Modest Dress for Women.

[Teresa W.]

Don't be dressed in church a way that stands out such that it draws attention away worshipping God. Details of what that means will vary from culture to culture and congregation to congregation.

I know what you're saying, but this only works if you stay within your culture and your congregation. If you are wearing your normal church attire, but are visiting different congregation, a different city, or a different country, how would it feel to be suddenly surrounded by people in a completely different attire who were giving strange looks and telling you that you are dressed inappropriately?

My point is that you aren't going to please everyone all the time, even if you are dressed modestly. I believe what matters most is your heart, if you've fervently sought out God's heart about how you should dress for church. And, just as importantly, what your attitude will be if and when someone shows up at your church wearing something different.

Ephesians 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ESV​

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. ESV​

I am not saying there are not inappropriate ways to dress. But if an outfit is standing out for whatever reason, and is drawing other members attention away from worshipping God, then it's on the other members to not let themselves be distracted. In other words, something may initially be distracting, but in the next second we can choose whether or not we are going to continue to let it be distracting.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Modesty is subjective. Immodesty is subjective. Wear what makes you comfortable and matches your spiritual and modesty standards. If you see somebody else who’s not dressing as you would, ignore them. Problem solved.

 

[RDKirk]

I know what you're saying, but this only works if you stay within your culture and your congregation. If you are wearing your normal church attire, but are visiting different congregation, a different city, or a different country, how would it feel to be suddenly surrounded by people in a completely different attire who were giving strange looks and telling you that you are dressed inappropriately?

Graciousness, being aware of the sensitivities of people around us, should be a normal aspect of a Christian life. If we're going to offend people, let them be offended by the gospel, not our personal style.

If you're walking around a different country, you should have noted how they dress before you get to their church. Visiting a different church, certainly I'd inquire how they dress. For that matter, I'd check it out even to visit someone's home. Some people prefer guests to remove shoes, for instance, so I wouldn't wear my lace-up boots to their home, I'd wear slip-ons.

I am not saying there are not inappropriate ways to dress. But if an outfit is standing out for whatever reason, and is drawing other members attention away from worshipping God, then it's on the other members to not let themselves be distracted. In other words, something may initially be distracting, but in the next second we can choose whether or not we are going to continue to let it be distracting.

If that were true the verses we're discussing would never have been written. Also, Romans 14 would not have been written.

 

[WolfGate]

Well, I don’t think my diamond studs or wedding rings are ostentatious or take away from worshipping God so I guess I’m all good, here. Now I do have three piercings in each ear and sometimes wear smaller diamond studs in my two upper piercings too which might be considered ostentatious but it doesn’t seem to be so, considering my church.

As I've understood those scriptures, and as the church I led a couple of decades ago responded to those verses, you would be quite fine.

 

[Teresa W.]

Graciousness, being aware of the sensitivities of people around us, should be a normal aspect of a Christian life.

I'm working on it, please pardon my socially inept autistic brain.

If that were true the verses we're discussing would never have been written. Also, Romans 14 would not have been written.

Do you mean that we can't choose to not be distracted? I'll have to ask my social worker about that, he's the one who explained to me how we can choose to react to what others do and say.

 

[RDKirk]

I'm working on it, please pardon my socially inept autistic brain.


Do you mean that we can't choose to not be distracted? I'll have to ask my social worker about that, he's the one who explained to me how we can choose to react to what others do and say.

The responsibility goes in both directions. But unless one wants to wallow in one's own spiritual weakness, one will accept both responsibilities equally, rather than saying either "I'm too spiritually weak to be gracious" or "I'm too spiritually weak to be steadfast."

 

[Teresa W.]

The responsibility goes in both directions.

I agree, sorry if I didn't say it right.

 

[Gonzalio]

Modesty can be stylish! There are plenty of beautiful dresses that are both modest and flattering. Look for pieces with a good fit, comfortable fabric, and designs that make you feel confident while respecting your values. Keep it simple and find what makes you feel good!
I remember when looking at Prom Dresses, the only important thing for me was that it fits me well. I was the only girl that wore a modest dress and it looked really good.

 

[RDKirk]

Modesty can be stylish! There are plenty of beautiful dresses that are both modest and flattering. Look for pieces with a good fit, comfortable fabric, and designs that make you feel confident while respecting your values. Keep it simple and find what makes you feel good!
I remember when looking at Prom Dresses, the only important thing for me was that it fits me well. I was the only girl that wore a modest dress and it looked really good.

Indeed. With the incredible plethora of styles available to women, it seems odd that "sexy" would be such a common go-to.

 

[Jermayn]

Modesty can be stylish! There are plenty of beautiful dresses that are both modest and flattering. Look for pieces with a good fit, comfortable fabric, and designs that make you feel confident while respecting your values. Keep it simple and find what makes you feel good!
I remember when looking at Prom Dresses, the only important thing for me was that it fits me well. I was the only girl that wore a modest dress and it looked really good.

Unfortunately, values are in short supply nowadays. We live in a society where "look at me! look at me!" is about the only thing of value. They can't even carve out one hour on Sunday morning to let God be the focus of attention.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Modesty can be stylish! There are plenty of beautiful dresses that are both modest and flattering. Look for pieces with a good fit, comfortable fabric, and designs that make you feel confident while respecting your values. Keep it simple and find what makes you feel good!
I remember when looking at Prom Dresses, the only important thing for me was that it fits me well. I was the only girl that wore a modest dress and it looked really good.

I wore what was a modest and (at the time) fashion-forward dress to my prom. It was pretty, but had I to do over I would have picked the less modest, slightly more “goth” dress. It was more me.

Having been to a showing of Rocky Horror last weekend, I have to tell you… My next one I’m not showing up to in jeans and a sweater. One of the perks of age is becoming more confident in one’s self and the freedom to express yourself in a way that makes you happy without being hung up on what others think about it.

 

[Jermayn]

Just dropping in to see how many of you think Bianca Censori's dress for the 2025 Grammy's was modest. Do you think it would be Sunday morning church service appropriate?

 

[DavidTheGnome]

I posted here a short story I wrote, in which 2 women get into an argument about modest dress:

Just a little short story I wrote

This is some short story I wrote a little while back. Which character in it do you think is right, Adrienna or the fundamentalist? It was the year 2010. Adrienna, her parents, and her sister were spending a week vacationing on Estero Island. Adrienna's favorite hobby was bicycling, and...

www.christianforums.com

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Just dropping in to see how many of you think Bianca Censori's dress for the 2025 Grammy's was modest. Do you think it would be Sunday morning church service appropriate?

I think her dress was designed with the intention of getting the response she ended up getting from it. It didn’t bother me but I found it lazy to call what she was wearing a dress, but then I saw she was actually wearing a dress, and now I’m just super fascinated by it… And I hate to admit it because her husband is the worst which makes her the worst via association.

And it’s the Grammys… Nobody wore anything, modest or not, male, female, or other gender, which would make sense at a church. It’s a mid-high fashion, wearable art formal event.