Early Christian Views on Hair and Modesty

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

The Instructor tells them to go out in proper clothing and to dress themselves with modesty and self-control, as 1 Timothy 2:9 says, being subject to their own husbands. Then, if any do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, while they observe, he says, your pure conduct. Their beauty should not be outward beauty, such as braided hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine clothes. Instead, let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 1 Peter 3:1-4

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

...and ornaments. He said, "Let women adorn themselves with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or expensive clothing, but as is fitting for women who profess chastity, with a good way of life." 1 Timothy 2:9-10 Peter also agrees with these same teachings and says, "Let a woman's adornment not be outward, in clothing, or gold, or fine dress, but the adornment of the heart." 1 Peter 3:3-4 But if they also warn that women who are used to excusing their dress by referring to their husband should be restrained and limited by religious observance according to the Church's discipline, how much more right is it for the virgin to keep that observance? She has no excuse for adorning herself, nor can the deceitfulness of her fault be laid on another, but she herself remains guilty of it!

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Let women, said he, adorn themselves with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, nor gold, nor pearls, nor costly array, but as becomes women professing chastity, with a good conversation.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women Supporting witness

...That salvation—and not the salvation of women only, but of men also—consists principally in showing modesty. For since, by the introduction into us of the Holy Spirit, we are all the temple of God, Modesty is the sacristan and priestess of that temple. She must allow nothing unclean or profane to be brought into it, lest the God who inhabits it should be offended and completely forsake the polluted dwelling. But at present we are not speaking about modesty itself, because the divine precepts that press on us from every side are enough to enjoin and require it. Rather, we are speaking about the things that belong to it—that is, the way in which it behooves you to walk. For most women—and this very thing I trust God may permit me to rebuke in all, with a view, of course, to my own personal rebuke—either through simple ignorance or else through dissimulation, have the boldness so to walk as if modesty consisted only in the mere integrity of the flesh and in turning away from actual fornication. They act as though there were no need for anything outward besides this, in the matter of the arrangement of dress and ornament, the studied graces of form and brilliance. In their gait they

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...nd virginity is appointed for the kingdom of God, what do they have to do with earthly clothing and ornaments? While they are trying to please men with these things, they offend God. They do not consider that it is declared, "They who please men are put to confusion, because God has despised them," and that Paul also has spoken gloriously and sublimely: "If I still pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). But continency and modesty do not consist only in purity of the flesh. They also consist in propriety, and in modesty of dress and adornment, so that, according to the apostle, she who is unmarried may be holy both in body and in spirit. Paul instructs and teaches us, saying, "He that is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please God; but he who has entered marriage cares for the things of this world, how he may please his wife." So both the virgin and the unmarried woman think on the things of the Lord, so that they may be holy both in body and in spirit (1 Corinthians 7:14). A virgin ought not only to be so, but also to be seen and believed to be so. No one, on seeing a virgin, should have any doubt whether she is one. Perfectio

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

For it is not right that a virgin should have her hair braided for the appearance of her beauty, or boast of her flesh and of its beauty, when she has no struggle greater than that against her flesh, and no contest more obstinate than that of conquering and subduing the body.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

1 Corinthians 10:23 For the rest, if you dress your hair sumptuously, and walk so as to draw attention in public, and attract the eyes of youth upon you, and draw the sighs of young men after you, nourish the lust of concupiscence, and inflame the fuel of sighs, so that, although you yourself perish not, yet you cause others to perish, and offer yourself, as it were, a sword or poison to the spectators;

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

It is enough for women to protect their locks, and bind up their hair simply along the neck with a plain hair-pin, nourishing chaste locks with simple care to true beauty.

1 Timothy 2:9 Background

in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,

1 Peter 3:3 Background

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—

1 Peter 3:4 Background

but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

...in hairpin, caring for modest hair in a simple way for the sake of true beauty. For prostitute-like braiding of the hair, and arranging it in curls and twisted strands, only makes them look ugly. It cuts the hair and pulls it out because of those deceptive braids. Because of this, they do not touch their head, since they are afraid of disturbing their hair. Even sleep comes with fear, lest without knowing it they ruin the shape of the braid.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

For meretricious plaiting of the hair, and putting it up in tresses, contribute to make them look ugly, cutting the hair and plucking off it those treacherous braidings;

