April 14, 2010

Pure Fashion combats media's mixed messages

By Julie Filby

The fifth annual Pure Fashion show will hit runways in downtown Denver May 2. Guests will be treated to a parade of trendy and tasteful fashions, a silent auction, world champion Irish step dancers, and a dessert and coffee bar.

Pure Fashion is an eight-month program that educates young women age 14-18 in social graces, hair and make-up artistry, personal presentation and public speaking. Every spring the program culminates with a fashion show.

This year’s guest speaker and master of ceremonies will be Pure Fashion national spokesperson Brenda Sharman. Sharman—who converted to Catholicism after growing up in an agnostic family—is a model, actress and Miss Georgia USA 1990.

During her conversion and growing need to discover God, Sharman realized culture had become more immodest and indecent.

“I had to decide if I was going to be part of the problem or part of the solution,” she said.

In 2006, she became the founding national director of Pure Fashion and remains at the forefront of the modesty movement.

“With Pure Fashion, we meet today’s teens where they are: the mall!” Sharman said.

The program helps balance the mixed messages teenagers receive in today’s culture.

“Unfortunately teens are being negatively impacted by the fashion and entertainment industries, which have become more and more crude,” she said. “They’re growing up in a time when there is little regard for discretion, decency and Christian morality.”

It can be difficult for parents to foster strong Christian morals when the media glamorizes often-raunchy behavior of reality TV stars, musicians and entertainers.

“Kids look up to these ‘stars’ and sometimes emulate their behavior,” Sharman said. “As concerned parents, we want our children to grow up with Jesus and saints as role models—unfortunately our culture exalts pop stars more than saints.”
Pure Fashion helps young ladies feel confident about who they are in the eyes of God, providing strength to “go against the grain” and make counter-cultural choices.

“Purity, modesty, humility and discretion are not for weak, shy or timid girls,” she said. “A young woman who chooses to live these virtues is a radical teenager.”

Organizers hope parents will bring their young girls to the fashion show to witness “true role models” as presented in the Pure Fashion models.

“We want them to get a glimpse of how much fun it is to be in the Pure Fashion program,” she said. “We want them to realize their inherent dignity and live a life that reflects that dignity, in how they dress, behave and treat others.”

The event begins at 2 p.m. May 2 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Tickets are $35 ($40 if purchased after April 20). To reserve seats, visit www.purefashion.com, call 720-482-3572 or e-mail dpfkate@live.com.

 Pure Fashion Show

 When: 2 p.m.-5 p.m. May 2
Where: Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1750 Welton St., Denver
Tickets: $35 early bird rate ($40 after April 20)
Contact: www.purefashion.com, 720-482-3572 or dpfkate@live.com