19-year-old San Diego resident Elizabeth Navarro (@LizbeLikee on Instagram) has an effortless, feminine-meets-practicality aesthetic that you’ll be itching to emulate after scrolling through her stylish feed. Floaty floral dresses, denim jackets, oversized sweaters and playful skirts are combined with sporty socks and sneakers. Elizabeth discusses how the pandemic gave her time and space to experiment with fashion, and how to stay confident and secure with your personal style. She also talks about her surprising style icon, and the Chanel-esque set that’s hanging in her wardrobe.
1. What attracts you to the idea of dressing modestly? Any personal turning point in your life that inspired you to embark on a more modest lifestyle?
I choose modesty simply because as an apostolic pentecostal, I want to honor and please God, and I say choose because some may see it as a restriction, but dressing modestly is NOT a limitation or a roadblock! I can express my creativity and personality just as much with modest clothes while looking elegant, classy, and beautiful. My high school years definitely challenged my modesty as I struggled with the desire to be cool and fit in but I have found that fitting in means seeking approval from others and that gets old fast. My modesty shows my respect for my body as a vessel of God’s love, beauty, and light, and I’m gonna treat it as such!
2. How has the pandemic changed your approach to fashion?
Though I do not typically do well in isolation, the pandemic has brought me closer and surrounded me with modest influences that really allowed me to hone into the why I dress modestly and focus in on that without the outside influence I would get from school or going out in public in general. I have had alot of time to brainstorm outfits and essentially play dress up, which has been the most fun! The pandemic allowed me time to focus on my love for fashion and how creative I can be with what I already had, growing my platform as a modest fashion inspiration for many!
3. How has shopping for modest fashion changed over the past decade, in your experience?
Shopping for modest clothing has definitely become easier over the past decade for me because I feel that modest fashion was really unheard of or popular you could say, till recent years and it was difficult for me to find anything longer than thigh length and those small businesses that did offer modest clothing were in a higher price range. This really forced me to be creative, whether it be wearing a skirt under a short dress or a shirt under a sleeveless dress, I really had to push the limits to find something that fit my standards. But, as modest fashion has evolved so have stores giving longer dresses or skirts with more coverage making cute modest clothing more affordable and accessible.
4. What is the last inspirational quote you posted or screenshotted on Instagram?
I posted one on my insta story and it said, “ When you compare your purpose to someone else’s, you walk away from purpose and enter competition.” I absolutely love this and think it is something every girl needs to hear! everyone has a different purpose in life and when we compare ourselves to others we lose out on completing our own purpose and put our energy into bringing down someone else’s. I once heard someone say that there is no need for competition because there is enough room at the table, we do not need to be pitting women against each other and comparing them but, we need to be lifting each other up, there is space for everyone at the top!
5. Your favourite place to shop and your most recent buys from there?
My favorite place to shop is no doubt, Zara. I love that most of their clothing is modest and beautiful while not breaking the bank (which is important for a college student like me, lol). I love to find my statement heels and tees from there and most recently got some really unique sneaker/ boots from them that will be perfect for the fall! I have also found some amazing deals on high-quality clothing at stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls, you don’t have to be rich to dress stylishly, you just have to shop smart!
6. The most memorable garment in your closet is…
The most memorable garment in my closet is definitely my Chanel-esque two-piece tweed skirt suit that I thrifted from Goodwill! It was a genuine Italian custom suit that I could not believe I had found and was possibly my best find ever. I’ve yet to wear it but it definitely is one of my most memorable buys and brings me a sense of accomplishment and excitement.
7. A friend you’ve made on Instagram who you’d love to meet in real life…
Every single one of them! I love to meet new people and in these challenging times, Instagram has given me the ability to do so despite the circumstances. The modest fashion community is relatively small and I have loved discovering new accounts and meeting new people that I feel like I have known for years! I genuinely love all my insta friends and am so happy that I can uplift and show support girls out there who are on the same journey through modesty and doing so creatively and confidently.
8. Name a style icon you admire and why?
This will definitely sound silly but my dad! Ever since I was little my dad was always the one to dress me and my sisters, he did our hair and gave us styling advice, he truly is the most stylish, creative, and coolest man I know! My dad really lives up to what it is to be a girl dad and I attribute all my style and creativity to him. He also is a beast on the sewing machine and brought one of my first ever ideas to life. We reworked some denim pant overalls into an overall dress and I wore that thing to the ground. My dad has taught me to look at things from a different angle and make it work, in life and in fashion.
9. Name one thing you’d like to change about the fashion industry.
I would love to change the lack of inclusivity of modest models in the fashion industry. I feel that as a modestly dressed woman it would be so difficult to make it in the fashion industry because you would be seen as someone with too many requests or even a diva. It is people like Halima Aden that I thank for shining a light on modest models and paving the way which I know was not an easy path. I would love to make the fashion industry understand that modesty is not really a preference but a way of living and we too have style and beauty.
10. What’s one trend you’ll be living in this season and why?
One trend I’ll be living in this season and every season after that is the sneaker trend! I am a major sneakerhead and love all things sneaker, I love that it allows me to display my tomboy side while maintaining my feminine flair. One thing I always live by is, if it can be worn with sneakers, it will be done, and if it can’t be worn with sneakers, then we find a way to make it work! I love my heels and cute sandals but at the end of the day nothing beats a good clean sneaker and happy feet, I think it shows character!
11. Your Instagram girl crush is…
My Instagram girl crush right now has to be Tamar aka (@fashionbytamar)! I recently found her account and fell in love! She takes the dreamiest pictures that make me want to drop everything and travel the world. She definitely has this modest fashion thing down to a science and I absolutely love it! She makes modesty look so free, beautiful, and fun, it truly isn’t just black and white.
12. Your advice for dealing with the “haram police” or fashion policing from critics on Instagram?
One thing I’ve learned is that we are called to love others, no matter what they do, how they live, or what they wear! As a Christian, who am I to judge I am in no way perfect, so to the haram police and fashion critics, kindness gets you a lot further than judgment. Modesty has a different meaning for everybody and is interpreted in many different ways, some people are trying their best, so as long as you are trying your best, and are confident in your modesty, whatever your guidelines, I’d say you are doing just fine!
Featured image courtesy of Elizabeth Navarro
