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Clothing of the Old Testament
Men in Old Testament times were dressed in tunics. There was an inner tunic, a tunic
coat, a girdle, a cloak, headdress, shoes or sandals. By an "inner tunic" I mean a short,
shirtlike garment of varying lengths. By a "tunic coat" I mean a skirtlike garment usually
expressed as being long sleeved and extending usually to the ankles. By a "girdle" I
mean just that...something to gird their flowing robe to themselves in times of work or in
times when they wanted to move along more rapidly....such as was worn by Elijah and
John the Baptist. Then on the outer side was a "cloak" or mantle or robe. I am
persuaded this is what the Bible refers to when it speaks of Joseph's coat of many
colors, or Samuel's coat which Hannah made for him, or the "best robe" which the father
commanded to be brought to the prodigal son, Luke 15:22.
There was a definite distinction between the clothing of men and women in that time. The
law forbade men and women wearing the same things. There were some feminine
articles which bore a similar name, but they were very different in embossing,
embroidery and needlework.
In contrast, there was also the clothing worn by the vain daughters of Israel. He speaks of
their fine linen, their festive robes and ankle chains, their nose jewels, pendants and
bracelets. He calls them "vain daughters" with all of this garb.
The clothing of the Hebrews was graceful, modest and exceedingly significant. It told
who and what they were. The Lord's people in Old Testament times had a real urge to do
what God wanted them to do and to represent Him correctly.
Clothing of the New Testament
Through the centuries there was very little change. In New Testament times I still detect
very little change. Listen to the similarity: the linen shirt or under garment, the tunic, the
linen or leather girdle about the waist, the outer garment of John 19:23, the leather
sandals and the turban.
Probably the major warning in the New Testament is against overdress. That sounds like
an odd thing in our time, but Peter warns against over doing the outward adorning in I
Peter 3. Modesty is stressed more under this age than any age of all time.