Early
Church Writings
He [God] takes away anxious care for clothes, food, and all
luxuries as being unnecessary. What are we to imagine, then, should be said
about love of embellishments, the dyeing of wool, and the variety of colors?
What should be said about the love of gems, exquisite working of gold, and
still more, of artificial hair and wreathed curls? Furthermore, what should be
said about staining the eyes, plucking out hairs, painting with rouge and white
lead, dyeing of the hair, and the wicked arts that are employed in such
deceptions? Clement of
Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.264.
Those women who wear gold imitate the Egyptians. They occupy
themselves with curling their locks. They are busy anointing their cheeks,
painting their eyes, dyeing their hair, and practicing the other pernicious
arts of luxury. The truth is that they deck the covering of their flesh in
order to attract their infatuated lovers. Clement of Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.272.
What does God think of spurious beauty, rejecting utterly as He
does all falsehood? Clement
of Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.274.
But there are circumstances in which this strictness may be
relaxed. For allowance must sometimes be made in favor of those women who have
not been fortunate in falling in with chaste husbands, and so they adorn
themselves in order to please their husbands. But let desire for the admiration
of their husbands alone be proposed as their
objective. Clement of
Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.285.
Nor are the women to smear their faces with the ensnaring devices
of wily cunning. But let us show to them the decoration of sobriety. Clement of Alexandria (circa
195 AD), 2.286.
No wife is ugly to her own husband. She pleased him enough when
she was selected [to be his wife]. Let none of you think that, if she abstains
from beautifying herself, she will incur the hatred and aversion of her
husband. Every husband is the exacter of
chastity. But a believing husband does not require beauty. For we are not captivated by the same
graces that the Gentiles think are graces. Tertullian (circa 198 AD), 4.20.
These suggestions [against cosmetics] are not
made to you, of course, to be developed into an entire crudity and
wildness of appearance. Nor am I seeking to persuade you that squalor and
slovenliness are good. Rather, I am seeking to persuade you of the limit, norm,
and just measure of cultivation of the person. Tertullian (circa 198 AD), 4.20.
For those women sin against God when they rub their skin with
ointments, stain their cheeks with rouge, and make their eyes prominent with
antimony. To them, I suppose, the artistic skill of God is displeasing! Tertullian (circa 198 AD),
4.20.
Whatever is born is the
work of God. So whatever is plastered on,
is the devil's work . . .. How unworthy of the Christian name it is to wear
a fictitious face—you on whom simplicity in every form is enjoined! You,
to whom lying with the tongue is not lawful, are lying in appearance. Tertullian (circa 198 AD),
4.21.
What purpose, again, does all the labor spent in arranging the
hair render to salvation? Why is no rest allowed to your hair? First, it must
be bound, then loosed, then cultivated, then thinned
out? Some are anxious to force their hair into curls. Tertullian (circa 198 AD), 4.21.
I will then see whether you will rise [at the resurrection] with
your ceruse and rouge and saffron—and in all that parade of headgear. I
will then see whether it will be women thus decked out whom the angels carry up
to meet Christ in the air! If these things are now good, and
of God, they will then also present themselves to the rising bodies. Tertullian (circa 198 AD),
4.22.
By no means are women to be allowed to uncover and exhibit any
part of their bodies, lest both fall—the men by being incited to look,
and the women by attracting to themselves the eyes of the men. Clement of Alexandria (circa.
195 AD), 2.246.
Neither are we to provide for ourselves costly clothing. Clement of Alexandria (circa
195 AD), 2.263.
I say, then, that man requires clothes for nothing else than the
covering of the body, for defense against excess of cold and intensity, lest
the inclemency of the air injure us. And if this is the purpose of clothing,
see that one kind is not assigned to men and another to women. For it is common
to both to be covered, as it is to eat and drink. . .
. And if some accommodation is to be made, women may be permitted to use softer
clothes, provided they avoid fabrics that are foolishly thin and of curious
texture in weaving. They should also bid farewell to embroidery of gold and
Indian silks. Clement
of Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.265.
