Biblical Modesty in Dress: A Call to Reflect Christ

Let the redeemed of the Lord dress so! As followers of Christ, our appearance ought to mirror the values of the One we represent. But what does that look like in practical terms? What should our dress code be like as Christians? What truly constitutes biblical modesty?

For many Believers today, the conversation around modesty has become a taboo subject that is often controversial and uncomfortable. This results in the Church adopting a “come as you are” mindset shaped more by culture than by Scripture. The result? Confusion about what it actually means to dress in a way that honors God.

So how should Christians present themselves both in the church and in everyday life? This is a valid question, and it deserves a thoughtful, balanced answer rooted in God’s Word.

While we must be careful not to swing into legalism, we should not fall into a cultural laxity that disregards holiness. Somewhere between the two lies a path of wisdom—a Christ-centered balance that neither elevates external appearance nor ignores it altogether.

The fact is this. Our outward appearance does matter. While it’s true that God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7), people around us often see the outside first. That means that our clothing, style, and demeanor speak before we do. Therefore our dress should reflect dignity, humility, and a heart that’s been transformed by grace.

In this spirit, let's examine some key principles to keep in mind when dressing as Believers—principles that point not to rigid rules, but to a lifestyle of restraint, reverence, and righteousness.

Fashion and the Craving for Identity

The world uses clothing as a tool of self-expression, often rooted in pride, rebellion, or sensuality. From name brands that shout for attention to styles designed to allure the flesh, fashion markets more than fabric—it markets identity. Yet as Christians, our identity is already secured in Christ. We are not called to be walking billboards for pride, wealth, or trendiness, but temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19–20).

Jesus said, “That which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Lk 16:15). If the culture exalts a certain look, style, or trend, we must ask: Is this drawing me closer to the heart of God, or closer to the spirit of the world?

Modesty Begins in the Heart

Paul exhorted women to “adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety” (1 Tim 2:9). These aren’t just surface-level instructions—they point to an inner reality. Modesty begins in the heart, with a spirit that treasures purity and respects the sacredness of the body.

When the heart is surrendered to Christ, it doesn’t crave to be seen, envied, or desired—it seeks to honor God and serve others. The modest heart leads to modest choices in dress, behavior, and demeanor. It's not about frumpiness or fear, but about humility and holiness.

For Women: Virtue and Dignity Over Display

The cultural norms of dress are drifting ever further from modesty and decency and gravitating increasingly closer toward sexual promiscuity. So where does the Christian woman draw the line? At what point is it decided the trend has gone too far? More specifically, how much of the feminine anatomy should be concealed or revealed? Thankfully, the Apostle Paul did not leave us clueless in respect to these questions, as demonstrated in the following verses:

"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but which becometh women professing godliness with good works" (1 Tim 2:9-10).

Notice that while addressing the appropriate mode of dress for Christian women, the apostle Paul exhorts them to adorn themselves “modestly” with “shamefacedness and sobriety”. He then goes on to contrast outward appearance with the true adornment of good deeds and genuine worship of God, emphasizing that a Christian’s character should outshine their clothing.

But modesty in the way we dress is not merely a principle confined to the church building; it is a standard for all Christians, at all times. At its core, modesty stems from the attitudes and intentions of the heart. Those who are inclined toward God will seek to dress modestly, decently, and appropriately, while those focused on self will dress to draw undue attention, disregarding the spiritual implications for themselves and others. A godly woman, however, lives with a “God-ward” perspective. She recognizes that her actions—including her choice of dress—reflect either the glory of God or a misplaced focus on her body.

A Christian woman who dresses immodestly sends conflicting messages about her faith. By doing so, she undermines her witness for the One who redeemed her soul through the cross. Scripture reminds us that our body is not our own; it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19–20). Dressing in ways that provoke lust not only dishonors Christ but also contributes to the spiritual stumbling of others, which Jesus sternly warns against (Mat 5:27–29).

So what does biblical modesty mean in today’s society? While biblical modesty provides some important dress guidance, its primary focus is on the condition of the heart. Proverbs 7:10 describes a woman “dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent,” illustrating how her outward appearance reveals her inner heart condition and intentions.

