History Main / SexilyModest

* ''ComicBook/ScarletWitch'' For a short time, Wanda ditched her skin-tight bikini outfit for clothes which included a leather jacket, pants, and boots. Artists ''still'' managed to make her as eye-catching as ever.
* Dust of the ''Franchise/XMen'' is a devout muslim teenager, debuting before Kamala, that wears a burqa and niqāb to preserve her modesty. Comic artists largely being western non-muslims that are geared more towards the MostCommonSuperPower than not, often sexualize her anyway by giving her a ribbon that cinches her waist and makes her curvy figure visible through the fabric.

* ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow'': Katrina Van Tassel is described as "...a little of a coquette, as might be perceived even in her dress, which was a mixture of ancient and modern fashions, as most suited to set off her charms." This includes not only "the tempting stomacher of the olden time" (a rather sexy item as it probably raised the breasts and presumably showed some cleavage), but also "...a provokingly short petticoat, to display the prettiest foot and ankle in the country round."
* ''Literature/TheTruth'': Sacharissa is described as dressing modestly, even old-fashionedly, as befitting a proper young lady. Unfortunately, all wearing a corset and a regular dress does is emphasize her chest, to the point where VegetarianVampire Otto von Chriek has trouble maintaining his attitude because of her "heaving bosom".

* Dust of the ''Franchise/XMen'' is a devout muslim teenager, debuting before Kamala, that wears a burqa and niqāb to preserve her modesty. Comic artists largely being western non-muslims that are geared more towards TheMostCommonSuperpower than not, often sexualize her anyway by giving her a ribbon that cinches her waist and makes her curvy figure visible through the fabric.

Furthermore, fetish is something that works in wondrous ways. Being covered up can also be suggestive of what is underneath. In period pieces this is reflective of DeliberateValuesDissonance via tropes like the OldTimeyAnkleTaboo. May also overlap with FormFittingWardrobe, ProperTightsWithASkirt and SweaterGirl. Compare TheissTitillationTheory, where an outfit is rendered sexy by slipping off in areas which should be covered.

* When Bitch-Sensei in ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'' undergoes a GoodCostumeSwitch, swapping out of short-skirt and cleavage-baring top for a [[SweaterGirl modest sweater]] and ProperTightsWithASkirt. The male students actually find her far more attractive afterwards for doing so.

* Similarly to the previous example, Youtuber [[https://www.youtube.com/user/juhaszszepanna PrettyShepherd]] explains in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SBVNaTVTbs&t=3154s&ab_channel=PrettyShepherd this]] video how in days past, unmarried girls in Hungarian villages would wear their hair down in a long braid, but after marriage were expected to keep their hair up in a bun and covered with a kerchief; henceforth, only your husband was supposed to see your hair. In some villages, wearing the kerchief somewhat further back, exposing some of the hair in front was tolerated, but in others, you would be considered a slut if you did that!

* In USefulNotes/{{Iran}} and other jurisdictions, some women took to exposing part of their hair out of their headscarves.

-->(about Monica in a turtleneck sweater)\\

---> ''Series/SiliconValley''

In many cases, however, showing a certain amount of skin will be deemed socially acceptable or tolerated in said context, and flaunting just this permissible amount may end up almost defeating the purpose of modesty conventions. In fact, this tolerated margin of display may even be deliberately meant to make the outfit look ''somewhat'' sexy within acceptable limits. Exposure of skin is also not necessary to begin with, as it could be a reflection that someone exceptionally attractive will remain exceptionally attractive whether [[{{Stripperiffic}} they are baring almost everything]] with glamorous hair and make-up or [[UnkemptBeauty rolling out of bed in loose fitting slacks and t-shirt]].

