Have you ever paused to consider the enormous role fashion plays in your life?
I’m willing to bet you didn’t just roll out of bed this morning and grab the first top and jeans you saw. Or maybe you did, but only because you spent some time last night sorting through the options in your wardrobe. Perhaps you even tried and discarded several outfits before choosing this one. Before that, you did the same thing in the store, piling your arms with blouses and sweaters and trousers. Then you headed to the dressing room where you scrutinized each piece in front of the mirror for how it looks with your legs, your belly, your arms.
Perhaps your skin, not your clothing, gives you the most headache. You wash it, tone it, moisturize it, worry over the zit that’s making an appearance on your forehead. Then you cover it all with layers of makeup from the multitude of products spread across your bathroom counter.
And now you’re only half done because you still have to fix your hair. Here comes more worrying and more products!
Perhaps it’s time to shift the focus through a Christian girl’s perspective on fashion
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
Danger Ahead: Fashion = Quicksand
If your morning routine sounds like any or all of the above, you’re in good company. Today’s culture places an ungodly emphasis on girls and women having perfect bodies and staying within predetermined style confines, as discussed in my last post, For A Positive Body Image, Start With the Truth.
What this means for you and I as Christian girls and women is that we probably spend a lot more time worrying about how we look than we should. More time in the store, more time digging through the closet, more time in front of the mirror.
And just as much time feeling inadequate.
Fashion and the Christian Girl
Contrary to where you might think this is heading, the answer is not to eschew fashion altogether. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 speaks of winning the respect of outsiders, and that’s hard to do if you go everywhere looking like a slob.
The girl who puts no thought into her clothes at all is doing no more to glorify God with her body than the one wearing a high-end designer blouse erupting with cleavage.
That means the girl who puts no thought into her clothes at all and instead pulls on ripped sweatpants and a baggy tee every morning is doing no more to glorify God with her body than the one wearing a high-end designer blouse erupting with cleavage. The one who doesn’t even bother to brush her hair or wash her face before heading out to run errands is no more God-pleasing than the one who spends hours in front of the mirror, painting her face to look like that of the model on the cover of the latest issue of Elle.
As honorable Christian women, our task is to present our bodies with dignity and modesty while being careful to not let fashion rule our time, mentality, and wallets. We should put thought into our clothing and appearance, but more thought into…???
What exactly is it should we be putting more thought into?
Lift Your Head, Focus on Jesus
God doesn’t want you to waste your time obsessing over your body and your appearance, even if the rest of the world is trying to get you to do just that. Nowhere does he make that more clear than in Colossians 3:2:
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Focus on Jesus and the riches he has prepared for you! The things above have little to do with the shoes you’re wearing or the style of your shirt.
Fashion for the Christian Girl: Be Clothed in Christ
Did you know that the Bible gives fashion advice? That’s right! Colossians 3:12 tells us to clothe ourselves with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” These are just the undergarments, however. (Every woman knows the importance of good undergarments!) Verse 14 tells us that the garment you should be putting on over all these virtues is love.
Your outfit will not be complete without love!
Fashion should be used to glorify God with your body instead of distracting from his beauty.
Ephesians 6:10-18 talks about a totally different kind of fashion that Christians should wear: armor.
Okay, that’s not very feminine. Imagine walking into school wearing a suit of plated armor that includes a shield and sword. While it might have worked in King Arthur’s time, it definitely would not fit into the fashion norms of today. (And might set off a few alarms).
But that’s exactly what the Lord tells us to do. Satan is always ready to attack, so Christians must always be wearing their belts of truth, breastplates of righteousness and the full gamut of God’s armor, every day.
Check out my Armor of God 101 post!
Remember, your body is only a small part of who you are, so clothing it should not take up a huge chunk of your time. According to the Bible’s fashion advice, you can have the most put-together outfit ever, but if you go out without compassion, love, righteousness and patience, you will still be naked.
A Christian Girl’s Perspective on Fashion
We tend to look at fashion as if it were all about ourselves: how I feel, how I look. But for the Christian girl, fashion should be used to glorify God with your body instead of distracting from his beauty. Dress to garner the respect of others, so that when you share God’s word with them, they will not trample it. Take care of your body and tend to your physical appearance, then go out and do God’s work!
See what it means to Let Your Life Be a Glimpse of God’s Glory!
Modesty: Not the Burden You Think It Is
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
The word “modesty” is bound to come up in any conversation about Christian girls and fashion. What are the rules of modesty? Am I responsible for helping boys control their thoughts? Is it okay to want ot look sexy?
I’ve already answered these questions—and then some—elsewhere on this site, so let me direct you there if you still have concerns about modesty:
- Why Modesty is Important For Christian Girls
- Is Female Immodesty Responsible for Male Lust?
- 5 Important Questions About Modesty—And Their Answers
Remember, you are the daughter of the one true King, and your purpose in this world goes beyond being a pretty thing to look at. Let that goal be your guide the next time you have to make a fashion decision!
Think Beyond Fashion
Instead of giving you a multitude of Christian girl fashion tips (which would only further keep the focus on fashion instead of Jesus), I invite you to check out 10 Misconceptions About Biblical Womanhood from the GirlDefined website. This great post will help you think beyond the physical qualities of being a Christian woman in today’s world of overemphasized fashion.