRACE for yourself and GRACE for others. Simply follow Jesus.
Interview by: Aarika Phillips
Photo Credit: Beth Carter
P.S.
Be encouraged! Whether you are single or dating, it's worth it to hold out and keep the bar high. Your Happily Ever After will come as you make God the Center.
Happy Valentine's Day from the Top Buttons Team!
XOXO
TOP BUTTONS IN SWEDEN
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We would like to introduce you to a young woman who will be a regular contributor with Top Buttons. She is already a fashion blogger with a beautiful spirit and a huge personality! We look forward to working with her and learning all about what fashion and modesty look like in Scandinavia! Hey,
My name is Sandra. Born and raised in Finland having a Nigerian background now living in Sweden, I would describe myself as a globe trotter with an interest in cultures; very shortly- a free soul. Currently I’m studying Fashion Management at the Swedish School of Textiles in the South of Sweden. It was my great passion for fashion and appreciation towards aesthetics that brought me from a busy city life to a small yet warm-spirited town that I now live in.
Clothing is a very essential part of every day. It’s an outlet for expressing my mood and state of mind. Living pretty much my whole life in the cold Nordic region, where the temperature drops well below zero degrees with just a few hours of daylight during winter, it’s very easy to blend into the depressing darkness. Knowing me, I love to incorporate color into what I wear.
Perhaps my African background also plays to influence this aspect of my style. In doing this, I realize how it brightens my mood as well as other people around. I’ve had people walk up to me and remark about the radiance of joy in the colors I wear. It becomes evident that things like these that seem so little at first can greatly impact the people around us even though we don’t always realize it ourselves. This is something to bear in mind when making everyday fashion choices.
I personally believe that we should all be aware of what we want to communicate to others about ourselves and especially our state of mind and heart with how modestly we dress. This being said, I challenge you to think about what you communicate through your personal style of dressing.
Xoxo Sandra
Finally it is truly a pleasure for me to be a part of Top Buttons. As a contributing team member I hope to both inspire and be inspired by the different styles and thoughts published within this platform. I can’t wait to share some exciting upcoming events from European fashion this spring. It will be fun!
NO MAKEUP FOR A WEEK
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I remember traveling to Quito, South America years ago with a ministry that I was involved with. On this particular trip I had made a pact with the girls on the team that I would NOT wear any makeup for the whole time. Being considered "high maintenance" is somewhat of a problem when traveling with those that are not. But I gladly agreed, accepting the challenge. Actually though, not being able to look in a mirror, fix our hair, or wear stylish feminine clothing was not really a problem for any of us. The focus was on meeting the needs of others. We journeyed deep into the Amazon rain forest. Our team traveled on a bus up steep single lane pathways until we hit a mudslide where all traffic was at a stand still. We continued on foot until we were able to jump in the back of a pick up truck, then camped with a YWAM base, and flew in a 6 seater prop plane into a small village in the middle of the jungle. As we landed on the dirt runway we witnessed the killing of a pig that would be served in our honor at a dinner later that evening.
Standing out in my mind were the children of this village. They had extreme cases of head lice which were clearly visible with their dark hair. Yet without toys, running water, or electricity, these children were all smiles the entire time. We didn't speak the same language, but we communicated through the missionaries that traveled with us. The way the people of this village worked together as a team, respecting each other and our group of outsiders, spoke volumes about their character. They made more of an impact on my life than I could have ever made on theirs.
In America, we don’t live in extreme environments where we are FORCED to consider the needs of others. In our country, in many ways we are pushed to do the exact opposite.
WE CONSIDER OUR OWN WANTS AND NEEDS.
We want attention.
We will get attention from immodest behavior and dress.
Therefore, we must push the lines of immodest behavior to get the attention we desire.
Honestly, it appears many people, young and old, men and women, are completely aware of the affect they have on the opposite sex with how they dress. Yet this knowledge inspires more immodesty and not less.
How we looked as young women in this particular environment, more than others, was not important. These people were just interested in the love and message we had to share. Even though most of us viewing this blog do not live in a third world country, is it nonsense to consider others when we get dressed in the morning? Should we feel a responsibility for the weakness of others? Do we want people to be considerate of our challenges and struggles in other areas? Does dressing modestly always keep someone from sexual thoughts? If you believe in the Bible as we do, what does it have to say about prioritizing the needs of others over our own? While many of us don't live in a third world country, what can we learn from people and culture who prioritize the group over individual wants?
Written by: Sarah Powers
These are some of the actual photos taken on the mission trip described above.
