On the Apparel of Women: Modern, Updated Translation

“On the Apparel of Women” (De Cultu Feminarum, c. 202 AD) is Tertullian’s rigorous examination of Christian women’s dress and adornment, presenting a theological and moral framework for feminine modesty that reflects early Christian attempts to distinguish themselves from pagan Roman culture. Written in two books during Tertullian’s transition toward Montanism, this treatise addresses the intersection of faith, culture, and gender in the context of second-century Christianity.The work opens by tracing the origins of cosmetics and jewelry to fallen angels who taught such arts to women before the Flood, establishing these adornments as spiritually tainted from their inception. Tertullian argues that Christian women, redeemed through baptism, should reject these demonic innovations and embrace simplicity that reflects their spiritual transformation. He systematically addresses various forms of adornment—cosmetics, jewelry, elaborate hairstyles, and luxurious clothing—presenting each as incompatible with Christian profession.What distinguishes this treatise is Tertullian’s sophisticated rhetorical argumentation combining Scripture, theology, and moral philosophy. He develops multiple lines of reasoning: that elaborate dress contradicts the humility required of Christians, that artificial enhancement implies dissatisfaction with God’s creative work, that costly adornments demonstrate worldly values rather than heavenly citizenship, and that feminine beauty incites male lust and therefore bears moral responsibility for temptation.The second book particularly addresses married Christian women, arguing that they need not adorn themselves to please husbands who should value spiritual rather than physical beauty. Tertullian contends that Christian marriage operates under different principles than pagan unions, where mutual faith and shared devotion to God supersede physical attraction. He emphasizes that women’s true adornment consists of good works, modest behavior, and spiritual virtue.Throughout, Tertullian appeals to eschatological urgency, reminding readers that Christians await Christ’s return and should therefore prioritize eternal rather than temporal concerns. He presents simplicity in dress as both witness to non-believers and spiritual discipline for believers, arguing that rejecting worldly adornment demonstrates genuine commitment to Christian values.The work reflects broader early Christian tension between accommodation to and separation from Greco-Roman culture. Tertullian’s position represents the rigorist stream emphasizing sharp distinction between Christian and pagan practices, believing that visible difference in appearance reinforced spiritual difference in values and commitments.”On the Apparel of Women” influenced subsequent Christian thought on modesty, gender, and cultural engagement, establishing arguments and interpretive frameworks that would recur throughout church history. The treatise remains significant for understanding early Christian ethics, gender norms, and the development of distinctive Christian identity in relation to surrounding culture.Author BiographyTertullian (c. 155-220 AD) was a North African Christian writer and apologist whose intellectual brilliance and rhetorical skill made him one of the most influential early Christian theologians. Born in Carthage to pagan parents, Tertullian received extensive education in rhetoric and law before his conversion to Christianity around 195 AD. He became the first major Christian author to write in Latin, establishing theological vocabulary and concepts that would shape Western Christianity. His numerous works addressed apologetics, ethics, theology, and ecclesiastical disputes with penetrating logic and passionate conviction.