A godly woman will resist the cultural pressures to wear provocative or revealing clothing. She understands that modest attire protects her testimony as a child of God and fosters respect rather than lustful attention. Moreover, she views immodest clothing as cheapening her worth, knowing her value is rooted in Christ, not in physical allure. Her heart is grieved by the thought of leading others into sin through her dress because her primary goal is to honor God and help others do the same. Ultimately, modesty in dress is an external manifestation of a heart that seeks to glorify God, reflecting attitudes of humility, purity, and reverence—virtues that should define all Believers, men and women alike.

In 1 Timothy 2:9-10, Paul uses the phrase “modest apparel” to describe the appropriate mode of attire for women. To understand the meaning of this phrase, we must consult the original Greek. The word modest is translated from the Greek kosmios and simply means orderly, modest, sensible, or decent. Apparel, however, is a much more significant word. The Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines it as follows:

Strong’s NT 2689: Apparel — καταστολή (katastole)

1. properly, a lowering, letting down

2. in Biblical Greek, a garment let down

It’s important to note that apparel (Greek: katastole) is actually a compound word comprised of a preposition (kata) and a noun (stole). Kata simply refers to something that is “let down” or “lowered,” like a garment lowered from the shoulders, while stole (or stola) was a floor-length robe worn in ancient Greece and Rome. Notice:

Strong’s #2596 (kata)

Definition: down

Original Word: κατά (katá)

Short Definition: down from

Strong’s #4749 (stolḗ)

Definition: A long, flowing robe worn by the elite (people of high station, wealth). "4749 (stolḗ) is a long robe, worn by the upper classes in the east" (Souter), "especially flowing raiment, a festal robe" (A-S).

Stola: A floor-length dress with straps (or sometimes, long sleeves) that is worn over a tunic. — Wikipedia

History: The stola was a staple of fashion in ancient Rome spanning from the early Roman Republic through the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire into the first millennium. It was a long, pleated dress, worn over an undergarment called a tunic or tunica intima (the Roman version of a slip). — Wikipedia

Adam Clarke's classic Bible commentary sheds further light:

“That women adorn themselves in modest apparel – Και τας γυναικας ες καταστολη κοσμιω…. The apostle seems to refer here to different parts of the Grecian and Roman dress. The στολη, stola, seems to have been originally very simple. It was a long piece of cloth, doubled in the middle, and sewed up on both sides, leaving room only for the arms; at the top, a piece was cut out, or a slit made, through which the head passed. It hung down to the feet, both before and behind, and was girded with the zona round the body, just under the breasts. It was sometimes made with, sometimes without, sleeves; and, that it might sit the better, it was gathered on each shoulder with a band or buckle. Some of the Greek women wore them open on each side, from the bottom up above the knee, so as to discover a part of the thigh. These were termed φαινομηριδες, showers (discoverers) of the thigh; but it was, in general, only young girls or immodest women who wore them thus.

The καταστολη seems to have been the same as the pallium or mantle, which, being made nearly in the form of the stola, hung down to the waist, both in back and front, was gathered on the shoulder with a band or buckle, had a hole or slit at top for the head to pass through, and hung loosely over the stola, without being confined by the zona or girdle... A more modest and becoming dress than the Grecian stola was never invented…”

Note: For reference, the bellow picture is what the Greco-Roman stola would have looked like.

With the above in mind, here are some pertinent points to consider in relation to katastole:

• The English word “apparel” is a poor generic translation of katastole.

  
  

• Katastole is a very specific description of attire and refers to the Greco-Roman stola.

• The above references describe it as a long flowing robe or garment extending to the floor.

• Katastole is so specialized that it only occurs ONCE in the entire New Testament.

• 1 Timothy 2:9 contrasts katastole with its generic Greek counterpart himatismos. In this passage, katastole describes a specific kind of garment, while himatismos is generically applied to all clothing. For example, himatismos is translated into English as “array”—"not with costly array".

  
  

• The New Testament Greek provides several instances where clothing is described in general terms, like:

  
  

  1. array—himatismos (1 Tim 2:10)

  2. raiment—esthes (Jas 2:2)

  3. garment—himation (Mar 5:27)

  4. clothing—enduma (Mat 7:15)

     
     

If Paul were describing a generic form of dress, he could have chosen any of the above when teaching the appropriate mode of clothing for women—but he didn’t. If we transliterate the phrase “modest apparel,” 1 Timothy 2:9 would read like this: In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in decent (or orderly) long flowing garments, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.

