Introduction

Modesty is a hot topic in the Church. There are those who have PTSD from purity culture in which they were brought up to believe it was their responsibility to control the thoughts of men, or that if they dressed a certain way they “deserved what they got.” Of course, there are also the people pointing fingers and shaming others for what they wear. Most people (I'd like to think) are somewhere on the spectrum with their beliefs; on one end of this spectrum some have rejected the idea all together, and on the other end some judge people's salvation entirely by how they dress. Let's look at the verses from scripture and dive in to this complex topic.

Anecdote

Regardless of what the Bible says or doesn’t say, we’re all at least vaguely familiar of the concept of being modest and have our own ideas of what it means. So, before we really dive in, I want to talk about a moment that shifted my perception pertaining to modest dress.

About a decade ago, I found my self perplexed by the stark difference in how women were portrayed on different shows I watched. One show was filmed in Australia and followed three high school girls who gained the ability to turn into mermaids. The others were filmed in the US and also followed high school girls in various scenarios.

Naturally the show in Australia features lots of beach scenes and often depicts the main characters in swimsuits—specifically bikinis. The shows filmed in the US are not set in areas that had bodies of water and did not show the characters in water often. Yet, to my surprise, the Australian show seemed less sexualized and more family friendly than any of the US shows…

At first I couldn’t wrap my head around why this was occurring, and that caused me to pay more attention to everything happening on each show. This is what I noticed:

1. The story lines were much different. The Australian show kept the story lines clean. Episodes focused on how the (uncontrollable) ability to turn into a mermaid affected the girls’ lives—like being able to be on the swim team or get a job at an aquarium. Although each of the girls have a boyfriend, they are rarely shown kissing or even holding hands. In contrast the American shows had outrageous storylines like teacher-student relationships, heavy drinking, and forbidden love triangles. The American shows contained implied sex scenes, shower scenes, and make-out scenes with most if not all the couples.
2. The angles in which the scenes were shot were different. I noticed the American shows would focus the camera on a character’s hip, bust, or mouth, causing the eye to focus on the body. In contrast, the Australian show usually focused on the face as a whole when doing close ups. Almost none of the beach scenes are close-ups. When the girls are in bikinis, the shot is wide and the focus is actually the ocean.
3. The mannerisms and personalities of the characters. The character’s in the Australian show come off as one would hope/expect teen girls too. There’s one that is shy, one that is an overachiever, and one that is a bit of a rebel, but none of them are sultry or seductive. All the characters in the American show are sultry and seductive (e.g. in the way they talk, in the storylines they carry, etc.). This became even more apparent when two of the characters from the Australian show booked gigs on the US shows and appeared in stark contrast to their previous characters.

Why am I telling you this? There are a lot of factors other than what someone is wearing that can and will shape how we view whether a woman is dressed modestly or not. Keep this in mind as we discuss this topic.

Does the Bible Require Modesty?

If you’ve been a believer for any length of time or if you grew up in the Church you will likely be quick to answer yes to this question, even if you can’t put an exact definition on what it means to be modest. Naturally, the best way to answer this question is to see what the Bible says. I did a ctrl+f on a digital version of the KJV and could only find the word “modest” once: 1 Timothy 2:9 (right where I expected it to be). Now, since the Bible is translated, that doesn’t necessarily mean the word doesn’t appear elsewhere, just that this is the only place the KJV translators decided to translated it as “modest.” I used an interlinear Bible to determine that the Greek word used there is κόσμιος. This word actually means “orderly, i.e. decorous:—of good behavior, modest.” It is found in one other place in the New Testament—1 Timothy 3:2—where it is translated “good behavior.”[2]

Let’s take a look at 1 Timothy 2:9:

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;
1 Timothy 2:9 KJV

According to the lexicon, modest could be replaced with orderly, decorous, or good behavior. I think we can all agree that good behavior seems like a weird translation—though I might consider wrinkle-free clothes well behaved apparel. Orderly brings to mind neatness and tidiness. If I heard someone’s clothing described as orderly, I would picture an outfit that is well put together, wrinkle free, and properly fitted. I had to look up the word decorous (on first read it seemed related to decor or decorated). Decorous actually means suitable, appropriate, or in good taste.[4] That’s slightly different than how people generally define modesty.

