Risa-Fehr

Why is dressing modestly so important? First we have to think about what kind of message we want to convey to others, because like it or not people judge by looks much faster than most of us think. Modest dress shows purity and honor. It emphasizes our inner beauty instead of our outward appearance. Being beautiful on the outside should be enjoyed, and taking care of ourselves is a must. Being modest does not equal dressing ugly. It equals self respect and displays inner qualities that gain the appropriate attention from others. It shows the values of a woman instead of sex appeal. (Stevens)

Being modest goes beyond just the way we dress. Although a way a person dresses, expresses a lot about who they are, being modest in our actions in our day to day life is important as well. It is not easy to maintain if we think of it as limiting, but if we can keep thinking about all the rewards from being modest-self respect, purity, self worth, honor- it is much to high of price not to be modest (Stevens).

The way we dress is important, and we all want to be seen as beautiful, but what does that really mean? Some women will go to extremes so they can look pretty or beautiful. The pressures to be thinner, prettier, and more perfect, weigh on women (Nelson). Colbie Caillat is a singer song writer who wrote a song called Try. She was interviewed about the story behind the song. This was her response,

“I felt like people were trying to change me in the industry. I was getting so tired of how exhausting it is being a woman, trying to look sexy and wear tons of makeup on TV. And if you don’t people think you look weird or awkward.” She explained that when she went back in the studio with Grammy winning Producer Babyface and her long time co-writers and friends Jason Reeves and Tony, she vetted these frustrations. They responded simply, “You don’t have to try. You need to go against what they are saying.” She conceded, “We wrote ‘Try’ that moment.” (Tuin).

 Not wanting to take away the importance or sincerity of the lyrics, this is just a part of the song.

Put your make-up on

Get your nails done

Curl your hair

Run the extra mile

Keep it slim so they like you, do they like you?

Get your sexy on

Don't be shy, girl

Take it off

This is what you want, to belong, so they like you

Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard

You don't have to, give it all away

You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up

You don't have to change a single thing (Try Lyrics).

The music video for the song shows women at the beginning with their make up on and their skin looking perfect from all the editing. Their hair was done flawlessly as well, later on in the video it shows the women taking off all their makeup and letting their hair down. The editing of the video goes away and it shows the woman in their natural beauty. The song and music video is so empowering and inspiring to woman to just be themselves and realize that they are beautiful just the way they are, without all the glitz and glam.

Being beautiful goes way beyond looks. It is about attitude, character, morals, values, and the way you make other people feel. Being genuine and honest in a caring way displays inner beauty. When inner beauty is displayed outer beauty shows, which is what everyone wants right? We should be focused on becoming a beautiful person inside, and then naturally our outer beauty will shine through. Beauty is something that cannot be bought. Being beautiful doesn’t have a specific height, weight, skin color, hair color, or eyes (Nelson). Don’t be afraid to just be you, be the kind of woman that others look up to, that is real beauty.

 

 Lambert was born and raised in Lindale Texas, a small town. She was around music her whole life. When she was five years old she made an appearance on a show called Johnny High Country Music Review. This show helped LeAnn Rimes’ music career. Lamberts father was one of her biggest influencers, being a country music singer himself as well as a police officer always encouraged her to pursue her dream as well as her passion for music. He also bought her a guitar when she was 14 years old but she didn’t have any interest in learning it at the time (Miranda Lambert-Profile).

 When Lambert was 16, she entered her first talent show, after that she committed to learning the guitar. She played and sang at bars, songs that she wrote herself. During this time her parents ran a private detective service and sometimes took in abused women into their home. Some of her songs we inspired by some of those women’s stories. She graduated high school early to pursue a music career in Nashville (Miranda Lambert-Profile).

 Her parents helped her finance her first album that was self titled and recorded in 2001. Two short years later Lambert auditioned on the show Nashville. She ended up placing third, but said that she was glad she didn’t win because the winner had to record music following immediately after the show was over, and she didn’t feel like she was ready for that. She was signed to a contract anyways regardless of getting third place. In 2004, she released her first single titled “Me and Charlie Talking”. Following her single she came out with her first album Kerosene. Her sassy songs about cheating drinking and bad break ups took listeners. Her album sold over 900,000 copies. Kerosene also caught the attention of critics including Rolling stone and New Yorker magazine. She was also nominated for many awards that year including top new female artist. The next year she did win that award (Miranda Lambert Biography).

 Her next album she recorded is called Crazy Ex-girlfriend. She wrote the majority of the songs on that album herself, including the hot singles from that album. The album had many hit songs that climbed up the charts. “Gun Powder and Lead” was among those hit songs and the record sold more than one million copies. She earned her first ACM award for album of the year (Cunningham).

 2011 was a big year in Miranda Lambert’s life. She was married to Blake Shelton who is also a country singer as well as a coach on NBC’s hit show The Voice. This led to people calling them Nashville’s power couple. The debut of the Pistol Annie’s was also during this year, which consisted of Miranda Lambert, Ashely Monroe, and Angaleena Presley. The tro’s most well-known song is Hell on Heels. Which was quickly followed by Miranda Lamberts own album, Four the Record came out with the hit single Over You. She wrote this song with her husband Blake Shelton. The song was inspired by the death of Shelton’s brother. This song gives an angelic feel to the listener and can touch a lot of people through the music and lyrics (Cunningham).

 In 2013 The Pistol Annie’s came out with a new song titled Annie up, and four years in a row Lambert collected both ACM and CMA awards. Male country singers have seemed to take over country radio but Miranda Lambert is one of the few female country singers who never ceases to be right up there with all the boys. She is one of country music’s most talented writers and some would even argue that she is one of the most talented writes in all of music(Cunningham).

 On her most current album Platinum, we get to see a more sensitive side of Lambert. Not the crazy spit fire songs that we are all used to hearing from her, but a more soft, sensitive and vulnerable kind of songs. During an interview she explains that she is thirty now and that she everything that happens in her life she wants to sing about it because she has nothing to hid. Everything that she did in her twenties she said she worked hard as well as play hard. Once she reached thirty she said that she feels like she has to own up to everything and hold herself more accountable. The reason she wants to write about everything that is going on in her life is because, there is somebody out there going through the same thing. Although her songs are more vulnerable and soft she still finds a way to incorporate her spitfire spirit, because that is part of who she is (About Miranda Lambert).

 Miranda Lambert is an inspiration to all female artists, to just keep writing songs without changing the person you are. For the up and coming female country singers she gives them hope and motivation to keep on fighting for their dreams. She always tries to stay true to herself and others and doesn’t fall to the pressures around her. Miranda is a female voice that country music will be hearing for a while longer. Her career has just started and she is continuing to write and record music that will wow her fans and country music.

These two songs theme was love. Something we all desire. Even if we don’t desire it from a person or don’t know how to give it to someone. We all still have things in life that we hold close to our hearts, things that we love. The love of a man inspired these songs, as long as he is the right one. Heartbreak is tough, but a heartbreak is one-step closer to a happy ever after.