Is Wearing Immodest Clothing a Sin?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Inquiringperson
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I

Inquiringperson

Guest
Just a thought. Also, are bikinis immodest along with sleeveless dresses?
 
Wearing immodest clothing (immodest for whatever the particular situation is) would be a sin, if done with some degree of knowledge of its moral character and consent to dressing that way, of course.

I’m not going to touch the topic of where to draw the line between modest and immodest though.
 
By definition wearing immodest clothing is a sin in most cases. Certainly there can be exceptions.

Now go and define what qualifies as “immodest” in a given situation.

Peace
James
 
I’m going to take the second part of your question as I think the poster above did a great job on the first part.

So, I know in the Catholic community I live in, none of the women wear bikinis. I know this because we go swimming in a quarry every summer. I was pleasantly surprised at their unanimous decision. I am not a woman, but I think it’s telling that all the Catholic women decided against one particular bathing suit. It says something.

As for sleeveless dresses…it’s not your arms that are going to make it difficult for a man to look at you chastely…I would recommend dresses that go well past your cleavage and down to your knees at least. But hey, that’s my opinion. I dunno lol ¯(°_o)/¯
 
Bikinis are definitely immodest. Certainly, “modestly dressed” is not what you think if you see a bikini-clad woman.
 
I think it depends on the bikini. I hate one piece suits, so when I swim it’s always in a bikini.
 
child_of_God85 said:
I think it depends on the bikini. I hate one piece suits, so when I swim it’s always in a bikini.
Click to expand...
If your mid section is showing (which is not necessary to be able to swim comfortably), then you are being immodest.

You can hate one piece suits all you want, and there are certainly some immodest one piece suits out there, so that definition alone does not make it modest just as there are some modest TWO PIECE suits out there, but a bikini is never modest.

bi·ki·ni   [bih-kee-nee]
noun, plural -nis.
1.
a very brief, close-fitting, two-piece bathing suit for women or girls.
2.
a very brief, close-fitting pair of bathing trunks for men or boys.
3.
Often, bikinis. underwear briefs that are fitted low on the hip or below it.
 
heart4home said:
If your mid section is showing (which is not necessary to be able to swim comfortably), then you are being immodest.

You can hate one piece suits all you want, and there are certainly some immodest one piece suits out there, so that definition alone does not make it modest just as there are some modest TWO PIECE suits out there, but a bikini is never modest.

bi·ki·ni   [bih-kee-nee]
noun, plural -nis.
1.
a very brief, close-fitting, two-piece bathing suit for women or girls.
2.
a very brief, close-fitting pair of bathing trunks for men or boys.
3.
Often, bikinis. underwear briefs that are fitted low on the hip or below it.
Click to expand...
I’m not being immodest, and am insulted by by such unchristian behavior towards me.

My grandfather always said it’s not what you wear but how you wear it.
 
child_of_God85 said:
I’m not being immodest, and am insulted by by such unchristian behavior towards me.

My grandfather always said it’s not what you wear but how you wear it.
Click to expand...
The issue here is how one defines "Modest’ obviously you and “heart4home” have different takes on the matter. 🤷

Peace
James
 
One needs to consider what “modest” means in the eyes of God.

Guidelines can be provided but hard fast rules are more difficult.

I would suggest to everyone that the best way to form one’s conscience on the matter is to look at the Catechism on the subject. This from the CCC might help:
The Battle for Purity

Of particular help in these matters is Para 2521 and 2522.

Peace
James
 
child_of_God85 said:
I’m not being immodest, and am insulted by by such unchristian behavior towards me.

My grandfather always said it’s not what you wear but how you wear it.
Click to expand...
I’m sorry if you are insulted. It is obviously not your intent to be immodest, but if you are wearing a true bikini, perhaps you should reevaluate what modesty is.

Here is another defintion of bikini, this timei from Merriam Webster Dictionary

a : a woman’s **scanty **two-piece bathing suit

b : a man’s brief swimsuit

As I said** there are two piece bathing suits that are not bikinis** and can often cover more than some one pieces and which most would not consider immodest. For example tankinis with a skirt or short bottoms, etc.

You may believe it is not what you wear but how you wear it, but when what you are wearing has a very real potential to cause a fellow brother in Christ to stumble; because you are actually not wearing much of anything at all, then I think we need to think about who is portraying UnChristian behavior.

Again, read the definition of a bikini. If that’s not what you are wearing than you have nothing to be insulted over, and if it is, well than perhaps you should pray about it and see if there are any simple changes you could make for the sake of your Christian brothers in Christ.