Luxurious clothing that cannot conceal the shape of the body is no
more a covering. For such clothing, falling close to the body, takes its form
more easily. Clinging to the body as though it were the flesh, it receives its
shape and outlines the woman's figure. As a result, the whole make of the body
is visible to spectators, although they cannot see the body itself. Clement of Alexandria (circa
195 AD), 2.265.
Neither is it seemly for the clothes to be above the knee. Clement of Alexandria (circa
195 AD), 2.266.
Buying, as they do, a single dress at the price of ten thousand
talents, they prove themselves to be of less use and less value than cloth. Clement of Alexandria (circa
195 AD), 2.267.
Those who glory in their looks—not in their
hearts—dress to please others. Clement of Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.273.
Let a woman wear a plain and becoming dress, but softer than what
is suitable for a man. "Yet, it should not be immodest or entirely steeped
in luxury. And let the garments be suited to age, person, figure, nature, and
pursuits. Clement of
Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.285.
Woman and man are to go to church decently attired, with natural
step, embracing silence. . . . Let the woman observe
this, further: Let her be entirely covered, unless she happens to be at home.
For that style of dress is serious and protects from being gazed at. And she
will never fall, who puts before her eyes modesty and her veil. Nor will she
invite another to fall into sin by uncovering her face. For this is the wish of
the Word, since it is becoming for her to pray veiled.
Clement of Alexandria
(circa 195 AD), 2.290.
What reason is there in the Law's prohibition against a man
wearing woman's clothing? Is it not that it would have us to be masculine and
not to be effeminate in either person or actions? Clement of Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.365.
Concerning modesty of dress and embellishments, indeed, the
commandment of Peter is likewise plain, restraining as he does with the same
mouth . . . the glory of garments, the pride of gold, and the showy elaboration
of the hair. Tertullian (circa 198 AD), 3.687.
First, then, blessed sisters, take heed that you do not admit to
your use flashy and sluttish garbs and clothing. Tertullian (circa 198 AD), 4.22.
The dress of a modest woman should be modest. Novatian (circa 235 AD), 5.591,
formerly attributed to Cyprian.
But self-control and modesty do not consist only in purity of the
flesh, but also in seemliness and in modesty of dress and adornment. Cyprian (circa 250 AD), 5.431; extended
discussion: 5.430-5.436.
Let the head of men be clipped, unless they have curly hair. But
let the chin have the hair. . . . Cutting is to be
used, not for the sake of elegance, but on account of the necessity of the case
. . . so that it may not grow so long as to come down and interfere with the
eyes. Clement of
Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.286.
It is enough for women to protect their locks, and bind up their
hair simply along the neck with a plain hair-pin,
nourishing chaste locks with simple care to true beauty. Clement of Alexandria (circa 195 AD), 2.286.
This [male] sex of ours acknowledges to itself deceptive
trickeries of form peculiarly its own. I am referring to things such as . . .
arranging the hair, and disguising its hoariness by dyes. Tertullian (circa 198 AD), 4.22.
A woman should not be adorned in a worldly fashion.
. . . "Let your women be such as adorn themselves with shamefacedness and
modesty, not with twisted hair, nor with gold, nor with pearls, or precious
garments." Cyprian
(circa 250 AD), 5.544.
[Instructions to Christian Servants of Caesar:] All of you should also be elegant and tidy in person and dress.
At the same time, your dress should not in any way attract attention because of
extravagance or artificiality. Otherwise, Christian modesty may be scandalized.
Theonas of Alexandria (circa 300 AD
), 6.160.
Though in the form of men, they . . . curl their hair with curling
pins, make the skin of the body smooth, and they walk with bare knees. In every
other type of wantonness, they lay aside the strength of their masculinity and
grow effeminate in women's habits and luxury. Arnobius (circa 305 AD), 6.450.
[To the men . . ..] Do not adorn yourself in such a manner that
you might entice another woman to you . . .. Do not further enhance the beauty
that God and nature has bestowed on you. Rather, modestly diminish it before others.
Therefore, do not permit the hair of your head to grow too long. Rather, cut it
short . . .. Do not wear overly fine garments, either . . .. Nor should you put
a gold ring on your fingers. Apostolic Constitutions (compiled circa 390 AD), 7.392.
