Dressing Feminine for the Christian Woman

Ladies,

Why talk about dressing femininely as a Christian woman? It comes from the truth that God created us uniquely woman from man. Our dress acknowledges and honors this design.

Fashion can be a difficult and overwhelming topic for women so this is a topic I approach with the utmost gentleness. I never want a woman to walk away feeling discouraged on this topic. This should be a fun discovery, not a burden!

First, there is a scripture that is important to know so that we can exercise discernment about what is pleasing to God.

“A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.”

Deuteronomy 22:5

Jesus fulfilled the law we could never fulfill and atoned for our sin on the cross. He was the perfect sacrifice who took away our sins by his sacrifice being accepted by God the Father ONCE for all. What we wear is important but it’s not the way you are saved. Our righteousness is from Jesus Christ alone. Our decisions to honor Him flow from our love for him and is the evidence of our faith.

In God’s design, we are distinctly male and female, and we are told in scripture to dress according to this design. We are to dress uniquely male, or uniquely female.

The heart of this matter is that a woman should not try to look male, and neither should males try to look female.

This is what makes androgenous clothing a problem for Christian women.

The world seeks to blur the lines of the sexes. Androgenous clothing is praised and glorified as attractive on a female. But much of modern clothing can easily degrade women from looking distinctly female and make us look like men and we would hardly notice because we are conditioned to see androgenous fashion as normal and attractive.

You may not be giving it much thought but things you reach for all the time may be completely interchangeable with a man’s wardrobe.

Think about how we got here. Women in many ways are expected to be masculine. Now days just wearing a dress makes people think you are quite odd. I would say this is an example of how we are expected to be masculine instead of feminine. No one bats an eye when you wear an entire outfit that a man could wear. But people will ask you why you wear dresses as daily clothing. Why is that? It’s because femininity became an odd thing or a dressy thing that is only allowed so often. How this happened is a whole other bag of worms. I would say it’s much like eating an elephant one bite at a time. The point is, women have been masculinized to the point that people see feminine style as costumes, or outdated, or uncomfortable for daily wear.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

We need to discern all things as Christians, even what we wear.

As Christian women, we should be an example of beautiful femininity to our daughters, nieces, and to a lost world. We should be gloriously and distinctly female.

Choose items that are not translated as androgynous

Androgyny is a word created to blur the lines between male and female. No matter what items you choose, there are pieces that are feminine vs masculine and ways to pair them that are distinctly feminine.

Common items that look masculine/androgynous:

T-Shirts

Beware of the t-shirt. Boxy, shapeless, wrinkly, sometimes even with a plunging neckline. Look at your t-shirts and ask yourself if it could be worn by a man minus the plunging neckline. Many of them could. The plunging neckline does not make it feminine; it makes it immodest.

The Most Feminine t-shirts

Wear elevated t-shirts that don’t have the jersey ribbing on the neckline. Feminine t-shirts have smooth fabric that drapes nicely and is good for tucking in or wearing out. Elbow length sleeves, square necklines, scoop neckline, crew neckline, high-low hemline and tulip hemline. These are t-shirt styles that look distinctly feminine.

Styling a t-shirt

Be sure to pair a plain t-shirt with feminine elements such as jewelry, feminine hairdo, and some makeup.

Button Down Blouse

This is a style that can look very masculine on a woman. Wear blouses that have darts at the bust, nip in at the waist and create an hourglass shape for the hips. This will look tailored for a woman. However some woman’s button-down shirts have dropped these features making them straight and wide instead of shapely. Those button downs can look feminine when paired over a fitted t-shirt or tank top like it’s a jacket. Another way to style the button down is to tie it in the front, which pulls it in at the waist and gives it a “bow” which has a distinctly feminine look.

Sneakers

The less clunky the sneaker, the more feminine. A slim profile will pair nicely with skirts and dresses as opposed to clunky athletic sneakers.

Ball caps

A ball cap can look pretty when it differs in some way through the colors or embellishments to look feminine.

Boots

Some boots are much more masculine than others such as military boots. However, some boots such as cowboy and cowgirl boots can look more or less feminine based on what you pair with it.

Avoiding square toe boxes and instead choosing almond shaped toe does look more feminine. The opposite applies to men, that their boots look most masculine when it is a square toe.

Distinctly Feminine Fashion Features

There are many distinctly feminine styles that will make any woman look feminine: peplum style tops, puffed sleeves, feminine fabrics (prints & colors), belted coats that highlight an hourglass shape, more delicate shoes as opposed to clunky shoes.

Do skincare as clean and moisturized skin looks more glowy and soft, which looks more feminine. Put on some makeup to even out skin tone and blur lines, or enhance lashes and lips, which also softens and enhances your appearance making you look more radiant. Wash and fix your hair, whether this means smoothing it out, or fluffing it up. Wear some jewelry. These things soften our features and enhance our beauty, making us look distinctly feminine. Aim to differentiate yourself from the way a man looks. Sometimes a lack of fixing up can make us look more masculine, especially as we age.

Showering daily and cleaning ourselves properly, wearing deodorant and perfume are all things that help make you more pleasant as a woman to be around. You will also feel better.

Our design is to be feminine to the glory of God. Embrace being a woman and dress yourself with dignity and grace.

Happy styling!