As a mother to teen boys/young adults, I don’t want to be at the beach or pool with women wearing bikinis. While I can’t control what the “world” does, it would be nice to believe that fellow Christian women would think about what they are wearing, and not expose more of themselves then is necessary for the activity at hand.

"Modesty protects the mystery of persons and their love….Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden. It is ordered to chastity to whose sensitivity it bears witness…. Modesty is decency. It inspires one’s choice of clothing. It keeps silence or reserve where there is evident risk of unhealthy curiosity. It is discreet. (CCC 2521-2522)"
 
child_of_God85 said:
I’m not being immodest, and am insulted by by such unchristian behavior towards me.

My grandfather always said it’s not what you wear but how you wear it.
Click to expand...
I agree with this. Simple as that.
At the risk of sounding rude and insensitive, I have seen some overweight people wear things that are quite ill fitting making for a very unappealing and brazen look, and its not necessarily the clothes but the body type. A very busty person can make a simple t-shirt seem over-the-top or obscene, and t-shirts certainly are not immodest. 🤷
 
runwaymodel said:
I agree with this. Simple as that.
At the risk of sounding rude and insensitive, I have seen some overweight people wear things that are quite ill fitting making for a very unappealing and brazen look, and its not necessarily the clothes but the body type. A very busty person can make a simple t-shirt seem over-the-top or obscene, and t-shirts certainly are not immodest. 🤷
Click to expand...
Well if it is truly obscene then I’d say it is immodest.

Body size does not make something immodest.

However, clothing that is ill-fitting, too tight, too small etc. certainly does, even if it’s covering every speck of skin.
 
Writing a rule about modesty is as futile as attempting to write a text definition about the difference between porn and legitimate art with nudity in it. There’s a real and genuine difference, but good luck describing it in a lawyer proof manner.

Same goes for modesty. Leave it to the discretion of the clothes wearer, but form their conscience with the idea that what you show and how you show it says something real about what you think about your best qualities are.

But as a man, trust me on this, ladies: men are NOT going to notice your fantastic sense of humor or your genius intellect if your boobs are in plain sight. Regardless of how moral he is, all he’s going to notice is the flesh and not get any other first impression of you. Think about what that says about your confidence if you are OK with that.
 
manualman said:
Writing a rule about modesty is as futile as attempting to write a text definition about the difference between porn and legitimate art with nudity in it. There’s a real and genuine difference, but good luck describing it in a lawyer proof manner.

Same goes for modesty. Leave it to the discretion of the clothes wearer, but form their conscience with the idea that what you show and how you show it says something real about what you think about your best qualities are.

But as a man, trust me on this, ladies: men are NOT going to notice your fantastic sense of humor or your genius intellect if your boobs are in plain sight. Regardless of how moral he is, all he’s going to notice is the flesh and not get any other first impression of you. Think about what that says about your confidence if you are OK with that.
Click to expand...
Think about how you have insulted all men.
 
severus68 said:
40.png
manualman:
Writing a rule about modesty is as futile as attempting to write a text definition about the difference between porn and legitimate art with nudity in it. There’s a real and genuine difference, but good luck describing it in a lawyer proof manner.

Same goes for modesty. Leave it to the discretion of the clothes wearer, but form their conscience with the idea that what you show and how you show it says something real about what you think about your best qualities are.

But as a man, trust me on this, ladies: men are NOT going to notice your fantastic sense of humor or your genius intellect if your boobs are in plain sight. Regardless of how moral he is, all he’s going to notice is the flesh and not get any other first impression of you. Think about what that says about your confidence if you are OK with that.
Click to expand...
Think about how you have insulted all men.
Click to expand...
Yep.
 
severus68 said:
Think about how you have insulted all men.
Click to expand...
On Black Friday I went to the mall and at the request of a nephew entered a store looking for a shirt he wanted. A&F to be exact. At the door entrance was a young college aged man, standing without a shirt on.

I don’t think it’s an insult to women, to say that it wouldn’t have mattered what he said to me, the fact he was standing there topless ( a paid model to stand there without a shirt on) in the middle of the mall, at 6:00 in the morning, would have made it very hard for me to focus on anything else.

Not because I’m some perverted middle age lady being excited by a young man’s body, but because it made me uncomfortable. It didn’t seem appropriate. I felt embarrassed for him, being made into an object that way.

I think at one time, it would have been the same for men. It would have been seen by most that to have the flesh of a women’s breast flashed at them in a public place would seem inappropriate. Somehow though, now many women think that men should be desensitized and as long as the nipples are covered, it’s all good and a man shouldn’t take notice of the breast flesh being flashed at them.

Makes no sense to me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top