If you desire to be one of the faithful and to please the Lord, O
wife, do not add adornments to your beauty, in order to please other men. Do
not wear fine embroidery, garments, or shoes, to entice those who are allured
by such things. It may be that you do not do these wicked things for the
purpose of sinning yourself—but only for the sake of adornment and
beauty. Nevertheless, you still will not escape future punishment for having
compelled another to look so close at you as to lust after you. Apostolic Constitutions
(compiled circa. 390, AD), 7.395.
It was the fact that Tamar had painted out and adorned herself
that led Judah to regard her as harlot. Tertuttian (circa 198 AD), 4.24.
Draw your whiteness from simplicity, your ruddy hue
from modesty. Paint your eyes with bashfulness, and your mouth with silence.
Implant in your ears the words of God and place around your necks the yoke of
Christ. Tertulliann (circa 198 AD), 4.25.
What will I say of the fact that these [young women] of ours
confess their change of age even by their garb! As soon as they have understood themselves to
be women, . . . they lay aside their former selves. They change their hair and
fasten their hair with more wanton pins, professing obvious womanhood with their hair parted from
the front. The next thing, they consult the mirror to aid their beauty. They
thin down their over-exacting face with washing. Perhaps they even dress it up with cosmetics. They toss
their mantle about them with an air, fit tightly into the multiform shoe, and carry down
more ample appliances to the baths. Tertullian (circa 207 AD), 4.35.
"Now Susannah was a very delicate woman." This does not
mean that she had flashy adornments on herself or eyes painted with various
colors—as Jezebel had. Rather, it means she had the adornment of faith,
chastity, and sanctity. Hippolytus
(circa 205 AD), 5.193.
She is not a modest woman who strives to stir up the fancy of
another—even though her physical chastity is preserved. Away with those
who do not really adorn their beauty, but prostitute it instead. For
anxiety about beauty is not only the wisdom of an evil mind, but belongs to
deformity . . .. Why is the color of hair changed? Why are the edges of
the eyes darkened? Why is the face molded by art into a different
form? Novatian (circa 235 AD), 5.591,
formerly attributed to Cyprian.
You wish, O Christian woman, that the
matrons should be as the ladies of the world. You surround yourself with gold,
or with the modest silken garment. . . . You affect
vanity with all the pomp of the devil. You are adorned at the mirror, with your
curled hair turned back from your brow. Moreover, with evil purpose, you put on
false cosmetics. You put antimony on your pure eyes, with painted beauty. Or
you dye your hair, so that it will always be black. .
. . But these things are not necessary for modest women. Commodianus (circa 240 AD), 4.214.
To a wife approved by her husband, let it suffice that she is so,
not by her dress, but by her good disposition. . . . O
good matrons, flee from the adornment of vanity. Such attire is fitting for
women who haunt the brothels. Overcome the evil one, O modest women of Christ! Commodianus (circa. 240 AD), 4.214.
It is not right before God that a faithful Christian woman should
be adorned . . .. God's heralds . . . condemn as being unrighteous those women
who adorn themselves in such a manner. You stain your hair. You paint the
opening of your eyes with black. You lift up your hair, one by one, on your
painted brow. You anoint your cheeks with some sort of reddish color laid on. . . . You are rejecting the law when you wish to please
the world. Commodianus (circa 240 AD), 4.215.
Both sexes alike should be admonished that the work of God and His
fashioning and formation should in no manner be adulterated—either with
the application of yellow color, black dust, rouge, or with any kind of
cosmetic . . .. God says, "Let us make man in our image and
likeness." Does anyone dare to alter and change what God has made? Cyprian (circa 250 AD),
5.434.
In their manners, there was no discipline.
. . . In women, their complexion was dyed. Their eyes were falsified from what
God's hand had made them. Their hair was stained with a falsehood. Cyprian (circa 250 AD),
5.438.
Do not paint your face, which is God's workmanship. For there is no part of you that lacks beauty. For God has
made all things very good. But the wanton extra adorning of what is already
good is an affront to the Creator's work. Apostolic Consitutions (compiled circa 390
AD), 7.395; extended discussion 5.432-5.436