Healthful Living

Chapter 21—Dress

General Statements

521. Our words, our actions, and our dress are daily, living preachers, gathering with Christ or scattering abroad. This is no trivial matter.—Testimonies for the Church 4:641. HL 118.1

522. Turn away from the fashion plates, and study the human organism.—Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 91. HL 118.2

523. Christians should not take pains to make themselves a gazing-stock by dressing differently from the world. But if, when following out their convictions of duty in respect to dressing modestly and healthfully, they find themselves out of fashion, they should not change their dress in order to be like the world; but they should manifest a noble independence and moral courage to be right, if all the world differ from them. If the world introduces a modest, convenient, and healthful mode of dress, which is in accordance with the Bible, it will not change our relation to God or to the world to adopt such a style of dress. Christians should follow Christ and make their dress conform to God's word. They should shun extremes.—Testimonies for the Church 1:458. HL 118.3

524. In dress we should seek that which is simple, comfortable, convenient, and appropriate.—The Review and Herald, June 15, 1886. HL 118.4

525. A plain, direct testimony is now needed, as given in the word of God, in regard to plainness of dress. This should be our burden. But it is too late now to become enthusiastic in making a test of this matter. There were some things which made the reform dress, which was once advocated, a decided blessing. With it the ridiculous hoops, which were then the fashion, could not be worn. The long dress skirts trailing on the ground and sweeping up the filth of the streets could not be patronized. But a more sensible style of dress has been adopted, which does not embrace these objectionable features. The fashionable part may be discarded, and should be by all who read the word of God. The dress of our people should be made most simple. The skirt and sack I have mentioned may be used, not that just that pattern and nothing else should be established, but a simple style as was represented in that dress. Some have supposed that the very pattern given was the pattern that all should adopt; this is not so, but something as simple as this would be the best we could adopt under the circumstances.... Simple dress should be the word; try your talent, my sisters, in this essential reform.... Let our sisters dress plainly, as many do, in having the dress of good material, durable, modest, appropriate for the age; and let not the dress question fill the mind.—Unpublished Testimonies, July 4, 1897. HL 119.1