A blog for Catholic men that seeks to encourage virtue, the pursuit of holiness and the art of true masculinity.
John Cassian surprisingly begins his Institutes, which describes the life of the desert Fathers in Egypt, with clothing. The monks must dress to fit their vocation, for the monk will be known like the Prophet Elijah, “by the description of the character of his clothing.” We are sacramental beings and express ourselves outwardly in our demeanor and clothing, which manifest our personality and even our character. Cassian says the habit of the monks should “aim at modesty of dress as well as cheapness and economy.” Clothing achieves its objective by meeting our needs—keeping us warm, presentable, modest, and humble.
Is modesty just for women? St. Francis de Sales in his Introduction to the Devout Life specifically addresses this question: “St. Paul expresses his desire that all Christian women should wear ‘modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;’—and for that matter he certainly meant that men should do so likewise.” He gives some more guidelines: “Always be neat, do not ever permit any disorder or untidiness about you. There is a certain disrespect to those with whom you mix in slovenly dress; but at the same time avoid all vanity, peculiarity, and fancifulness.” Finally, St. Francis tells us why modesty matters: “Purity has its source in the heart, but it is in the body that its material results take shape.” We express our interior purity in the way we conduct ourselves and in how we dress.
How can we express these points practically for men?
Clothes should focus us on our dignity. When we think back to the origin of clothes in Genesis 3, God made Adam and Eve clothing out of animal skins in response to their shame. Clothes direct people to our faces and therefore foster personal relationships. Clothes have a moral, not just a practical purpose. A good question for dress, then, is whether it is “personal” or objectifies us.
Clothes should reflect our character in their simplicity, nobility, and yes, modesty. As St. Charles Borromeo said: “Guard yourself against pompous fashions in clothing, and against every sort of vain beauty product or making yourself up, whether you are a man or a woman” (Selected Orations, Homilies and Writings, 179). It’s important for men to realize that modesty is for them too!
Reprinted with permission from Sword&Spade and Those Catholic Men.
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