For the highly conservative Duggar family, going swimming presents unique wardrobe challenges. Explaining what her daughters are allowed to wear, along with why, Michelle Duggar recently blogged for TLC’s Parentables column.

Detailing their decision to make modesty a high priority even while swimming, the 19 Kids and Counting star wrote in part:

We discussed all the reasons why we wear clothes — sometimes as a uniform or for work, for protection from the elements (especially for avoiding a sunburn), for distinction (determining whether you’re a man or a woman by looking at someone) and for modesty.

We were searching through scripture, and we found where God talks about a covering — what His idea of that would be. And in our heart before the Lord, we really came to a conclusion for our family about wearing modest clothes…

And so in our dress — whether we’re doing activities that require us to climb, ride a horse, bike, swim, whatever — we just want to keep the thighs and torso covered; we don’t want to play peekaboo so that there’s a visual element that might defraud someone.

Michelle Duggar, seen here with husband Jim Bob Duggar, went on to explain that though her family has decided modesty is most important, they do not judge others who dress differently.

“This isn’t for everyone, and we don’t push this on anybody,” she wrote. “And we don’t judge anyone that doesn’t have this perspective, but for us, we felt like we needed to be covered from our neck to below our knees mainly because God talks about the thigh being uncovered, and how that’s nakedness and shame.”

For more from Michelle Duggar check out Parentables!

photo: FameFlynet