Clothing in the Bible: What Did the Women Wear?

Women’s clothing in the Bible was much more complex than what we normally see in biblical costumes worn for church productions.

As we near the season when costumes become a passion, we tend to think of women in biblical days wearing the simplest of clothing. A long gown, a drape over their head, maybe a belt, and a pair of sandals. While this was technically correct, women’s clothing in the Bible was much more complex. In fact, we might be surprised to learn some of the fashion items popular in biblical times.

Biblical Clothing For Women

This year I took over costuming at our church’s Journey Through Bethlehem, a walk-though tour of the Christmas story. We have a cast of close to 100 performing over six nights. The process of preparing the costumes has brought on interesting discussions of what the men and women in the Bible wore. I discovered how little has been written of it, which surprises me since the Bible has quite a bit to say about wardrobe. So let’s deep dive into what the Bible says about biblical clothing.

Eve

The first mention of clothing comes in the story of creation. In the beginning Adam and Eve were “naked, yet felt no shame.” Once sin entered the world, however, the were ashamed of their nakedness and sought to clothe themselves with fig leaves sewn together. When God addressed their sins, he made them garments from animal skins.

Rebekah

When Abraham’s servant went in search of a wife for Isaac, he brought along gifts to present to the wife-to-be who happened to be Rebekah. To thank her for watering his camels, the servant gave her “a gold ring weighing half a shekel, and for her wrists, two bracelets weighing ten shekels of gold.” (Genesis 24:22) Though it just says “ring” at first, later on, in verse 47, it clarifies it was a nose ring.

Continuing with the story, Genesis 24:53 says the servant gave Rebekah additional gifts of silver and gold and garments of clothing.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 61:10

Tamar

In Genesis 38 we meet Tamar, first the wife of Er, then when Er was killed by God for being so evil, Tamar was passed on to Onan, Er’s brother. When God eliminated him as well, Tamar was a widow wearing widow’s clothing. Determined to bear a child, she “took off her widow’s clothes, veiled her face, covered herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim.” When Judah, Tamar’s father-in-law saw her, he thought she was a prostitute. Interesting, that a prostitute would be fully covered and veiled.

Gifted Artisans

As the Hebrews prepared the Lord’s tabernacle, they all joined together to offer their own contributions. Men and women brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, and armlets. Women gifted in the arts spun blue, purple, and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. Other women used their skills to spin goat’s hair. (Exodus 35)

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the ^[a]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Daughters of Zion

In Isaiah 3, the prophet Isaiah warned of the wickedness that had come over the daughter of Zion (the Hebrew women). In verses 16-26, he lists items of jewelry and accessories they wore and warned them of what was to come of them because of their obsession with wordly values.

He specifically mentions anklets, headbands, crescents, pendants, bracelets, scarves, headdresses, armlets, sashes, perfume boxes, amulets, signet rings, nose rings, festal robes, mantles, cloaks, handbags, mirrors, linen garments, turbans, and the veils.

False Prophets

In Ezekiel 13:17-18 we get another glimpse into clothing used in a negative way. Ezekiel warned against female false prophets who sewed magic bands for their wrists and made veils for the “heads of persons of every stature.” Not only were these women engaging in some kind of witchcraft, but they were spreading it to others.

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. ²³ Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

Luke 12:22-23

Dorcas (also known as Tabitha)

In the New Testament we have the story of Dorcas, a woman who was generous and well-loved, especially by the widows. (Acts 9:36-43) When she died, the believers in Joppa sent for Peter. He arrived and the widows showed him tunics and other garments she had made for them. We can only imagine how beautiful they were as the women wanted to show them off to Peter.

Lydia

When Paul and Timothy went to Philippi, they went to the riverside where a group of women gathered on the Sabbath to pray. One of those women was Lydia, a seller of purple goods. Only the wealthy could afford to attired themselves in purple. (Acts 16:11-15)

Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.

Proverbs 31:25

Conclusion

It’s so easy for us to simplify life in ancient times, but the women in Bible days were just like us. They struggled with the same issues we deal with today, and clothing played just as much of a role in their lives as it does to us.

Then, like now, clothing made a statement. Women were judged by the garments they wore. Their clothes indicated their social status, whether they were married or single, if they were mourning the loss of a loved one, if they were following God or rejecting Him. But God isn’t as concerned about our clothing as He is about our heart. May we adorn ourselves with a spirit of kindness, meekness, and gentleness, seeking after God rather than trying to impress men.

Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.

1 Timothy 2:9-10

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