| Sunday Style / Making A Good Appearance |
Hi there, ya'll! =)
I survived my hectic week and actually wasn't too worn out afterwards! This week looks like it'll be a lot more peaceful (fingers crossed), but you never know. ;)
"Be neat, Philothea; let nothing be negligent about you. It is a kind of contempt of those with whom we converse, to frequent their company in un-comely apparel; but, at the same time, avoid all affectation, vanity, curiosity, or levity in your dress.---St. Francis De Sales, Introduction To The Devout Life, Part Third, Ch. 25
St. Francis De Sales is a powerful saint, a great writer, and one of the greatest doctors of the Catholic Church, as well as one of my personal favorite saints. His "Introduction To The Devout Life" is one of my most read spiritual books, and is filled with wisdom. This particular quote I shared above is one that really hit home with me. I live waaaay out in the country, where it is very, very easy to give up on your appearance and just wear t-shirts and denim every day because it's more comfortable, you don't really have to worry about peer pressure, and it won't matter if you get dirty. I used to not care what I looked liked and wore the same, paint-stained t-shirt every day, regardless of where I was going or who was seeing me, and, boy, was I comfortable! I never wore makeup or jewelry (besides earrings) and if I did anything with my hair besides pull it back in a ponytail, it had to be a very special occasion. I had some very wrong ideas about modesty and vanity; in short, that as long as you were dressed modestly, any sort of attention paid to your appearance was vanity and sinful. I couldn't have been more wrong! Yes, we are obliged to guard against spending too much time or attention on our appearances, but we are also obliged to take care of and adorn ourselves to show respect towards God and our neighbor. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost, and temples are meant to be beautiful and tastefully decorated to bring honor and glory to God. Our appearance is the first thing people notice about us (whether they mean to or not), and their first impressions of us are usually based of how we look or dress. When we put some effort into our appearance, it shows that we take care of the body God has given us, we know our own value, and we respect our neighbor enough to make this effort for them. This doesn't just apply to your neighbor outside of your home; your family should be even more important to you than those outside your home and deserve better than to see you looking like you just rolled out of bed. Obviously, you don't have to wear heels and a full face of makeup every day and never let your family see you looking less than your best, but simply making sure whatever clothes you are wearing are always clean and matching makes a huge difference, to you and those who see you. I personally put on a little bit of makeup when I get up every day to make me look more awake, and try to always make sure my hair is neat, and it really changes how I feel every day. When you feel like you're a mess, it affects your mood and can make you more irritable and less motivated. On the other hand, when you feel you look nice and put together, you feel happier and more energized!
St. Francis De Sales is a powerful saint, a great writer, and one of the greatest doctors of the Catholic Church, as well as one of my personal favorite saints. His "Introduction To The Devout Life" is one of my most read spiritual books, and is filled with wisdom. This particular quote I shared above is one that really hit home with me. I live waaaay out in the country, where it is very, very easy to give up on your appearance and just wear t-shirts and denim every day because it's more comfortable, you don't really have to worry about peer pressure, and it won't matter if you get dirty. I used to not care what I looked liked and wore the same, paint-stained t-shirt every day, regardless of where I was going or who was seeing me, and, boy, was I comfortable! I never wore makeup or jewelry (besides earrings) and if I did anything with my hair besides pull it back in a ponytail, it had to be a very special occasion. I had some very wrong ideas about modesty and vanity; in short, that as long as you were dressed modestly, any sort of attention paid to your appearance was vanity and sinful. I couldn't have been more wrong! Yes, we are obliged to guard against spending too much time or attention on our appearances, but we are also obliged to take care of and adorn ourselves to show respect towards God and our neighbor. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost, and temples are meant to be beautiful and tastefully decorated to bring honor and glory to God. Our appearance is the first thing people notice about us (whether they mean to or not), and their first impressions of us are usually based of how we look or dress. When we put some effort into our appearance, it shows that we take care of the body God has given us, we know our own value, and we respect our neighbor enough to make this effort for them. This doesn't just apply to your neighbor outside of your home; your family should be even more important to you than those outside your home and deserve better than to see you looking like you just rolled out of bed. Obviously, you don't have to wear heels and a full face of makeup every day and never let your family see you looking less than your best, but simply making sure whatever clothes you are wearing are always clean and matching makes a huge difference, to you and those who see you. I personally put on a little bit of makeup when I get up every day to make me look more awake, and try to always make sure my hair is neat, and it really changes how I feel every day. When you feel like you're a mess, it affects your mood and can make you more irritable and less motivated. On the other hand, when you feel you look nice and put together, you feel happier and more energized!
In short, our appearance is how the world sees us, and is our representation of our family, our culture, and our Faith. Out of respect for our neighbor, we should make an effort to appear neat and modest at all times, regardless of where we are. =)
//Outfit Details//
Dress: Made By Me
Cardigan: Salvation Army
Scarf: Gift
Sandals: Goodwill
I hope you all have a blessed week! =)
What are your thoughts on this topic?
0 comments