MODUGLY
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Fabric that is big, ugly, unflattering, and sweltering hot… Does this come to mind when you think of modesty? In 2013, we'd love to take this old term and give it a new definition. But where do we look to define Modesty? Who should define it? Should cultural standards impact our decision? Should we encourage young women to be set apart from society in how they dress when the options for such are so limited? Should we even have a blog promoting modesty, when “modesty" itself is based on the lack of self-promotion? There are many noble causes, should the way young men and women dress even matter in the grand scheme of things? The answers to these questions vary from person to person. But within the fabric of our society is a thread of faith. Faith should inspire growth, change, and healthy standards of behavior in many different areas. Modesty in conduct, which includes the way we dress, is a Christ honoring principle AND a healthy behavior choice.
How then do we determine what is and what isn’t modest?
There is more than one dictionary to define words and phrases. The Webster’s Dictionary was once the place to look; now ANY online site claiming to be a reliable source is used. The Urban Dictionary is quite crass at times, but I found their definition of the word “modesty” to be humorous and thought-provoking. It states, “Modesty is the art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.” This is a secular view which implies people who aim for humility are really actors striving to draw more personal attention. Why does secular society see a humble or modest expression, reflecting one’s desire to honor God and others rather than oneself, as pretentious? This social media, “like my post,” driven society is desperate for attention. We are so desperate that we buy what we can’t afford, pretend our life is what it isn’t on Facebook, and work to gain a following to feel like we “are somebody.”
Here's a valid thought…Wouldn’t young men and women wear styles that are more modest if their music and television role models dressed in more modest clothing? I believe they absolutely would. The need for ATTENTION we all have, gets a strong fix from shock value. SHOCK VALUE occurs as a response to loud and obnoxious opinions, “in-your-face” behavior, and “I’ll wear what I want” styles. This cycle of attention fulfilled through shock value promotes selfishness and more risky societal behavior.
What to do? We can’t redefine modesty in totality because it represents an ever changing principle influenced by the culture, faith and upbringing of its time. It isn’t a term anyone can give absolute guidelines on.
And the look of a modest woman has changed so much over the years. At Top Buttons, we debated whether or not to even use the term “modest” at all, because of the disgust most teens have when they turn the term over in their mouth. It appears that modesty makes most young people think of layering big ugly clothes and gives the feeling of "being controlled." We discussed whether we should use the word “classy,” but that infers “rich” by many people. We do like the phrase “fashion with extra fabric,” but this is a bit long to replace “modesty” with. We also know some other religious communities might be offended by our standard of the term which does not reflect their own. While we respect modest style expressions, at Top Buttons, we recognize that extreme modest styles could be impractical and not easily attainable for young women who do not sew their own clothes and want to dress in a way that doesn't alienate them from their peers.
In 2013, we resolve to talk about, encourage, and redefine this principle with all who are interested. We would love to have you weigh in on the matter. Is it possible to redefine modesty? Or should we throw it out and use a new term? Can we help young women to see this term in a different light? We’d like to know…what do you see when you think of modesty by today's standards? Do you feel it's reasonable to encourage young men and women to have some boundaries in their clothing styles? Why or why not?
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Garrard
Written By: Sarah Powers
A Shopping Spree with Purpose
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A Note from our Give Back Director, Anastasia I have always wanted to be a part of something great! Something bigger than myself, and I must say that Top Buttons is one such opportunity. Where else can I have the chance help a deserving teen purchase trendy and modest clothes that reflect her style?
We partnered with Girls Night Out (GNO), a girls outreach under the Lakeland Dream Center. Tiffany, a great friend of mine started GNO as a volunteer of the Lakeland Dream Center several years ago with the goal of giving teen girls a healthy place to be after school hours. Tiffany brought the nominated teen whose name was Shon. It was fun hanging out with Shon and Tiffany during the very first Top Buttons shopping spree with modesty in mind. Our experience was spent in Marshall's, running through the aisles and throwing tons and tons of clothes into the shopping carts! When the cart was full of clothes, we moved the party to the dressing rooms. That was the real test. We all know that some clothes look differently on the hanger than they do when you actually try them on. Honestly, even a seemingly longer dress on a hanger may turn into a micro mini once you try it on. While in the dressing room, we talked with Shon about dressing for her body type, found clothes that reflected her favorite trends, tried on shoes, listened to her share about her current life situation, and we shared with her the vision of Top Buttons.
After two hours within the store we checked out and then had a short photo shoot downtown! Shon put on her favorite outfit and posed for the camera. What a great way to end a perfectly amazing time with new friends! I mean seriously, what girl doesn’t love a shopping spree?
All of the funds for the modesty shopping sprees are donated funds raised through our non-profit organization under our More Modesty On The Streets (MOTS) Campaign. If you are interested in donating funds to provide underprivileged teens with more modest clothing options, please contact me at anastasia@topbuttons.org.