Can you be a woman of God… and good taste?

There’s a queue of articles lined up for this week. A perfect blend of biblical revelations and styling lessons I’ve been learning lately. But as I read through the drafts expected to publish, a deeper thought occurs to me: Sarah, can you really preach God and good style?

I sit in silence, taking a pause to hear what the big guy has to say about my claim. I picture Him in the lounge chair beside me. What would He, with eyes of fire, have to say about this? While I wait, a flood of memories comes back to me. The pedicure I had yesterday which, quite literally, felt divine. The bone-humbling article I read that delivered a piercing take on God’s plan versus our own. And a rather exquisite piece I read on Substack titled, ‘When God Speaks in Honey, Not Thunder.’

Could the events of the last few days support my hypothesis?  

I grapple with my purpose and newfound passion. After years of publishing from a place void of pleasure but entirely God-driven, I rebelled and started writing about other things—let’s say, ‘things of this world.’ It did, however, become hard to keep up with the surface-level editorials and I began longing for deeper meaning behind my manuscripts. That’s when Scripture all of a sudden became skincare—anointing oils and Korean ones… Midnight baths made Biblical. And as I sift through my published works, a quote runs through my mind: ‘Some men go to church and think about fishing, while others go fishing and think about [God] Church.’

I think of all the times I felt God’s presence while getting a pedicure or, simply, stepping out of the bath. Or how a fashion-piece turned into an ‘Our Father’ prayer.

‘Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.’ (Proverbs 31:10-31) I’ve written about those rubies! And, somewhere in between the lines, He made me more virtuous!

Alas, I find it’s an intricate balance—a tightrope I don’t dare tread on my own. Could God draw as closely to us during bird songs on the balcony as when reciting Bible verses and rosaries? I see God just as plainly in sight while pouring a cup of coffee as when I pray profusely. He just as intricately knit me in my mother’s womb as He knit the sweater I’m wearing—so why do I grapple with holiness when it comes to hemlines? 

At my most honest, I know that sometimes style isn’t about God at all—it’s about being seen, praised, validated. But there is no trend or textile that could ever clothe you in God’s peace or righteousness. This, I know. So, of course, if you’re reaching for the hanger to fill a void—if you’re dressing for applause instead of the peace that only comes from Him—just remember to ‘rejoice in the Lord… for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.’ —Isaiah 61:10

Most of God’s lessons are like honey and thunder. It’s important to get honest-on-your-knees about His truth while also remembering what a good and kind, and let’s not forget fashion-forward God He is.  

“Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.” Luke 15:22 (NIV)

So, go ahead, wear the rubies. Heck, wear your silk and red lipstick. But when you step into the room, ask yourself who you see first—God, or yourself? And when you look in the mirror, do you see a woman chosen by God, or a woman striving to be worthy?

So yes—maybe I can preach God and good style.

Maybe holiness isn’t the absence of beauty, but the awareness that God is the beauty we see in the world. Maybe the robe and the rosary can live in the same closet. Maybe the woman brushing her hair before prayer is just as close to heaven as the one kneeling beside her bed 

Because I don’t write about fashion in spite of my faith. I write about it through my faith. And every jewel, fragrance, and shade of lipstick becomes an altar when offered back to Him.

So, here’s to women who worship in silk. Who sip coffee with their Bibles open. Wear red and righteousness. And, like me, the women who praise at pedicure appointments and pray in perfume.

“My beloved daughter, I clothed lilies in splendor and wrapped the skies in colors no human hand could recreate. Do you not think I delight in how you dress, too? But let your garments be a reflection of your glory, not a substitute for it. I see you—not just dressed in silks or linen, but in My radiant light. I know when you're dressing to feel seen and when you're dressing because you already are. So, walk with Me, and even the simplest outfits will be like ‘pure vestments in place of your filthy clothes.’ (Zechariah 3:4)”

“And if I dress the lilies of the field so beautifully, will I not much more clothe you—O you of little faith?” —Matthew 6:30

Can you feel God in your closet too?

Have you ever felt His presence while tying a silk robe… or reaching for your favorite lipstick? Tell me, what’s your most faith-filled fashion moment? The red lip that reminded you of boldness? The dress that made you feel divinely seen? I’d love to know.

xx
Sarah Elle