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

But hair added from other people must be completely rejected. It is a very sacrilegious thing for false hair to cover the head, shading the skull with dead locks. For on whom does the presbyter lay his hand? Whom does he bless? Not the woman who is dressed up, but another person's hair, and through that, another head. And if the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of the man, how is it not impious for them to fall into a double sin? For they deceive men by the excessive amount of their hair. And, as far as they are able, they dishonor the Lord by adorning themselves like prostitutes in order to hide the truth. And they bring shame on the head, which is truly beautiful.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Head-dresses and varieties of head-dresses, and elaborate braidings, and infinite modes of dressing the hair, and costly specimens of mirrors, in which they arrange their costume — hunting after those that, like silly children, are crazy about their figures — are characteristic of women who have lost all sense of shame.

Tertullian, On Prayer Supporting witness

Touching modesty of dress and ornamentation, indeed, the prescription of Peter 1 Peter 3:1-6 likewise is plain, checking as he does with the same mouth, because with the same Spirit, as Paul, the glory of garments, and the pride of gold, and the meretricious elaboration of the hair.

Commodianus, Writings Direct teaching

...ou pursue vanity with all the pomp of the devil. At the mirror you adorn yourself, with your curled hair turned back from your brow. And moreover, with evil purposes, you put on false medicaments. On your pure eyes you put stibium, with painted beauty. Or you dye your hair so that it may always be black. God is the overlooker, who dives into each heart. But these things are not necessary for modest women. Pierce your breast with chaste and modest feeling. The law of God bears witness that such laws fail from the heart which believes. For a wife approved by her husband, let it suffice that she is so, not by her dress, but by her good disposition. Put on only the clothes that the cold and the heat, or too much sun, require, so that you may be approved as modest, and show forth the gifts of your capacity among the people of God. You who were formerly most illustrious, give yourself the appearance of one who is contemptible. She who lay without life was raised by the prayers of the widows. She deserved this, that she should be raised from death, not by her costly dress, but by her gifts. O good matrons, flee from the adornment of vanity. Such attire is fitting for women who haunt th

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...true is changed into a lie by the deceitful dyes of cosmetics? Your Lord says, "You cannot make one hair white or black." Matthew 5:36 And yet, in order to overcome your Lord's word, you would make yourself mightier than He is, and stain your hair with bold effort and profane contempt. With an evil sign of what is to come, you are already making for yourself a beginning of flame-colored hair. And you sin, O wickedness, with your head—that is, with the nobler part of your body! And although it is written of the Lord, "His head and His hair were white like wool or snow," Revelation 1:14 you curse that whiteness and hate that gray hair which is like the Lord's head.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

for all these ornaments are the signs of lasciviousness, which if you be solicitous about in an indecent manner, you will not act as becomes a good man: for it is not lawful for you, a believer and a man of God, to permit the hair of your head to grow long, and to brush it up together, nor to suffer it to spread abroad, nor to puff it up, nor by nice combing and platting to make it curl and shine;

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...ch wants ornament, since all things which God has made are very good. But the lascivious additional adorning of what is already good is an affront to the bounty of the Creator. Look downward when you walk abroad, veiling yourself as becomes women.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

... man to comb himself and shave himself with a razor for the sake of fine appearance, to arrange his hair at the mirror, to shave his cheeks, pluck hairs out of them, and smooth them, how womanly that is. In truth, unless you saw them naked, you would suppose they were women. For although they are not allowed to wear gold, yet from effeminate desire they wrap their curls and fringes with leaves of gold. Or they have certain round ornaments made of the same metal, fasten them to their ankles, and hang them from their necks. This is a device of weakened men, who are dragged to the women's apartments, like lustful and unnatural creatures. For this is a seductive and impious trap. For God wished women to be smooth, and to rejoice only in their locks growing naturally, as a horse in its mane. But He has adorned man, like the lions, with a beard, and endowed him, as a mark of manhood, with shaggy breasts. This is a sign of strength and rule. So also cocks, which fight in defense of the hens, He has decked with combs, as if with helmets. And God sets such high value on these locks that He orders them to appear on men at the same time as discretion. Delighting in a venerable appearance,

