While it's summer in the year 2016, I feel this is the perfect season, and a crucial time in history to address something that has become a veritable plague among this planet's women: body insecurity. Whether it's media, models, or your friends discussing the need to stop eating cookies so they can get their "beach body," none of us ever feel good enough. But I want to inform girls of a solution, one that sounds like a curse word to the modern girl: modesty. Yes, such a thing IS relevant, and if you want to feel comfortable in your skin, you should continue reading.

The world has been shouting at all of us that wearing booty shorts, super low-cut tops and short dresses and skirts that we can't move in without worrying is completely fine, and no one should shame us for it. But I think if we were all being honest with ourselves, we'd know that the clothing that reveals also steals our sense of security. And here's why: we ARE objectifying ourselves. That is what we do when we purposefully dress to the physically pleasing aesthetic of other people by manipulating our more intimate body parts. It doesn't matter if you say, "Well, you're sexualizing my way of dress." No. That's not it. If you dress in a purposefully revealing way, and then go out among strangers, the only thing they know you by is your appearance, which is revealing and risqué. So don't blame others for the first impression you force upon them.

When we dress in the immodest way society asks us to, we are taking away our own comfort in our skin, and our self-respect for the chance of acceptance. But even then, we are not guaranteed acceptance for all the things we sacrifice to the trend monster, because your body also has to fit the mold of what is considered sexually appealing. So on top of feeling uncomfortable in clothes because they are too revealing and you know it, you struggle with confidence because the trendy clothes don't come in your size, are cut wrong for the size you fit in because the designers just added material to the smaller design instead of designing it for bigger bodies and you continually try to put on clothes and styles that just don't work, because the magazines call it "in style." How wrong is this? Clothing is supposed to express a bit of who we are, and present ourselves to others in a way that says, "Hello, fellow human!"

Instead, we are either constantly pulling our riding up skirts, or crying on the dreadful bra-shopping day, or giving up strapless dresses altogether. But do you know how we stop this?

Modesty.

When you decide to dress modestly, everything is different about clothes. Suddenly they are not materials to dress up a walking, talking piece of meat for others, or an attacking, ill-fitting romper (so many things wrong with rompers). They are things that bring back comfort, confidence and yes, charm. Modesty doesn't mean things can't be form-fitting, or that you can't show your collarbones or wear a complimentary bra. Modesty means respecting your body. Modesty is dressing like a woman while still maintaining the intimacy and importance of your more sexual aspects. Modesty means demanding respect with your clothing while acknowledging your femininity and true beauty.

Here are my top five tips for dressing modestly (though I'm still learning):

1. Skip the bikini. Period. High-waisted two-pieces are good, but those string bikinis, or super stringy one-pieces completely destroy modesty, and the fact that it is bathing suit material does not change the fact that it is lingerie. End of story. Here's a video better explaining the fallacy of the bikini:

2. Wear what compliments your body type. Don't try to be something you're not, don't wear a bodycon dress if it's completely unflattering. You're you, not the model in the picture, and not everything you try on is going to fit. That's okay - it's just God saying you're beautiful in another way. So try something else, try different styles, find what makes you feel modest and pretty at the same time. Don't compromise.

3. If you have to tug it up (neckline), or tug it down (skirt or shirt-hem), don't wear it, and give it away. Trust me, this will save you a lot of anxiety. Wearing a skirt should not mean that you always have to be careful when you move - that's ridiculous! If you can't walk a New York City block at a fast pace (you never know when you'll be in a rush!) without adjusting something during or after that walk, it doesn't fit well enough. If you have to worry about leers, catcalls, or out-and-out staring during this walk, chuck it. You're better off.

4. Leggings and skinny jeans are a border clothing - try longer shirts and tunics with them. It's not to say that they're not acceptable, they are. But a few rules should be in place. The leggings should NOT be see through at all. Jeans should be comfortable and NOT look painted on. Neither should they be so tight that they cut off your circulation. And if you're not always comfortable with showing so much leg, try a long or flowing top to balance the act.

5. Dress with pride, and don't hide! This is not about slut-shaming, or skinny-shaming, or blaming the media. This is about offering simple and true clothing advice to all women, in saying that modesty is really key for body positivity. It allows you to dress to impress while keeping in mind that you are a human being with more than just a hot body. Being beautiful or appealing doesn't mean having a size two perfect beach body or dressing like you'd say yes to anything (don't give this the hairy eyeball, because you know it's true). It's simply fact that modest is hottest.

Don't believe me? Hear these guys:

This one is really long, but worth the watch!