Why some Christian women wear dresses or skirts and long hair
Introduction
Sometimes, when watching a news story or programs about certain religious groups or when encountering a “devout” Christian family, many people will notice that the women are dressed a certain way, usually in dresses or skirts, and have long hair. Often their hair will be braided or formed into a bun, but in any case, it will be quite noticeable that it is different from the way most women dress and wear their hair today. This causes many people to wonder why some Christian women wear dresses or skirts and long hair.
Are They in a Religious Cult?
The first thing that many people think when they see a woman dressed this way and wearing long hair is that they must be involved in some sort of religious cult that makes the women dress and look like characters from the movie, “Stepford Wives”. They base their observations on a popular science fiction movie where the women of a fictional town named Stepford all wore long dresses, hairstyles that were very feminine, and acted like perfect robotic homemaker wives.
Oddly enough, if these same people were to see a woman and her daughter wearing “normal clothes” like a pair of tight jeans and a t-shirt the idea of belonging to a cult would never cross their mind. This is because the “culture” we live in today is different from what it used to be, and it is continually changing. However, to assume that someone who does not dress the same way as most people as being part of a cult is silly to say the least.
For example, if someone’s elderly grandmother dressed and wore her hair in a certain way that differed from the current culture, we would not say she belonged to a cult, we would just say she is old fashioned. Likewise, if we see young women putting different colors of red or blue dye in their hair, why do we not think they are in a cult? The answer is simple, as open minded and tolerant as some people may think that they are they often want to label anyone different from them using a derogatory term.
This is especially true with people who despise Christians because of their religious beliefs and values, which differ from their own. If someone dressed a certain way and wore long hair because they were expressing their individuality, they would rarely get grief about it. Instead, they would be admired. However, the moment they say they want to do the same for any sort of “religious” reason, they are considered to be a religious nut, member of a cult, or a victim of repression.
Interestingly enough, most people do not even realize that the very word culture has as its root the word cult. To be part of the culture, literally means that we identify with certain people groups that share such things as language, values, heritage, customs, traditions, and religious practices. While some people may think that women wearing certain dress and long hair are different, there was a time when the same was considered typical of the culture. Just because the current culture may no longer embrace the same style, it does not make it weird, wrong, or cultism.
If Not a Cult, Then Why Dress That Way?
So then, why do some Christian women dress a certain way and wear long hair? To answer that question, we must first ask where the idea of dressing in a certain way and wearing long hair came from and what the purpose is. As mentioned earlier, there may be non-religious reasons for wearing dresses and having long hair, but for the sake of our question, let us stick to the reason many Christian women would do so.
As to the question of women wearing dresses, many Christians believe that men and women should not wear the same type of clothing. This is because the Bible says the same in Deuteronomy 22:5:
Deuteronomy 22:5. “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”
Although this verse is found in the Old Testament, the New Testament speaks to the type of clothing that women should wear in 1 Timothy 2:9-10:
1 Timothy 2:9-10. “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; {10} But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”
Considering what these two verses are saying, we can see that they teach that women should wear women’s clothing that is modest and reflects the godliness that she professes along with her good works. This is in keeping with similar verses in 1 Peter 3:1-4:
1 Peter 3:1-4. “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; {2} While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. {3} Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; {4} But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” (Emphasis added)
These verses speak volumes about women using their inner beauty and pleasant personality over their outward appearance to make a positive impression on their husbands. Not that there is anything wrong with looking nice, but more importantly, it is emphasizing inner beauty and godliness over looks. Something that is sorely lacking in today’s culture.
What is Modesty in Clothing?
When considering what constitutes modest clothing, a point has to be made about the motivation for wearing the clothing and the potential effect it may have on others. As to the motivation for wearing the clothing, the point being made in 1 Timothy 2:9 is that if the purpose of wearing it is to draw attention to the person wearing the clothes, then she is not dressed modestly. Likewise, if the clothing is tight, or designed in such a way to be revealing to others, it is not modest.
As Christians, we should be conscious of how our clothing might adversely affect others. This is because there may be others who may struggle with lust, infidelity, or have difficulty being tempted by someone who is dressed seductively that is not their spouse.
When modest dress is worn, it should be because we do not want to be a “stumbling block” to others’ efforts to live a holy and God honoring life. We should show our love for God and our neighbor by dressing in a way that will not make it more difficult for them. Wearing clothing to draw attention to self sexually or otherwise says we do not care if it causes difficulty for someone.
What About Long Hair?