Just because the word “modest” only appears once, doesn’t necessarily mean the concept isn’t discussed, though. Think about the word grandfather, this is a modern word and doesn’t appear anywhere in the Bible, but grandfathers clearly exist and are identified (maybe not as clearly) in the text. So, I looked up verses on modesty and found a pretty extensive list.[7] Something interesting about this list however is that most of the verses don’t actually focus on attire (and some on the list aren’t specifically about modesty at all).

Let’s look at a nice graph that summarizes what these verses are about 🙂

Analysis of verses said to be about "modesty." Most verses are about humility while only a few are about specific attire.

What is Modest Attire?

According to the verse presented above, modesty is about humility and not thinking too highly of yourself (note, that doesn’t mean you should have low self-esteem or think down on yourself either!). However in 1 Timothy 2:9, where the word modest actually appears, the verse seems to be detailing what “modest apparel” is. Let’s dive deeper in to this, since modesty is so often assumed to be about clothes and attire.

Defining Some Terms From 1 Timothy 2:9

In a few we’ll talk about the connection to shame that modesty has, but for now lets look at shamefacedness and sobriety from a dictionary perspective. We associate sobriety with absence of drug use today, but it really is referencing moderation (in particular concerning what you drink) and can also mean to be serious or to use sane judgment.[6] Shamefacedness can be a synonym for modesty (remember that in the section below) but generally it means to be shy or bashful. So far, it seems like an admonition to wear the appropriate clothes but in such a manner you do not want to draw attention to yourself. The last part of the verse adds to the definition a sense of value. Gold, pearl, and “costly array” is a reference how expensive the clothes are. The KJV uses the term broided, which means braided, we’ll get in to what that has to do with this as well.

What Did We Wear In the Beginning?

I would think the perfect example of modest attire would be the clothes God gave Eve (and Adam—but we’re going to focus on Eve because I’m a woman and this series is about being a woman of God) right after the fall. They were naked before sin entered the world, so clothing is a consequence of sin. Whatever God gave Eve after sin entered the world must have been sufficient, right?

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
Genesis 3:21 KJV

The most commonly used translations to describe what God clothed Adam and Eve with are coats, tunics, clothing, and garments. The original Hebrew is כֻּתֹּנֶת, which really means to cover.[3] If we assume that the garment was a tunic (which makes more sense than a coat since coats usually go over existing clothes), we have to ask what exactly is a tunic? Oxford English Dictionary’s first definition says a tunic is “a loose, dress-like garment, with or without sleeves, that extends some way down the legs. Also: a coat-like garment worn beneath a loose mantle or cloak.” Another definition says the garment is “typically plain and [falls] to the upper or mid-thigh.”

Also notice that no distinction is made in the garment made for Adam versus Eve. Despite Deuteronomy 22:5 instructing us that women are not wear men’s garments and men are not to wear women’s garments, no clear description is ever given for the difference between them! God is very detailed about the rituals, feasts, and even materials for garments in the Torah... If no distinction is given, it implies that this isn't a matter of what He considers propper so much as what society is comfortable with.

Do me a favor. Before you continue, outline what you think is immodest. Is it clothing that stops before the knee? Is it tight clothes? Cleavage, perhaps? What signals the alarm bells as immodest on sight for you? Now outline the parts of your body that you’re most insecure with or ashamed of. Is there overlap? For me there is significant overlap, and that doesn’t surprise me because the Bible hints at modest being more about shame—internal shame—than anything the church ever talks about.

Let’s go back to Genesis when Adam and Eve first begin to don clothes.

Before sin:

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Genesis 2:25 KJV

After sin:

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
Genesis 3:7-11 KJV

Are men adamant that women showing skin are immodest because the Bible actually condemns us from showing our arms or calf or navel (all body parts in which both genders have) or because they’re ashamed of the sexual desires they have? Are we, as women, convicted that it is immodest to show our shape because the Bible actually says form fitted clothes are immodest or because we’ve been made to feel ashamed or uncomfortable in our bodies? Is it some of both?

Also, note that in 1 Corinthians 12:23, we are instructed to give more honor to the body parts that are less honorable. In context this is actually about members of the Church and likely references giving more honor to people in what are typically considered “lower” positions (like a janitor). However, if we assume this logic is to apply to our literal bodies as well, it could be read as the parts giving us shame should be honored. Note that we aren’t given a specific example for either interpretation.