In many cases, however, showing a certain amount of skin will be deemed socially acceptable or tolerated in said context, and flaunting just this permissible amount may end up almost defeating the purpose of modesty conventions. In fact, this tolerated margin of display may even be deliberately meant to make the outfit look ''somewhat'' sexy within acceptable limits. Exposure of skin is also not necessary to begin with, as it could be a reflection that someone exceptionally attractive will remain exceptionally attractive whether [[{{Stripperffic}} they are baring almost everything]] with glamorous hair and make-up or [[UnkemptBeauty rolling out of bed in loose fitting slacks and t-shirt]].

It's no secret that one's gaze will fall on those parts of a person of the opposite sex (or whatever gender one is attracted to) that are exposed. That's why we have tropes such as IHaveBoobsYouMustObey due to considerations involving a personal sense of modesty, a culture's notions of good morals, and a wish to avoid distractions, societies have endeavored to determine standards of what amount of skin is acceptable to expose. A simple example of this is the appropriate length for the hemlines of skirts at a given time and in a given place. Thus, in a specific context, an outfit may be considered as acceptably decent and appropriately modest. In many cases, however, showing a certain amount of skin will be deemed socially acceptable or tolerated in said context, and flaunting just this permissible amount may end up almost defeating the purpose of modesty conventions. In fact, this tolerated margin of display may even be deliberately meant to make the outfit look ''somewhat'' sexy within acceptable limits.

Furthermore, fetish is something that works in wondrous ways. Being covered up can also be suggestive of what is underneath. Especially if the outfit covering the skin is tight and form-fitting.

In period pieces this can be a subversion of the OldTimeyAnkleTaboo -- or in fact overlap with it; may also overlap with FormFittingWardrobe, ProperTightsWithASkirt and SweaterGirl. Compare TheissTitillationTheory, where an outfit is rendered sexy by slipping off in areas which should be covered.

It's no secret that one's gaze will fall on those parts of a person of the opposite sex (or whatever gender one is attracted to) that are exposed. That's why we have tropes such as ShesGotLegs or IHaveBoobsYouMustObey Due to considerations involving a personal sense of modesty, a culture's notions of good morals, and a wish to avoid distractions, societies have endeavored to determine standards of what amount of skin is acceptable to expose. A simple example of this is the appropriate length for the hemlines of skirts at a given time and in a given place. Thus, in a specific context, an outfit may be considered as acceptably decent and appropriately modest. In many cases, however, showing a certain amount of skin will be deemed socially acceptable or tolerated in said context, and flaunting just this permissible amount may end up almost defeating the purpose of modesty conventions. In fact, this tolerated margin of display may even be deliberately meant to make the outfit look ''somewhat'' sexy within acceptable limits.

In period pieces this can be a subversion of the OldTimeyAnkleTaboo - or in fact overlap with it; may also overlap with FormFittingWardrobe, ProperTightsWithASkirt and SweaterGirl. Compare TheissTitillationTheory, where an outfit is rendered sexy by slipping off in areas which should be covered.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

--> '''Rafe:''' You know, I almost wore that exact same outfit! Wouldn't we have been mortified?

* ''Literature/EugenieGrandet'': Mademoiselle Aubrion, the high-born young woman that Charles Grandet (the protagonist's cousin and love interest) ends up marrying, is devoid of natural beauty. Her mother teaches her a series of tricks meant "to counterbalance her personal defects", I.E. to make her appear passably attractive through artifice and guile; this includes teaching her "the manoeuvre of the foot, letting it peep beneath the petticoat, to show its tiny size, at the moment when the nose became aggressively red" and "high-pressure corsets".

[[/folder]]

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': The Ferengi Brunt is turned on by females wearing clothing, as Ferengi females are always nude.

* ''Literature/EugenieGrandet'': Mademoiselle Aubrion, the high-born young woman that Charles Grandet (the protagonist's cousin and love interest) ends up marrying, is devoid of natural beauty. Her mother teaches her a series of tricks meant "to counterbalance her personal defects", I.E. to make her appear passably attractive through artifice and guile; this includes teaching her "the manoeuvre of the foot,?letting it peep beneath the petticoat, to show its tiny size, at the moment when the nose became aggressively red" and "high-pressure corsets".