Early Christian Beliefs About Grooming and Modesty

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

The Instructor tells them to go out in proper clothing and to dress themselves with modesty and self-control, as 1 Timothy 2:9 says, being subject to their own husbands. Then, if any do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, while they observe, he says, your pure conduct. Their beauty should not be outward beauty, such as braided hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine clothes. Instead, let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 1 Peter 3:1-4

Tertullian, On Prayer Direct teaching

Touching modesty of dress and ornamentation, indeed, the prescription of Peter 1 Peter 3:1-6 likewise is plain, checking as he does with the same mouth, because with the same Spirit, as Paul, the glory of garments, and the pride of gold, and the meretricious elaboration of the hair.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

... rich, but Paul answers your riches. In his own words, he sets a proper limit for your clothing and ornaments. He said, "Let women adorn themselves with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or expensive clothing, but as is fitting for women who profess chastity, with a good way of life." 1 Timothy 2:9-10 Peter also agrees with these same teachings and says, "Let a woman's adornment not be outward, in clothing, or gold, or fine dress, but the adornment of the heart." 1 Peter 3:3-4 But if they also warn that women who are used to excusing their dress by referring to their husband should be restrained and limited by religious observance according to the Church's discipline, how much more right is it for the virgin to keep that observance? She has no excuse for adorning herself, nor can the deceitfulness of her fault be laid on another, but she herself remains guilty of it!

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

12. The features of ornaments, of clothing, and of beauty meant to attract are fitting for no one except prostitutes and immodest women. No clothing is more costly than the clothing of those whose modesty is very low. So also in the Holy Scriptures, by which the Lord wanted us to be both taught and warned, the city that is a harlot is described as dressed and adorned very beautifully, with her ornaments. All the more, this is because those very ornaments were about to perish. And it says, "One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, 'Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication.' And he carried me away in the Spirit; and I saw a woman sitting on a beast, and that woman was clothed in a purple and scarlet mantle, and was adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of curses, and filthiness, and the fornication of the whole earth." Revelation 17:1. Let chaste and modest virgins avoid the dress of the unchaste, the behavior of the immodest, the marks of brothels, and the ornaments of harlots.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Let women, said he, adorn themselves with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, nor gold, nor pearls, nor costly array, but as becomes women professing chastity, with a good conversation.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

1 Timothy 2:9-10 Also Peter consents to these same precepts, and says, Let there be in the woman not the outward adorning of array, or gold, or apparel, but the adorning of the heart.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

The Instructor orders them to go forth in becoming apparel, and adorn themselves with shamefacedness and sobriety, 1 Timothy 2:9 subject to their own husbands;

Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women Supporting witness

To Christian modesty it is not enough to be so, but to seem so too.

1 Timothy 2:9 Direct teaching

in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,

1 Peter 3:3 Direct teaching

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—

1 Peter 3:4 Direct teaching

but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

1 Peter 3:5 Supporting witness

For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

...erfect than imperfect. It is therefore impious to desecrate hairiness, the sign of manhood. But the adornment of smoothing, for I am warned by the Word, if it is to attract men, is the act of an effeminate person. If it is to attract women, it is the act of an adulterer. And both must be driven as far as possible from our society. But "the very hairs of your head are all numbered," says the Lord, Matthew 10:30. Those on the chin too are numbered, and those on the whole body. Therefore there must be no plucking out, contrary to God's appointment, since He has counted them according to His will. "Do you not know yourselves," says the apostle, "that Christ Jesus is in you?" 2 Corinthians 13:5. If we had known Him as dwelling in us, I do not know how we could have dared to dishonor Him. But the use of pitch to pluck out hair, I shrink from even mentioning the shamelessness connected with this process, and in the bending back and bending down, the violence done to nature's modesty by stepping out and bending backward in shameful postures, while the doers are not ashamed of themselves, but behave without shame in the midst of the youth, and in the gymnasium where the prowess of man is

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

...in hairpin, caring for modest hair in a simple way for the sake of true beauty. For prostitute-like braiding of the hair, and arranging it in curls and twisted strands, only makes them look ugly. It cuts the hair and pulls it out because of those deceptive braids. Because of this, they do not touch their head, since they are afraid of disturbing their hair. Even sleep comes with fear, lest without knowing it they ruin the shape of the braid.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

...nce, they are not healthy. Instead, turning toward pleasure, they become effeminate. They cut their hair in an unmanly and prostitute-like way, wear fine and see-through clothes, chew mastich, and smell of perfume. What can a person say when he sees them? Like someone who judges people by their foreheads, he would guess that they are adulterers and effeminate men, given over to both kinds of sexual immorality, haters of hair, without hair, rejecting the bloom of manliness, and dressing their hair like women. The Sibyl says, "Living for unholy acts of audacity, these unstable wretches do reckless and wicked deeds." For their sake, the cities are full of people who remove hair with pitch-plasters, who shave, and who pluck hairs from these womanish creatures. Shops are set up and opened everywhere. Experts in this prostitute-like corruption make a great deal of money openly from those who plaster themselves and let their hair be pulled out in every way by those who make it their trade. They feel no shame before the spectators, or before those who come near, or even before themselves, though they are men. Such are those who are enslaved to shameful passions, whose whole body is made

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

For meretricious plaiting of the hair, and putting it up in tresses, contribute to make them look ugly, cutting the hair and plucking off it those treacherous braidings;

Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women Supporting witness

You must know that in the eye of perfect, that is, Christian, modesty, (carnal) desire of one's self (on the part of others) is not only not to be desired, but even execrated, by you: first, because the study of making personal grace (which we know to be naturally the inviter of lust) a mean of pleasing does not spring from a sound conscience: why therefore excite toward yourself that evil (passion)?