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

...nce, they are not healthy. Instead, turning toward pleasure, they become effeminate. They cut their hair in an unmanly and prostitute-like way, wear fine and see-through clothes, chew mastich, and smell of perfume. What can a person say when he sees them? Like someone who judges people by their foreheads, he would guess that they are adulterers and effeminate men, given over to both kinds of sexual immorality, haters of hair, without hair, rejecting the bloom of manliness, and dressing their hair like women. The Sibyl says, "Living for unholy acts of audacity, these unstable wretches do reckless and wicked deeds." For their sake, the cities are full of people who remove hair with pitch-plasters, who shave, and who pluck hairs from these womanish creatures. Shops are set up and opened everywhere. Experts in this prostitute-like corruption make a great deal of money openly from those who plaster themselves and let their hair be pulled out in every way by those who make it their trade. They feel no shame before the spectators, or before those who come near, or even before themselves, though they are men. Such are those who are enslaved to shameful passions, whose whole body is made

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

For these, for the most part, plucking out the rest of their hair, only dress that on the head, all but binding their locks with fillets like women.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

lest by a nice combing your hair, and wearing it long, and anointing yourself, you draw upon yourself such ensnared or ensnaring women.

Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women Supporting witness

...ting the beard too sharply, plucking it out here and there, shaving around the mouth, arranging the hair, and disguising its grayness with dyes; removing all the first soft hair over the whole body; fixing each hair in its place with some womanly pigment; and smoothing all the rest of the body with some rough powder or other; then, further, taking every opportunity to consult the mirror, and gazing anxiously into it—while yet, when the knowledge of God has put an end to all wish to please by means of sensual attraction, all these things are rejected as frivolous, as hostile to modesty. For where God is, there is modesty; there is sobriety, her assistant and ally. How, then, shall we practice modesty without her instrumental means, that is, without sobriety? How, moreover, shall we bring sobriety to bear on the discharge of the functions of modesty, unless seriousness in appearance, in countenance, and in the general aspect of the entire man marks our conduct?

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

... shall not mar the figure of your beard,” Leviticus 19:27, he plucks out his beard and arranges his hair. Is he now trying to please anyone when he displeases God? Or does that woman groan and mourn who has time to put on costly clothing, but not to think about the robe of Christ that she has lost; to receive expensive ornaments and finely made necklaces, but not to grieve over the loss of divine and heavenly ornament? Although you dress yourself in foreign garments and silk robes, you are naked. Although you decorate yourself excessively with pearls, gems, and gold, yet without the adornment of Christ you are ugly. And you who dye your hair, at least now stop in the midst of your sorrows. And you who darken the edges of your eyes with a line of black powder, at least now wash your eyes with tears. If you had lost someone dear to you by the death that belongs to mortal life, you would groan deeply and weep, with your face disordered, your clothing changed, your hair neglected, your face darkened, and your appearance cast down. You would show the signs of grief. Miserable creature, you have lost your soul. Spiritually dead here, you go on living for yourself, and though you are s

1 Corinthians 11:14 Background

Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

1 Corinthians 11:7 Background

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

1 Corinthians 11:15 Background

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Lactantius, On the Workmanship of God Supporting witness

...eat an ugliness there would be in that is clear from baldness. Therefore, God covered the head with hair. And because it was to be at the very top, He added it like an ornament to the highest point of the building. This ornament is not gathered into a circle or shaped like a cap, because that would look unattractive by leaving some parts bare. Instead, it is spread out freely in some places and drawn back in others, according to what suits the beauty of each place. So the forehead, enclosed by a border of hair, and the hair extending from the temples in front of the ears, and the upper parts of these arranged around like a crown, and the whole back part of the head covered, present an appearance of wonderful beauty. Then the nature of the beard contributes in an incredible way to mark the maturity of the body, or the distinction of sex, or the beauty of manliness and strength. So it is clear that the arrangement of the whole work would not have been fitting, if anything had been made different from what it is.

Lactantius, On the Workmanship of God Supporting witness

Therefore, the forehead entrenched by a circumference, and the hair put forth from the temples before the ears, and the uppermost parts of these being surrounded after the manner of a crown, and all the back part of the head covered, display an appearance of wonderful comeliness.

Lactantius, On the Workmanship of God Supporting witness

Therefore He clothed the head with hair; and because it was about to be on the top, He added it as an ornament, as it were, to the highest summit of the building.

Dionysius of Alexandria, Miscellaneous Fragments Supporting witness

Thus the hair is a kind of protection and covering for the whole head, and the beard is a seemly ornament for the philosopher.