Local entrepreneur promoting body positivity with modest clothing

We are in an era where men and women feel the need to showcase their bodies in a bid to gain attention. But by doing this, modesty has decreased over the years. 

Esther Baird

But since the ’60s, models like Twiggy made ‘ultra-skinny’ a fashion trend designers exploited as the perfect form. Women who didn’t fit into that particular mold became the source of ridicule, body shaming, and all-round rejection. 

Eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia surfaced at an alarming rate among women of all ages claiming many’s lives. This mindset epidemic was all in the name of achieving ‘a flawless body.’  The catastrophic effects of this manipulation can still be seen in society today.

In spite of that, a local entrepreneur who has been promoting body positivity and modest dressing is 23-year-old Esther Baird. 

Baird manages her own online boutique ‘ModestyEverything,’ which is known for being an inclusive brand catering for women of all shapes while helping them dress more conservatively and not draw unwanted attention. 

Esther was born on 25th September 1997, at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to Claude Baird and Odessa Charles. She is the eldest out of four other children and grew up in the village of Buxton in an extended family before moving out and living with her mom and siblings alone. 

She attended the New Friendship Nursery School then the Friendship Primary School before transitioning to the Bladen Hall Multilateral Secondary School. While life was not a bed of roses for her, she relayed that her mother did her best to ensure that she and other siblings were cared for.

I would describe my childhood as normal all in all. All may not have been well financially and being privileged as others to get new clothes to go to various outings and have the finer things in life. But at a very young age, I understood very well why my mother was unable to send us to school parties and other children related celebrations such as Mashramani. So, I know the meaning of being humble.

Esther explained that she completed her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) in 2014, doing reasonably well despite many challenges. She added that right after, she started pursuing studies in accounting at the Accountancy Training Centre (ATC) but stopped after realizing that she no longer wanted to pursue that as a career. 

After hearing that she would not be pursuing studies in the accounting field, her father travelled to Guyana and encouraged her to attend the University of Guyana or the Government Technical Institute (GTI)  instead. 

I then attended the GTI doing Administration Principles and Practices and was among the top 10, which I came out with a Diploma in 2017. My experience at the GTI aid my spiritual growth, which I was a part of the leaderboard in the bible club. They helped me to be disciplined and grew the love for teaching even more than I did previously.

The young entrepreneur disclosed that she always wanted to start her business but never had the courage. However, she put fear to the winds and launched her business on 16th June 2020. She noted that being a modest Christian made it very difficult to find decent beautiful clothing around the capital city. This is one of the pillars that sparked ‘ModestyEverything.’

“This took a lot of courage. I say this because of the fear I had in me of not being successful. Being a woman of faith and with the encouragement of my supportive husband, I took a leap of faith with the resources I had and, with the help of my father, who also supports me in this mission to provide beautiful modest clothing.”

She continued, “I decided to launch this business because being a modest Christian, it is very hard to find decent beautiful clothes around town. This was a struggle! Apart from that, I decided to launch this business because. I want women to feel comfortable in their own skin and still look beautiful! Women of all shapes and sizes.” 

The 23-year-old entrepreneur said that she aims to have women see that they do not need to be half-naked to look fashionable and beautiful. 

I would like to say special thanks to my modelers Renita and Sasha that are aiding to make this possible. Also, “Modesty IS THE BEST ACCESSORY!

Esther aspires to become a teacher at the secondary level, sharing her skills and wealth of knowledge to the younger generation. In fact, she wants to create an impact on the lives of our future generation. She also hopes to start the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) next year. 

Contact Information for Esther Baird

• Facebook Page: ModestyEverything
• Instagram: ModestyEverything
• Whatsapp #: 592 675 – 0799