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...the Lord will uncover their appearance. The Lord will take away the beauty of their clothing, their ornaments, their hair, their curls, their round ornaments like the moon, their hairpins, their bracelets, their strings of pearls, their armlets and rings, and earrings, and silks woven with gold and hyacinth. “And instead of a sweet smell there shall be dust; and you shall be tied with a rope instead of a belt; and instead of a golden ornament for your head you shall have baldness.” Isaiah 3:16. This is what God blames; this is what He points out. From this He declares that virgins are corrupted. From this He shows that they have departed from true and divine worship. Lifted up, they have fallen. With their heads adorned, they earned dishonor and disgrace. Having put on silk and purple, they cannot put on Christ. Adorned with gold, pearls, and necklaces, they have lost the ornaments of the heart and spirit. Who would not hate and avoid what has been another person's destruction? Who would desire and take up what has served as the sword and weapon for another person's death? If someone died after drinking from a cup, you would know that what he drank was poison. If someone perishe

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

... costly clothing, but not to think about the robe of Christ that she has lost; to receive expensive ornaments and finely made necklaces, but not to grieve over the loss of divine and heavenly ornament? Although you dress yourself in foreign garments and silk robes, you are naked. Although you decorate yourself excessively with pearls, gems, and gold, yet without the adornment of Christ you are ugly. And you who dye your hair, at least now stop in the midst of your sorrows. And you who darken the edges of your eyes with a line of black powder, at least now wash your eyes with tears. If you had lost someone dear to you by the death that belongs to mortal life, you would groan deeply and weep, with your face disordered, your clothing changed, your hair neglected, your face darkened, and your appearance cast down. You would show the signs of grief. Miserable creature, you have lost your soul. Spiritually dead here, you go on living for yourself, and though you are still walking around, you have begun to carry your own death with you. And do you not mourn bitterly? Do you not groan without ceasing? Do you not hide yourself, either from shame for your sin or for the continuing sorrow

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background

...nd very large in size. So much about the Indian pearl. But that found in Britain, they say, is of a golden tinge, but somewhat cloudy, and duller in sparkle. And that which is found in the strait of Bosporus is darker than that of Britain, and livid, and completely dim, soft, and small. And that which is produced in the strait of Bosporus is not found in the pinna, which is the pearl-bearing kind of shell, but in what are called mussels. And their habitat, I mean those at Bosporus, is in the marshes. There is also said to be a fourth class of pearls in Acarnania, in the pinnæ of oysters. These are not greatly sought after, but are irregular in form, and completely dark and foul in color. And there are also others different from these in the same Acarnania, which are cast away on every ground.

Commodianus, Writings Direct teaching

... should be like the ladies of the world. You surround yourself with gold, or with the modest silken garment. You cast the terror of the law from your ears to the wind. You pursue vanity with all the pomp of the devil. At the mirror you adorn yourself, with your curled hair turned back from your brow. And moreover, with evil purposes, you put on false medicaments. On your pure eyes you put stibium, with painted beauty. Or you dye your hair so that it may always be black. God is the overlooker, who dives into each heart. But these things are not necessary for modest women. Pierce your breast with chaste and modest feeling. The law of God bears witness that such laws fail from the heart which believes. For a wife approved by her husband, let it suffice that she is so, not by her dress, but by her good disposition. Put on only the clothes that the cold and the heat, or too much sun, require, so that you may be approved as modest, and show forth the gifts of your capacity among the people of God. You who were formerly most illustrious, give yourself the appearance of one who is contemptible. She who lay without life was raised by the prayers of the widows. She deserved this, that she

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background

...g these points from discussions about stones, I say that the Savior, knowing the difference between pearls, some naturally beautiful and others worthless, said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for beautiful pearls," Matthew 13:45. For if some pearls were not worthless, it would not have been said, "looking for beautiful pearls." Now among all kinds of words that claim to announce the truth, and among those who speak them, he seeks pearls. And let the prophets be, so to speak, the mussels that receive the dew of heaven and become pregnant with the word of truth from heaven, which is the beautiful pearls that, according to the expression used here, the merchant seeks. And the chief pearl, by finding which the rest are found with it, is the pearl of very great value: the Christ of God, the Word, who is greater than the precious letters and thoughts in the Law and the Prophets. When this pearl is found, all the rest are also easily taken. And the Savior speaks with all the disciples as merchants who are not only seeking the beautiful pearls, but have found them and possess them, when He says, "Do not cast your pearls before swine," Matthew 7:6. Now it is clear that

Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women Supporting witness

...ting the beard too sharply, plucking it out here and there, shaving around the mouth, arranging the hair, and disguising its grayness with dyes; removing all the first soft hair over the whole body; fixing each hair in its place with some womanly pigment; and smoothing all the rest of the body with some rough powder or other; then, further, taking every opportunity to consult the mirror, and gazing anxiously into it—while yet, when the knowledge of God has put an end to all wish to please by means of sensual attraction, all these things are rejected as frivolous, as hostile to modesty. For where God is, there is modesty; there is sobriety, her assistant and ally. How, then, shall we practice modesty without her instrumental means, that is, without sobriety? How, moreover, shall we bring sobriety to bear on the discharge of the functions of modesty, unless seriousness in appearance, in countenance, and in the general aspect of the entire man marks our conduct?

Tertullian, The Pallium Direct teaching

...oint at them with the finger, and mock them with a nod, since they turn people away from nature and modesty. In the same way, if a man wore a delicate robe trailing on the ground with Menander-like softness, he would hear applied to himself the line from the comedian: "What kind of cloak is that madman wasting?" For now the tightened brow of censor-like strictness has long since been smoothed away. As far as rebuke is concerned, mixed custom puts before our eyes freedmen in the dress of knights, branded slaves in the dress of gentlemen, men openly disgraced in the dress of the freeborn, clowns in the dress of city people, jesters in the dress of lawyers, and rustics in military uniform. The corpse-bearer, the pimp, and the trainer of gladiators dress as you do. Turn also to women. You should consider what Cæcina Severus pressed on the grave attention of the senate: matrons in public without the stola. In fact, the penalty laid down by the decrees of the augur Lentulus against any matron who had thus dismissed herself was the same as the penalty for fornication. This was because certain matrons had carefully promoted the disuse of garments that were the signs and guards of dignit

Lactantius, On the Workmanship of God Background

...fore, God covered the head with hair. And because it was to be at the very top, He added it like an ornament to the highest point of the building. This ornament is not gathered into a circle or shaped like a cap, because that would look unattractive by leaving some parts bare. Instead, it is spread out freely in some places and drawn back in others, according to what suits the beauty of each place. So the forehead, enclosed by a border of hair, and the hair extending from the temples in front of the ears, and the upper parts of these arranged around like a crown, and the whole back part of the head covered, present an appearance of wonderful beauty. Then the nature of the beard contributes in an incredible way to mark the maturity of the body, or the distinction of sex, or the beauty of manliness and strength. So it is clear that the arrangement of the whole work would not have been fitting, if anything had been made different from what it is.

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Background

15. Does any person with sound judgment believe that hair and soft body hair grow on the bodies of the gods? That age is marked among them? And that they go around dressed in clothes and garments of different kinds, protecting themselves from heat and cold? But if anyone believes that, he must also accept this as true: that some gods are fullers and some are barbers. The fullers would clean the sacred garments, and the barbers would thin their locks when their hair became thick and matted. Is it not truly degrading, most impious, and insulting, to give the gods the features of a weak and dying animal? To give them those body parts that no modest person would dare to name, describe, or even picture in his own mind, without shuddering at such extreme indecency? Is this the contempt you hold? Is this the proud wisdom with which you reject us as ignorant, and think that all knowledge of religion belongs to you? You mock the mysteries of the Egyptians because they joined the forms of speechless animals to their divine beings, and because they worship these very images with much incense and whatever else is used in such rites. Yet you yourselves worship images of men as if they were migh

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...ly practice of bathing in the same place with men, for the nets of the evil one are many. And let a Christian woman not bathe with a hermaphrodite; for if she is to veil her face and hide it with modesty from strange men, how can she bear to enter the bath naked together with men? But if the bath is set apart for women, let her bathe in an orderly, modest, and moderate way. And let her not bathe without a reason, nor too much, nor too often, nor in the middle of the day, nor, if possible, every day. Let the tenth hour of the day be the appointed time for such fitting bathing. For it is proper that you, being a Christian woman, should always keep away from curiosity that has many eyes.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...letely innocent. You are not guilty of the act itself, but you are guilty in this way: through your adornment, you led the woman to desire you. For you are the cause of her being moved in this way, and by lusting after you she became guilty of adultery with you. Yet you are not as guilty, because you did not send for her, though she was ensnared by you, nor did you desire her. Since, therefore, you did not give yourself over to her, you will find mercy with the Lord your God, who has said, "You shall not commit adultery," and, "You shall not covet." For if such a woman, by seeing you or by meeting you at the wrong time, was struck in her mind and sent to you, but you, as a religious man, refused her; if she was wounded in her heart by your beauty, youth, and adornment, and fell in love with you, you will be found guilty of her transgressions, because you were the cause of scandal to her, Matthew 18:7, and you will inherit a woe. Therefore pray to the Lord God that no harm may come upon you on this account. For you are not to please men in such a way as to commit sin, but to please God so as to attain holiness of life and share in everlasting rest. Do not make more beautiful that