As to the idea of wearing long hair, this is something that many Christian women do because of what is taught in 1 Corinthians 1:13-15:
1 Corinthians 11:13-15. “Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? {14} Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? {15} But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.”
Here we see that long hair is considered something that is glorious in the eyes of God. Likewise, verse fourteen teaches that long hair on a man goes against nature and is a shame to him in the eyes of God.
In conclusion, some Christian women wear dresses and long hair because they want to honor and please God, project a Godly image, and not provoke (hence the term provocative) sinful thoughts in others.
[This article appeared first at christianityeveryday.com in January 2012, and it continues to be one of the most popular articles on this site]
My problem with many of the referenced Bible verses is context. When you read the Bible alongside study applications, a concordance, etc., then you realize how many and how often verses are used out of context, or at the very least, twisted for someone’s purposes.
Hello, thank you for your comment. I wonder, can you be a little more direct about the “referenced Bible verses” that you believe are out of context. We value your input.
I chose last sat to start wearing dresses and skirts only. Because I was told to do so by a respected eldera church. He stated it clearly, if you want the holy spirit to reside in you, trousers and modern looks can easily influence your separation. He told me to be modest, deutronomy 22 vs 5 and that I should not try to copy as others are doing. He told me not to plait my hair, and not to put on nail polish, honestly I’ve been feeling great and closer to God lately…
Greetings Nyengeterai.
Thank you so much for your comment. How we dress as well as other things we chose to do have a specific focus we should keep in mind. It starts with salvation. At the moment just before we trust Christ as our Savior, we are condemned to death in Hell because of our sin or breaking of God’s law. In the Old Testament, God spelled out what the standards were when it came to sin. Unfortunately, most saw this as a rule book to gain God’s approval, not an indictment of no matter how hard we tried to keep the law, we were still imperfect sinners, because we are not perfect. This is why we are told, ANYTHING (whatsoever is) not done of faith is sin in Romans 14:20-23:
Romans 14:20–23. “For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
In plain terms, it is not how we can keep the law with works that please God, it is our faith in Christ that lived a perfect life and died on the cross to pay for our imperfect sins of life that please Him.
Likewise, we are also told that if we love our neighbor we have done well, but if not and we break one commandment, we have broken all the commandments in James 2:8-10. God sees all sins as a death penalty that can only be paid for by death. This is why we are told in Romans 6:23; “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We love our neighbor by esteeming them above ourselves.
As a man born of a woman, Jesus was fully man in human flesh that lived a perfect life and never sinned, so He did not have to die to pay for any sins because He was sinless. But, as a man whose Father was God, Jesus was also fully God in human flesh that could take His perfection and sinlessness and choose to use it as a free gift to pay for our sins. Therefore, it is not by our “works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost” as seen in Titus 3:5.
What this teaches us is that we are condemned to death because we are not perfect. However, Jesus was perfect and took our imperfections and nailed them to the cross with the law that convicted us. We see this in Colossians 2:13-14,”And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”
At this moment, when we trust what He did to pay for our sins, He gives us His perfection by the filling of the Holy Spirit into our lives and personhood.
What we learn from this is that our works mean nothing when it comes to salvation and the Holy Spirit coming into us. However, at the moment we trust Christ for our salvation, our focus must then be on only two commandments to focus all our efforts. That is loving God first and loving our neighbor as ourselves” as seen in Matthew 22:35-40.
Matthew 22:35–40 “Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
This teaches us that if we focus on using these two commandments as a guide for our lives, we will by nature, not do all things that are listed in the law as sin.
Therefore, as believers, what we do, how we dress, and how we live come into focus. We should want to live in a way that demonstrates our love for God first, and our love for our neighbor, because of what God did for us. When it comes to how we dress, we should not be motivated by the letter of the law, but instead motivated to demonstrate our love for God by dressing in a way that does not cause our neighbor to stumble with thoughts that result from lust. It is the same with anything we do, whether it is gossip, foul language, or anything that encourages anyone else to live in ways that are displeasing to God.
It comes down to wanting to please God because of what He did to save us. We train ourselves in how to do this by consistently reading the Bible, attending a good Bible teaching church, spending time serving others, and spreading God’s salvation message to others. Over time, it becomes a habit, and we get convicted more and more to grow to love God and love others, so they grow to love Him.
We hope this encourages you to continue to live for Christ. Thank you so much for your comment. We pray that as you have been convicted to dress in ways to please God and not cause your neighbor to stumble, you also use the gifts and talents you have to serve and minister to others so they too can grow to live God. Blessings!