You Are What You Wear: The influence of clothing

“And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, a young man devoidof understanding,passing along the street near her corner; and he took the path to her house. In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart,” (Proverbs 7:7-10, New King James Version)

Clothing reflects the culture, tradition, religion, spirituality, modesty, psychology, philosophy, gorgeousness, trade, skill, honesty, wealth, and world view of a person. To a greater percentage you are what you wear or better put — people define,‘the whole you’ by your look. Impression is the signal you passed on to others about who, what and how of your entire being.

Scientifically, there has never been an agreement on when men began to wear clothes; biblically, the event of Adam’s fall and his realisation that he was naked could give us some light into the beginning of attire and the needs of human to cover their nudity. Clothing is for warm, protection, beauty, identification, modesty among others. There is a dress code within every human community and cluster — business, school, religion, institution, age, professions, trade all have a particular way of grooming, which identifies them; defines and singles them among others.

Scripturally thinking, the Bible is vocal on clothing and attire. In the beginning, there was no concern about clothes as seen in Genesis 2:25. The consciousness of Adam and the need to cover his nakedness was first seen in Genesis 3:7; the word translated “covering” refers to girdle to cover the loins like a pair of paints, apron worn around the hips like a mini shirt. In other word, they only covered some parts of their bodies yet this did not suffice as they hid themselves from God because they still felt a sense of nakedness.In the true sense of it, our clothing and grooming reflect our spiritual and ethical realities, hence in Genesis 3:10 God then made “tunics of skin, and clothed them” (v. 21). A tunic of skin means a garment, generally with sleeves, down to the knees.

During the old covenant priestly era, the priests were given specific and special kind of dress code, which was for covering and beauty. None compliance of the dressing resulted to instant death. When they go up steps; their nakedness was not to be discovered, which means that God took much interest in the proper grooming of His servants. As the priesthood of all believers imply God also expects us to be properly groomed.The woman in Proverbs 7:7-10 was identified as wearing the ‘attire of a harlot,’ which shows that there was a clothing that identified her asan harlot.

What is harlot’s attire? It is clothing designed and worn to attract men’s eyes to her body and excite the lusts of their flesh for sexual sins. It is accessories and apparel planned to maximise her physical appearance for notice and enticement of men. It is a woman’s choices and efforts at dressing to be as sexually desirable as possible. Wise men will stay away from any such women or any place where such women congregate. Only their likes will be attracted.

When you see a woman with a revealing cloth in the place of work, in social functions, or even in a religious gathering, what comes to your mind? In Isaiah 47:1-3, the city of Babylon had fallen under God’s judgment. The shame of her fall was pictured as a beautiful virgin that was reduced to the indignities of a slave put to grind at the mills. She was forced to remove her outer clothes that covered her leg, revealing her thighs and other erogenous zones. This uncovered her nakedness and her shame was seen. According to Isaiah, when we do not cover our thigh, we are shamefully naked. Sadly, we see much more than just the thigh with the short skirts and short shorts worn by many today.Disgracefully, this is gradually becoming a universal dress code.

God made clothes from animal skin to cover Adam and Eve. When they felt a sense of nakedness they could only cover their loin areas with aprons of fig leaves, but God covered their bodies thoroughly with coats of skins (Gen 3:7,21). Clothes are to cover and conceal, not to attract and reveal. Skin does not need to show to reveal a woman’s beauty and figure that could lead men’s eyes and minds to sexual lust. The word of admiration: ‘attractive’ could also mean appealing. When your dressing is appealing it could also mean that you are calling for attention, a sure strategy for marketing.

The ultimate question is: what are you marketing, or what are you available for? Someone said that the hourglass shape of a woman revealed through clingy or tight clothing is as powerful as lots of skin.

One strong marketing strategy of our modern clothing industry is not to seek to hide the attractive and appealing parts of the women’s bodies, but to call attention, enhance, reveal, and uncover it. In every age, the depraved mind will always lead to behavioural of consistent rebellion against God’s will.Every year new features are designed to reveal more of her body in a more flattering way than before.Paul in his writing to the Philippians in Chapter 4 verses 8 said: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”Romans 6:13 says: “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

According to biblical proof, wordpress.com, “if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Even so, when we dress like the world, we are desirous to gain the fruits of the world. Jesus said: “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits, you will know them,” (Matt 7:16-20).

The words of Proverbs 7:6-27, is a passage worth reading because it warns against the wiles of the harlot who seeks to seduce another into the destruction of his soul.

Furthermore: “The attire of a harlot is any manner of dressing which communicates the message of sexual interest so that there is the underlying implication of sexual availability, the freedom from shame and moral or spiritual restraints.On the other hand, one who wishes to communicate the message of chastity and moral restraint will studiously avoid dressing in a manner, which raises doubt about moral character!”

There are many modem ways to wear the “attire of a harlot.” Women may wear the attire of a harlot by either overdressing or underdressing. Dressing in a garish manner, wearing too much makeup, wearing slinky gowns, among others, may be as much the attire of an harlot as underdressing in the skimpy shorts, halter tops, modern swimwear, miniskirts, any attire revealing private parts, among others.All the characteristicsof those who wish to send the signal – “I am available.”

Every such woman is either telling the truth or lying by her manner of dress. If she is telling the truth, she is guilty of the sins of lasciviousness and fornication. If she is lying by her manner of dress she is guilty of the sins of lasciviousness and lying. There is just no “Christian” way to wear “the attire of a harlot.”

And what about the men? Can they, and do they, not also wear the “attire of a harlot?” It is becoming more characteristic for men to communicate their lack of morals through various stages of undress and various manners of dress. The more abbreviated male swimwear is coming into vogue, which is designed to emphasise the male genitals; shirts are worn unbuttoned to reveal the chest hair; shirts and trousers are worn too tightly, or wearing no shirt at all in order to communicate availability. Male homosexuals sometimes wear a ring in one ear or both to advertise themselves.”

We are created in God’s image, created wonderful and admirable. We are created with shamefacedness. Originally, humans are created todetest their show of nakedness; wild life and outright rebellion against God is reflected in outburst of shamelessness even while revealing the sensitive parts of the body. Modesty is a virtue; nudity is not a show of beauty but an evidence of depravity.

• Venerable Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector, Ibru Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State (08035413812)