What does the Bible say about how women dress? It’s important for Christians to remember what God and Jesus said so that they can fully live up to His expectations.
Dressing modestly is important for women who are Christians because it shows to the world that you respect yourself and others around you. You are not flaunting your appearance or your wealth in public to ensure that others aren’t jealous of you.
There are some amazing women in the Bible who are an example for all women to follow.
If you’re interested in biblical women’s clothing here’s everything you need to know.
1. Timothy
The book of Timothy is a great resource for finding out what the Bible says about women dressing modestly.
Timothy 2:9 says that women should avoid dressing in ‘gold or pearls or costly attire’ and they should also avoid braiding their hair.
This is so that when women are walking around they don’t make other people feel inferior or flaunt their wealth. Women who braid their hair are also potentially thinking of men and not of themselves.
It’s interesting to compare how this works in the modern era and whether it’s acceptable for women to post selfies to Instagram that flaunt their wealth and sexuality. If we were to take the Bible in spirit we should probably avoid posting selfies and to reconsider how we dress on social media.
This is one of the key Bible verses about women’s clothing.
2. Peter
The advice from Peter 3:3 is solid. It states that your ‘adorning’ shouldn’t be external. Don’t let men judge you by your clothes or your appearance.
You should want to be loved for your personality, not your looks. Dressing in flashy clothing and aiming to allure men will not give you the happiness you crave in your life.
Trying to find internal happiness based on your personality and your hobbies and interests will boost your self-esteem and help you create the perfect life. Although at the time you might feel deflated or outcast from your friends because you don’t look as good as you can do, eventually you will find inner peace and a more compatible soul mate.
Your friends who value external values such as appearance are less likely to have a fulfilled life.
3. Romans
Romans 12:1-2 specifies that your body is a ‘living sacrifice’, something that should be held up to God, that belongs to God. You should, therefore, try to avoid defacing your body with unnecessary apparel or expensive jewels.
You should aim to look after your body so that you live a long life and so that it’s ready for God when you depart this life. How you dress is part of this. God will not appreciate how expensive your clothes are or if they show off your figure.
This doesn’t mean that women have to dress in blad clothes or a uniform. Women can take pride in their appearance so long as they are overly flashy or extravagant. Bright colors on clothes are fine so long as they don’t show off to much of the women’s bodies.
We can argue that the Bible argues this in Matthew 5:14-16 which says Christain woman should be a guiding light to other people in the world. Christain women should lead the way with their dress sense, combining the tastes and sensibilities of the Christain way of life with a great fashion sense.
Be sure to check out these church clothes for some inspiration.
4. Colossians
Colossians 3:5-6 states that women should avoid the temptations of ‘sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness’ which, the Bible states, are idolatry.
Dressing in an inappropriate way can invite sexual liaisons and create temptation that is needless. Rather than focusing on trying to find a partner who values them internally, women can put value on short term sexual partners or flirtations with men in public. This is vacuous and won’t lead to happiness.
Short-term sexual liaisons are comparable to spending lots of money on a new gadget or luxury item. It leads to an initial hit of dopamine followed by a crash.
Consumerism might make women feel happy but will eventually make them feel empty. By dressing correctly women can begin to get long term partners that will make them feel fulfilled and lead happier lives.
If women are happier and are in a fulfilled relationship they are more likely to be better mothers and are more likely to be able to create a stable and loving home for their children.
Biblical Women’s Clothing Can Change an Outlook
Biblical women’s clothing doesn’t have to be bland or boring, biblical women’s clothing can be bright colorful outfits that act as a light for other women across the world. What’s important is that the clothing is modest.
Dressing in a way that attracts short term sexual partners is not fulfilling according to many different passages in the Bible.
Women dressing in the latest fashion trends can also cause them to be happy as their happiness is dependent on external factors. It encourages them to look for validation from other people’s comments on themselves which is not valuable.
A woman’s validation should come from their internal beliefs about themselves and their own abilities.
The Bible also states that a woman’s body is a sacrifice to God when they eventually leave this life. God is all-knowing and all-seeing and will not be taken in by extravagant clothing that He would consider a way of disguising their internal character.
If you are interested in reading more about women dressing in the Bible or biblical women’s clothing be sure to check out the rest of our site.