Braided Hair

In 1 Timothy 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:3 both speak about the way a woman wears her hair. Some translations say “elaborate hairstyles” while others reference braiding. Context is important for understanding what is being said here.

Both passages referring to braided hair utilize a literary technique common in the Bible—the comparison and substitution of an undesirable (sinful) thing for a better (godly) thing. For example, Jesus states in John 6:27, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” Is Jesus saying that a person should not work for physical food? Of course not. Second Thessalonians 3:10 tells us, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” Jesus is simply comparing spiritual food to physical food, emphasizing that spiritual food must be given a higher priority. To value physical health over spiritual health would be detrimental.
GotQuestions.org

1 Timothy is written to Timothy, who is in Ephesus. Most church sources claim that a major issue in Ephesus with the wealthy women of the area elaborately styled their hair with gold and pearls braided in. This was distracting from the message of the gospel, and thus the reason it was prohibited.[10][11][12][13][14] I have also heard that it was common for temple priestesses to style their hair in such a way and that was why Paul had an issue with it.[14] I would like to do some deeper studying to find the source of these two theories.

Even without the source of these theories, I believe it is valid to assume this verse is not prohibitting jewelry or braided hair as a whole. Here are a few reasons I believe this verse is strictly about keeping one's focus/priorities in check and does not prohibit women from braiding their hair (or wearing jewelry and costly array):

• The only other place braided hair is mentioned is in 1 Peter 3:3. In Deuteronomy 17:6, we are told that by the power of two or three witnesses is a thing established[15] and this principle is upheld by God Himself. For example, we get The 10 Commanments in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 with references to them in the New Testament gospels. This allows for most concepts in the Bible to be so interwoven in the text that you can't edit them out easily. Sticking with out example, if you removed "thou shalt not murder" from both Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, you will still have evidence that murder is wrong from the story Cain and Abel, the chastizing of David after he has Bathsheba's husband killed in battle, the Messiah telling people being angry without cause is akin to murder and deserving of the hellfire, etc. This is not true with these 1 Timothy 2:9-19 and 1 Peter 3:3. One could easily erase these two verses and there would be no discussion of women's hair anywhere in the bible.
• In Genesis 24 Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son. He gives the servant gifts to give the future bride and we learn that these gifts include bracelets and rings. If jewelry were sinful, why would Abraham send such gifts to his future daughter-in-law?
• In Proverbs 31:22 it says the woman, who is described as the "perfect" wife, has clothing of silk and purple. During ancient times purple dye was very expensive, hence it's association with royalty. Pueple clothes were more expensive than any other color. In adition, silk was (and still is) one of the most expensive fabrics you can purchase.[16] The Proverbs 31 woman was wearing possibly the most expensive clothes one could buy...

Costly Array

Like I mentioned above, some of the women held up for us to view as an example are actually clothed in costly attire. A perfect example of this can be found in the the discription of the Proverbs 31 woman who is wearing extremely expensive clothes. But "costly" is a relative term...

Financial advisors will tell you that your housing cost—be it rent or mortgage—should be no more than 30% of your salary. Note that this means the value changes as the salary changes. Similarly a billionaire can afford $1000 shoes, because they will still have a disposable income for other things. This is because money is relative; "costly" is relative. Without a finite number or a perccentage value given, there's no way to define what costly actually means. Any definition we assign is an opinion, which I must add will stem from our own economic background. For example, I think $1200 boots are excessive and costly, but I have a few pair of $100 boots where somone else might think $100 boots are costly. Follow up question: if it is wrong to have one pair of $1200 boots I wear all the time, is it also wrong to have 12 pair of $100 boots?

Societal Definitions

Often when people define modesty, they’re actually defining societal and cultural norms. For instance, many outfits considered modest in the most conservative parts of the United States may still be seen as immodest in a country such as Saudi Arabia.

Color

Even without the concept of cost factoring in to the color we wear, if we lean on a definition of modesty that says we are not drawing attention to ourself, color definitely plays a part. Three months ago a team member from a different office visited my office for the first time. I sent her a message the day before she appeared saying that I would wear orange boots so she could find me easily. Not only is orange a color not commonly worn (unless you’re a Clemson grad like myself), but orange on your feet is even more rare. As expected I was the only person walking around the office with bright orange feet and very easy to spot. Is that immodest because I drew attention to myself? Most Christians would say no because I was not drawing attention to myself in a sexual manner nor was I drawing attention to myself through means of wealth. Are they right, partially right, completey wrong?

