The Latest Fashion

I was flipping idly through Beautiful Girlhood yesterday, and thinking what I was going to wear for Sunday. All of a sudden, the words "Strength and honor are her clothing" popped out of the book.
Oops.

Clothes. I think that is one weakness of most girls. The latest fashions beckon to us from posters, advertisements on the newspaper and TV, and shop windows. The choices vary, and sometimes the price is tempting.

Girls tend to overdo themselves when it comes to clothing and jewelry. They want to follow the latest outfit of their favorite celebrity or fashion model. There is an air of competition when it comes to the latest styles. I've seen girls wearing such extravagant outfits -- earrings the size of their palm, bracelets that cover half their lower arm, backless blouses, mini skirts -- all unnecessary. It doesn't make them any prettier or more attractive. Nor does make-up help a single bit.


Being a girl, I admit, yes, clothes and jewelry are two of my weaknesses. I used to plan my attire months before I got to wear it. I used to take 30 minutes to get dressed. I don't now. I had a "vanity check" a few months ago...and I realized that I was too vain concerning my appearance. I realized that there were other, better things that deserved more attention.


There are a few things concerning clothes that I would like to point out:

First of all, while it isn't exactly a sin to fuss over clothes, there are better things to spend your time and money on. Instead of spending 3-4 hours shopping for the "perfect" outfit, why not spend it on prayer, studying God's word, or developing your talents and skills? Instead of wasting money by buying clothes that you will only use a few times, why not spend it on practical, more useful things? Invest your time and money; don't waste either.

Secondly, the latest fashions may look great, but they aren't always the best. Some of them are immodest and they do not display a good character. Low-neck blouses, tank tops, mini skirts, short shirts that display your lower abdomen, backless blouses...fashionable but immodest. Paul wrote to Timothy about how women were to dress - "...modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God" (1 Timothy 2:9-10).
Girls, let me ask you: Do the clothes you wear portray a Christian character? Are the clothes you put on modest and simple? Does your physical appearance display a decent, appropriate look? Or do you wear clothes that are fashionable, but immodest? Do you wear clothes that cause guys to think wrongly towards you? Is your appearance causing your fellow brothers in Christ to stumble?
If your answer to any of the last three questions is yes, I advise you, throw them away! Get rid of them! Burn them! Bury them! It doesn't matter what you do, just get rid of them!
You might be saying that a guy should be responsible for his own thoughts. Yes, they are responsible, but in a way, you are responsible too. If you were wearing simple, modest clothes in the first place, instead of the fashionable but immodest ones, do you think he would have thought wrongly towards you?

Lastly, clothes are not the most important things to wear. The Bible says that we should be clothed with "strength and honor" (Proverbs 31:25) and dressed with "good deeds" (1 Timothy 2:10). Often, we tend to be fussy perfectionists when it comes to our physical appearance; but have you ever stopped to think about how your character might look? Are you clothed with "strength and honor"? Are you dressed with "good deeds"? Does your physical appearance reflect a Christ-like character? Clothes may seem important to us because the advertisements make us think that physical appearance is all that matters. It is not. A Christ-like character is more important.
I challenge you to "dress" your character more than you dress yourself. Clothe yourself with strength and honor. Dress yourself with good deeds. Put them on, and wear them always. Be a model of the latest, best, most fashionable "clothes."