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Are all modern
fashions wrong? Should we avoid new looks? When Christian women shop,
should they never buy anything in style?
Some Christian women dress as they wish and have no
respect whatsoever for what’s “in” or “out” or this season or that.
Sometimes, it’s pulled off very tastefully.
I remember years ago seeing a woman in what could almost
have passed for period costume. She wore a maxi prairie skirt trimmed with
abundant lace and a beautiful high-collared lacy blouse. She had her hair up,
something like a Gibson Girl, and she looked fabulous! Those clothes suited her
and were complimented by her hairstyle. She didn’t look anything like the
people around her in the 1990s but stood out as original and interesting.
I personally love it when someone is comfortable in her
own unique fashion statement, and I’m not very wild about cloned clothing.
But, let’s get back
to the big question: is fashion wrong?
Is it wrong to follow current trends?
Is there something bad
about the fashion industry?
Fashion, by definition is “a popular
or the latest style of clothing, hair, etc.”
Let’s take some of
today’s most recent fashion trends:
- Hemlines are coming down, covering the knee.
- Lace is popular.
- Chevron stripes are a new, though revisited, craze.
- Different textures are put together. (This one has been going on for quite a while now. You’ll see tulle or lace with shiny leathers or clunky boots with a delicate dress or skirt. I saw a Western-themed wedding where the bride wore a white lace dress with a denim jacket.)
Could you, as a Christian woman, follow the above-mentioned
trends? Of course.
Are they bad? No.
Is any one of them immodest, sinful, or just plain wrong?
No.
You might be
thinking, “but it’s the fashion industry that has it all wrong.” I
would say “yes” and “no” to that one.
Many of the fashion designers are people who do not hide
their sinful lifestyles and the motivations and inspirations behind their
fashion ideas. They may design clothes that actually exploit people’s bodies. They
may wish to shock and surprise or make social statements. The clothes might be
short, transparent, or cut in such a way as to show off parts of the body that
a Christian would not wish to emphasize. Many of the top fashion houses feature
designs that don’t even look nice on their models. Their purpose is innovation
and trendsetting, not to make people pretty and much less, to honor God.
But, there are designers out there that make
beautiful, tasteful, and modest clothing.
Have you ever
looked for it? Go online and type in a search for “modest women’s
clothing.” You’ll be surprised how many beautiful websites you find. I “pinned”
one dress that a friend liked. It’s
all one color, with ¾ length sleeves, a high neckline, and the full skirt
covers the knee. After I pinned that one, I was bombarded with skirts of many
lengths—all near the knee or longer. There were stripes and solids and jeans
skirts. They were paired with all kinds of up-to-date tops, jackets, sweaters,
scarves, shoes, boots, and other accessories. Every outfit was modern as well
as modest.
The Bible gives us
several guidelines for dress (1 Peter 3:3-5; 1 Timothy 2:9-10). How about the
example of the Virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31? Look what she wears: She maketh herself
coverings of tapestry; her clothing is
silk and purple (verse 22). I get the
impression she looked very classy: tapestry, silk, purple. Was she dressed in
the very latest? Your guess is as good as mine. But, her husband and children
were obviously proud of her. She looked nice.
I believe, rather than painting all fashion with the same
brush (saying it’s all sinful) we should look at each clothing trend and make a
godly decision about it.
- Is it modest?
- Is it moderate?
- Does this fashion call attention to my body—or my face?
- Will I look like a real nut if I wear this? (Will I be calling attention to myself by not fitting in the culture where I live? Will I look extremely odd?)
- If I’m married, will my husband like this?
- Does this outfit bring glory to God—or to me?
- Is this a wise use of money (good stewardship)?
Then, buy clothing that pleases the Lord. It doesn’t really matter whether it is the latest thing or
not. What matters is that you have put some thought and prayer into your
purchase. If you have, you can step out in confidence, wearing clothing that both
reflects your personality and honors the Lord.
You can dress in
style and please God!
Here are some inspirational fashion websites for you to check
out: http://modern1modesty.blogspot.com
. . . and a whole collection of modest fashion blogs at: http://christianfashionbloggers.webs.com/apps/links/
Look up “modest style” on Tumblr and Pinterest. You’ll
see lots of really nice outfits in various cuts and looks. Use your search
engine for “modest fashions,” “modest bridal gowns,” “modest dresses,” etc.
You will find inspiration, patterns for sewing, retail companies, and many
blogs. Enjoy!
Good post. I agree, it's not wrong to be "stylish" if there is nothing wrong with the said style. It is probably more economical to go with classic styles that will do for years rather than buying trendy things every year, but a few of those is fine. There is no virtue in looking several years behind the times, but then again, I get frustrated that certain items are considered "out" even by Christians just because people have moved on to other styles.
ReplyDeleteI love the vintage-y outfit you described though I don't think I could pull it off. The styles in Anne of Green Gables are my favorites though I love the 40s styles as well.
Thank you, Barbara. I tend to go fairly classic myself, but I've always enjoyed people who can dress with flair and carry it off well. That woman I mentioned was terrific! I believe that being Christian means accepting people as they are--and as they dress. We need grace to do that, but it's right. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. God bless!
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