Appropriateness

For instance, jeans were specifically created to be durable for miners, farmers, and other people doing manual labor.[8] Slacks on the other hand are typically made of thinner material that would easily rip in harsh environments. It follows that people who worked as laborers wore jeans most of the time, and those who worked less intensive jobs would have worn slacks. This meant that lawyers, doctors, and bankers—also typically high earning individuals—could be easily distinguished from miners, farmers, and plumbers. As such, jeans became associated with the working class and being of “lower station,” while slacks and suits became associated with the rich and powerful. Many outfits we consider “dressy” or “formal” are so because of their impracticality in everyday life, cost, and association with the rich. That doesn’t mean that God prefers those clothes to other clothes.

It also seems odd that people are diehard believers in modest apparel but believe their “best” clothes should be worn for Church services. I have heard several church goers speak negatively of someone dressing more casually to the service… Wouldn’t casual dress be more modest (particularly in terms of cost) than one’s best clothes?

I bring up this point because people often leave out the context of 1 Timothy 2:9 when discussing modesty. Some state that the context is how women should dress and behave when the congregation meets.[11] This verse is talking about during worship services or other gatherings of the congregation to spread the gospel. So while it may be appropriate to wear a fancy gown for a gala or black tie wedding, it's probably not appropriate for church service or outreach.

Lack of Definition

One of the worst things about focusing only on the New Testament is that we miss a lot of context and character. For the purpose of this topic we’re going to focus on the orderliness and specific-ness of God. Take Leviticus 11, God details exactly what we can and cannot eat. Or Exodus 12 (among other passages), where He gives the exact date of the Passover and explains step by step how it should be celebrated—there’s even text about what to do if you’re unclean during passover (Numbers 9). Leviticus 18 doesn’t just tell us not to have sexual relationships with family, it spells out who family is.

When you’re aware of how specific God was about the details, you have to ask the question: why didn’t he define what constitutes modest apparel. Where is the chapter that details how long a garment must be, or how much money constitutes too expensive, or if being able to see a person shape is ok or not? Why was He suddenly unbothered to communicated what He desired for us to wear?

Radical thought: He doesn’t actually care. I think He wants us to be mindful of those around us (hence all the verses about not being a stumbling block) but I don’t think He’s overly concerned with the matter. Remember, He made Adam and Eve clothes after they attempt to cover their shame. He is not the one who suggests (nor does He require) for them to wear clothes.

References and Footnotes

1. “Tunic”. Oxford English Dictionary. September 2023; visited May 2024
2. Strongs G2887. κόσμιος. Blue Letter Bible; visited June 2024
3. Strongs H3801. כֻּתֹּנֶת". Blue Letter Bible; visisted June 2024 >
4. “Decorous”. Oxford English Dictionary. September 2023; visited May 2024
5. “Shamefacedness”. Oxford English Dictionary. September 2023; visited May 2024
6. “Sobriety”. Oxford English Dictionary. September 2023; visited May 2024
7. Lydia Florence. “50 Verses About Modesty”. Renew.org; visited May 2024
8. Joseph Stromberg. “The Origin of Blue Jeans”. Smithsonian Magazine. September 26, 2011; visited May 2024
9. “The History of Denim”. Levi Strauss & Co.. July 4, 2019; visited May 2024
10. Bill Mounce. Can Women Braid their Hair? (1 Tim 2:9) - Mondays with Mounce". Zondervan Academic. March 6, 2023; visited May 2024
11. “What does 1 Timothy 2:9 mean?”. Bible Ref; visited May 2024
12. "1 Timothy 2:9". Bible Study Tools; visited June 29, 2024
13. "Why does the Bible speak against braided hair?". GotQuestions.org; visited June 29, 2024
14. Gregory Brown. "6. The Conduct of Women in Worship (1 Timothy 2:9-15)". Bible.org. May 31, 2018; visited June 29, 2024
15. Unironically, there are more than 2 or 3 verses stating one needs multiple witnesses to declare a thing true: Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15; Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28; Revelation 11:3
16. "The 7 Most Expensive Fabrics in the World". Logans of Cloughmills. September 8, 2022; visited June 30, 2024