The Proper Dress of the Christian

Christ warned the cities where he had preached to repent and to live the life he preached, before it was too late.  Throughout the Christian age, those intent on holiness have encouraged each other by the spoken and written word.  Following is advice on modesty in dress written by the French Cistercian monk, Arnulf of Boheries (1149) to his sister, who seems to have remained in the world:

“Our Lord Jesus Christ says in the Gospel: ‘Behold, those clothed in soft cloth lives in the houses of kings’ (Matthew 11, 8).  Clothing is called ‘soft’ when it makes the soul soft.  The court of a king delights in soft garments, but the Church of Christ delights in garments that are harsh and humble, and such out to be the clothing of the servants and handmaids of God, in which nothing unusual should be noted, nothing superfluous, vain, or pertaining to vanity or empty glory.  As blessed Jerome said, ‘No soft garment should adorn a priest except purity of soul.’  In that case, dearest sister, let us adorn ourselves with spiritual ornaments, namely, charity, humility, gentleness, obedience, and patience.  These are the ‘vestments’ with which we can please Jesus Christ, our heavenly Spouse.  Christ, our invisible Spouse, does not require exterior beauty, but that of the interior, as it is written in the psalm: ‘All the glory of the king’s daughter is from within’ (Psalm 44, 14).  Therefore, lovely sister in Christ, your good morals are your riches, your good life is your beauty.  Dearest sister, I desire that what is written in the Song of Songs will be said of you: ‘You are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you’, and: ‘Come, come from Lebanon, and you shall be crowned’ (Song of Songs 4, 7-8).”