Hello everbody,
My name is Lieke van Henten and I live in the Netherlands.
I study history and for a course I have to do research on different Christian groups which can be found in the Bible Belt of the USA.
The topic I’m researching is clothing and especially women’s clothing, but I’m having some difficulties with my resources. So I’m hoping that you could help me.
The most important questions I have is: what is the opinion of Christians on the subject of women clothes is there the opinion that women should dress themselves different than men and in particular that the should were a dress or skirt?
Could you please please help me with this question?
I would help me a lot
I apologies for my pore English.
With kind greeting,

Lieke van Henten

Gosh, if someone tried telling me I needed to wear only dresses or skirts, especially in a Michigan winter, they'd be facing some seriously angry looks from me. LOL

I think, personally, that my job as a Christian is to dress in an appropriate manner so that I can fully serve [i.e. wearing what's appropriate and comfortable for the task at hand, not over-spending on clothes and being a bad steward, etc.] and represent Jesus [i.e. no offensive slogans, covering what needs to be covered]. Women can be plenty feminine and distinguish themselves from men while wearing pants.

I've been a Christian for almost 20 years now. I'm not a dress/skirt type of gal. Capri's, jeans, pants, etc. Neat top. In fact, every week I wear my dark colored jeans to church. It's the only ones I have that look nice.

I think modesty is the answer. Skirts that aren't too short (too short as in just below the rear!) or shirts that show off too much cleavage or tummy.

And I wear guys' sneakers because my feet are so large. It's more necessity. But mine don't look so "boyish" - they're white.

I hope this helped!

Lieke,

Welcome to the forums. I am smack dab in the heart of Texas and on the edge of the Bible Belt South... I attended a Rural Southern Baptist Church for seven years and found a good mixture of different styles and beliefs about dress. I now attend a non-denominational church in an urban suburb Out of that I came to conviction about my dress and modesty through 1 Peter 3:1-6:

" 1 IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,

2 When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him—to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].

3 Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes;

4 But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.

5 For it was thus that the pious women of old who hoped in God were [accustomed] to beautify themselves and were submissive to their husbands [adapting themselves to them as themselves secondary and dependent upon them].

6 It was thus that Sarah obeyed Abraham [following his guidance and acknowledging his headship over her by] calling him lord (master, leader, authority). And you are now her true daughters if you do right and let nothing terrify you [not giving way to hysterical fears or letting anxieties unnerve you]."

1 Peter 3:1-6 (AMP)

Pants or skirts - as well as capris, modest shorts and such are all acceptable - the distinction is that we not carry ourselves or present ourselves as competing with men. I should maintain my femininity in my manner of dress without being provocative or competitive toward men or women alike. The goal is not to draw attention to ourselves but rather reflect an attitude of humility and submission to God.

What I found was this - there were women in leadership roles at the rural church dressed with all appropriate parts covered, but they did where spaghetti strap tops and dresses without jackets or coverings. By most standards this dress might be considered immodest - it is something I came under conviction for in my home and church life after we left that congregation.

Two things stand out to me - The passage in 1 Samuel that says, "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."

God considers two things when we select our wardrobes - how our clothing choices reflect our heart and what those choices do by example and visually to the hearts of others. Do we provoke envy or is our clothing provocative and intended to draw the intention of men... We must consider not only how we feel about what we wear - but the message we are sending with our choices. Just as with anything else. We could dress in a bedsheet and God would not care one bit that we are wearing a bedsheet unless the manner in which we wear the bedsheet demonstrates irreverant or arrogant behavior.

I have two teenage daughters which also gives me great pause and consideration. We have several rules for appropriate attire in our home,

Our main goal in the manner of dress we promote in our home is to avoid being a stumbling block to others - whether by example or before members of the opposite sex. Tatoos and body piercings (with the exception of ears) are not tolerated in our home. Though, I am sure my eldest will get her navel or nose pierced upon her first opportunity after moving out of the nest.

Hair color - even radical hair coloring is fairly acceptable in our home - but not if it violates the rules of school dress code. We must live in submission to the authority placed over us.


Low waisted jeans/skirts are permissable as long as the shirt worn with them is long enough to cover the belt line of the pants. In other words, no mid-rift skin showing at all when going out in public.

Swimwear must be modest. Two pieces are acceptable, but nothing that allows the areas of the body requiring more modest consideration to be exposed. At church camp the girls are allowed to wear two piece swim wear with tank tops over them. They are not allowed to wear spaghetti straps at church camp, or shorts that are shorter than fingertip length.

Pretty much the rule is that clothing and overall appearance should represent good stewardship and putting your best foot forward for God - honoring Him in all manner of dress. It should reflect your inner heart and relationship with both God and mankind - not to draw unwarranted attention to ourselves but out of consideration for God and others.

For me there is nothing wrong with being stylish as long as it is done with humilty and consideration for those we might influence or impact with our appearance.

An interesting thing I learned while studying 1 Peter 3 last year was that the women of that day often wore their valuable jewels and possesions braided into their hair and sewn into their clothing. The reason being, that men could dismiss them through decree of divorce for any reason at all. If she were divorced - she would be required to leave his home immediately with only the clothing on her back. So she wore everything of value upon her person to ensure that she was not left destitute should her husband divorce her.

The admonition in 1 Peter required a woman to submit to and be subject to her husband, ultimately trusting God to take care of her if her husband did not. Not to concern themselves so much with their external condition, but instead to be more concerned with their spiritual condition - winning over their husbands and receiving their security not by their external appearance or actions but by the inward beauty and grace that covered them in Christ.

And, now I am sure that things are about as clear as mud.

Blessings.

quote:

Originally posted by Lieke:
Hello everbody,
What is the opinion of Christians on the subject of women clothes is there the opinion that women should dress themselves different than men and in particular that the should were a dress or skirt?
Could you please please help me with this question?
I would help me a lot
I apologies for my pore English.
With kind greeting,

Lieke van Henten

Hello Lieke!

Here in the United States, most Christian women can dress however they like. When a woman is newly saved, her wardrobe may not be as modest as it should be, but my opinion is that over time, she will naturally shift towards more modest clothing and with some gentle mentorship or discipling.

By modest, I mean - no low necklines or really short skirts or shorts.

There are also "holiness" churches that still do not allow a woman to wear pants, makeup or cut their hair. I believe they must also cover their heads in church with a modest hat or piece of cloth. So, there are sects in Christianity that try to control women's dress.

In our church, we wear flip flops and capris/shorts in the summer, with t-shirts or sleeveless tops - but then again, my church is a lot freer than most.