It may come as a shock to some, but I (Caroline) am actually not very fashionable. I have been sporting the same outfits for the past 10 months – to the point where some of the children have declared, “Auntie, that top again – ugh.” My hair has about two styles – both of which are more functional than flattering. My friends can tell you that my nail-painting ability is somewhere in the 6-year-old range. And recently I walked around the children’s home property only to find that my shirt had been snuggly tucked into my underwear – awesome.
But despite my lack of trendiness or interest in all things TLC, I was captivated by the style I saw in Cape Town, South Africa this weekend. While my parents were visiting the country, we attended a large morning market at the Biscuit Mill, a beautiful, abandoned factory with worn, red bricks and fire escape stairs leading to all kinds of shops, cafes, and restaurants. We sat down with our kudu burgers and homemade ice cream while surveying the eclectic group of people. As all sorts of characters passed by, I imagined them walking right out of a magazine. You know how people are perfectly dressed in TV and movies – even the nameless extras are perfectly adorned? That’s exactly how this looked!
I turned to my mom and said, “I think these are the most beautiful women I have ever seen.” And the thing was – there was no cookie-cutter beauty. Every girl had her own “look.” There were tall blondes with blue eyes wearing flowery summer dresses and All-Stars. There were curvy black women clad in denim with a stunning braided bun on her head. Caramel-skinned women walked by with mismatched patterns and large eyes under perfect eyebrows. Everyone was laughing, snapping photos, trying each other’s iced coffee, and gazing at the nearby stall.
And that’s the thing which captivated me: it was an effortless kind of beauty. As if they were matching their clothes to their personality rather than the current trend. I have found that kind of beauty at my all-girls high school, where you know no one was really “trying,” and yet everyone was beautiful in her own way. Even with identical uniforms, girls added her own little flair and authentic personality shined through.
Unfortunately, it seems that fashion and spirituality are in direct contradiction to each other. There are “going out” clothes and there are “church” clothes – and don’t confuse them! And when it comes to trendiness, I have to admit that it looks pretty silly against “judgement day” and “eternal life.” I feel like Anne Hathaway challenging Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada – what does it really matter? Who cares about the shade of a blouse?
But if fashion is an art form, why can’t it be used to praise God? Other forms of art like poetry, sculpture, dance, and painting are all acceptable ways to proclaim God’s goodness – so why not clothing – especially when purchased ethically? Anything can be an opportunity to demonstrate God’s creative beauty, so let’s be mindful in the way we dress. Style isn’t everything, but if it happens to be your thing, own it and use it for good.
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Princess Prayer 