Clothing know how
Clothing, especially for a girl can sometimes be huge. It seems that we need to have a special outfit for this event, or we need so many different clothes as to have “enough” compared to other people. We want ones that look cute, or good on us. Sometimes we just want to fit in and wear what everyone else is wearing. Those are all normal girl things.
But what is the purpose of clothing? Why do we need it? To clothe us, right? Clothing is to protect our bodies to damage from the sun and the elements of weather. It is also to clothe us modestly. When you read in Genesis when Adam and Eve sinned, they quickly realized they were naked. They covered themselves as much as they thought they should be covered. Then God said it wasn’t enough and clothed them in animal skins to cover them further. Our interpretation of what is modest, is NOT what God wants. We have to go beyond just covering our private areas. We need to think about what our bodies portray to others.
In 1 Timothy 2:9 it teaches us that as Christian women, we are to dress modestly. We are to focus on our inner attractiveness rather than being overly concerned with outward appearances.
We should try and look our best and enjoy what God has given us. You don’t have to go around wearing clothing that is plain and frumpy. Don’t use your God-given beauty for selfish reasons, like by gaining lustful attention from men or by competing with other woman, use it to glorify God. There are so many cute and stylish ways that you can dress nowadays in skirts and in pants. Ways that are modest and pleasing to the Lord. Stand in front of the mirror, bend down and see if you can see your breasts. Lift your hands up, does your belly or back show? Check what you look like from behind. Are your pants or skirt too revealing of your body? If Jesus was standing next to you, would He be pleased with your attire? Ask yourself are you dressing for others or are you dressing for Jesus?
How much does one need?
Okay, I have seen the movies where it is every girls dream to walk into that HUGE walk-in closet and see rows of shoes, bars filled with every outfit imaginable, stacks of t-shirts and coordinating scarves and accessories for everything. It seems like a dream come true. Never have to worry about what to wear because you already have numerous outfits to choose from. Seems wonderful doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, instead of enjoying the benefits of owning fewer clothes, most of us buy into the lie that more is better. Since we do that, we accumulate more and more clothing each season. We are convinced that new clothes will make us more joyful, more fashionable, and more popular. Unfortunately they just end up getting in the way and become idols in our life.
Consider taking a different route in your life, try owning fewer clothes. Think about what this could do:
- You would have more disposable income—or your parent’s would
- You would have more time to live your life.
- Morning’s would feature less stress.
- Your closet’s would be well-organized and uncluttered.
- Packing for things would take less time.
- Laundry days would be easier, not necessarily less, but easier.
How do you go about having less clothing?
- Admit that you have too many. That is how it all begins.
- Wear fewer colors. Most everyone has a few favorite colors that they enjoy wearing. Keep your wardrobe simple and find what looks best on your skin tone. If you choose a basic color, then you will naturally only need a few accessories to match.
- Own ONE of things. Have one pair of tennis shoes, one belt, one coat, one swimsuit, etc.
- When shopping, look for quality over quantity. Choose a well made t-shirt instead of buying 3 flimsy ones.
- Dress to impress with your character not your clothing.
Is there a special formula for how much clothing we should own? It all depends upon what type of needs you have in your life. If you need to dress up each day of the week, you are going to need nicer outfits. If you are at home and just need everyday clothes, you won’t need as many outfits.
I would choose a few nice outfits to wear for church and when you go out. Have 3-4, and you can rotate them each month and if you choose a basic color wardrobe you will be able to mix and match your outfits.
If you are home most of the time, you will only need a few comfortable wearing skirts or pants to get through. Choose ones that you feel good in wearing. If you don’t like something about how they fit, get rid of them, keep only what you like. If you choose a neutral, solid color skirt or pant, they will go with more choices of tops. Avoid the prints and keep it simple.
Choose some tops that are practical to what you do each day. Try on all of your tops and decide which ones fit properly and which do not. Keep what you feel is comfortable. Do the modest test, by bending over, putting your arms up in the air. Do any areas show that are not supposed to? Get rid of them. Stay basic. To make your tops more modest, keep a small supply of t-shirts to wear as undershirts.
Buy only neutral colored shoes or sandals. Find ones that go with your base colored wardrobe and it will be much easier to match them up. Simplify, find comfortable ones and keep one of each kind.
Make your clothing choices stress free and easy. Don’t waste time deciding what you are going to wear each day
Natural vs. Synthetic fibers
Just some FYI about the types of materials used in making your clothing.
Natural fibers are the fibers that are created from plant or animal sources. They typically allow your skin to breathe better and are considered more comfortable, especially in very warm climates. The downside of natural fibers is that they tend to wrinkle and can shrink when washed and dried in very hot temperatures.
Here are some common natural fibers used in clothing:
- Cotton
- Linen
- Wool
- Silk
Synthetic fibers are just that—synthetic or manmade. They have the luxury of being longer lasting, resilient, and have less tendency to wrinkle. Each synthetic fabric has specific care instructions that are important to follow in order not to ruin the fabric. Some synthetic fibers will melt when exposed to a high heat source like an iron or dryer.
Here are some common synthetic fibers used in clothing:
- Nylon
- Rayon
- Acrylic
- Acetate
- Polyester
- Spandex
Some synthetic fibers are not as comfortable to wear as natural. This has caused the clothing industry to combine the best of both worlds. If your clothing is a natural/synthetic blend more than likely it will be:
- Stain resistant
- Comfortable
- Has a little “give” to them
- Wrinkles way less