In summary, we can be sure of the following: Paul cared enough about this subject to provide practical guidance to safeguard the Church's standard of holiness from being compromised by immodest dress. Therefore, he advised women to clothe themselves in modest, flowing garments. We can assume he did so to eliminate sexual impropriety. After all, few will deny the fact that men are sexually aroused by their eyes, and that women dressed in a promiscuous manner only serve to amplify this tendency.

For Men: Holiness, Not Worldliness

Modesty isn’t just a women’s issue. Men, too, are susceptible to vanity—whether it’s flaunting muscles in tight shirts, showing off expensive brands, or dressing to impress rather than to reflect Christ. Men are called to be examples of self-control and dignity (Tit 2:6–8). Clothing that glorifies strength, wealth, or sensual appeal can be just as damaging to the soul as immodesty in women. Instead of feeding the flesh or chasing validation, a godly man asks, Does my appearance point others to Jesus, or to myself?

Modesty for men means dressing with integrity, humility, and godly distinction. It means rejecting cultural definitions of masculinity rooted in ego and choosing instead the quiet strength of a Spirit-led life. To be entirely fair, many of the same modesty standards that apply to women also apply to men. Christian men are not exempt from the biblical call to purity and discretion in appearance. A godly man avoids drawing attention to his body through immodest or suggestive clothing. He does not go shirtless in public, nor does he wear shorts which expose his legs. He also leads his family by example, ensuring that modesty is upheld in his household.

If a woman is expected to cover her body to avoid provoking lust or presenting herself in a sexually promiscuous way, the same principle must apply to men. Lust is not a one-way street, and modesty is not a one-gender issue. Just as it is inappropriate for a woman to wear clothing that exposes her body or accentuates it in sensual ways, it is equally inappropriate for a man to do so.

In today’s culture, tight-fitting clothing for men has become increasingly popular, and the fashion industry seems intent on erasing the distinctions between male and female dress. This unisex trend blurs the God-ordained boundaries between masculinity and femininity. Scripture is clear on this matter: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment” (Deut. 22:5). God created male and female to be distinct, and that distinction should be visibly reflected even in our apparel. For this reason, Christian men should reject clothing that is excessively tight or effeminate in appearance, choosing instead garments that are properly fitted and reflect a sober, masculine identity.

As for the issue of men wearing shorts, we find a compelling biblical precedent in Exodus 28, where God commanded the Old Testament priests to wear linen breeches (underwear) beneath their robes in order to cover their nakedness—from the loins to the thighs:

"And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach" (Ex. 28:42).

God gave Moses specific instructions for the garments of the priests, and these linen breeches were an undergarment, designed for modesty when the priests ministered, especially when they ascended steps to the altar (see also Ex. 20:26). The breeches extended "from the loins even unto the thighs," ensuring that the upper legs and waist area were covered so their "nakedness" wouldn't be exposed during their service. This passage reveals how God defines the exposure of the thigh as nakedness. If this style underwear beneath a longer robe was the standard for those who served in the earthly tabernacle, how much more should it apply to those in the New Covenant who are called “a royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9) and “kings and priests unto God” (Rev. 1:6)? The standard of modesty for the Christian man should not be lower but higher—rooted not in cultural trends but in biblical principle.

Clothing Is a Witness

Whether we like it or not, our clothing communicates. Before we speak a word, we’re already sending a message. Does your appearance reflect reverence? Does it say, “I belong to Christ,” or “Look at me”?

The goal is not to draw lines in inches or ban certain colors or styles, but to invite reflection. Our dress should never distract from the Gospel or blur the distinction between God’s people and the world. We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20)—and that includes how we show up visually.

Freedom Within Boundaries

Modesty doesn’t mean legalism. It means freedom within God-given boundaries. The Christian life is not about external perfection but internal transformation that manifests outwardly. When the heart is changed, the wardrobe begins to change too.

We don't need a long list of rules—but we do need a renewed mind (Rom 12:2). We need to see our clothing choices as spiritual choices, guided by love for God, consideration for others, and a desire to walk in holiness.

Closing Exhortation

Let the redeemed of the Lord dress as though Christ has indeed redeemed them. Let our attire reflect not just good taste, but godly character. In a world obsessed with appearance, let us be people of depth—clothed in righteousness, clothed in humility, clothed in Christ.

Modesty isn't about what we can’t wear—it’s about who we want to honor. And if we truly want to honor Jesus in every area of our lives, that will include what we put on each day. Let our closets bear witness to our calling, and may our appearance preach what our hearts believe.

Note: For more of an in depth examination of this subject please click here.