Are Christian Woman Permitted to Wear Shorts, Slacks or Trousers?
1) Direct answer
No. A Christian woman should not wear shorts, slacks, or trousers. She should dress in modest, feminine apparel that does not expose the thigh and does not borrow the man’s garment.
2) Scriptural explanation
- Deuteronomy 22:5: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man… for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD.” Pants/trousers are the man’s garment. When a woman takes that pattern to herself, God calls it an abomination, not a style choice.
- 1 Timothy 2:9: “Women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety.” Modest apparel means a decent, humble, and covered manner of dress—loose, not form-fitting; feminine, not masculine.
- Exodus 28:42: “Make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach.” God defined the thigh as part of nakedness that must be covered. Shorts expose the thigh—so they expose nakedness.
- Isaiah 47:2–3: “Make bare the leg, uncover the thigh… Thy nakedness shall be uncovered.” Uncovered thigh equals uncovered nakedness.
- 1 Corinthians 11:3–15: God set a visible order and distinction between male and female. Our outward appearance should honor that headship order, not blur it.
- Matthew 5:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–7: We are to walk in holiness and not stir lust. Immodest, tight, or revealing clothing defrauds others.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- God made male and female distinct. Clothing is part of that testimony. When a woman puts on a man’s garment (trousers), the line God drew is crossed. Calling them “women’s slacks” doesn’t change what they pertain to or the way they shape and display the body.
- Shorts reveal the thigh. The Bible calls that nakedness. No believer needs a new rule—just obey the plain Word.
- “Culture changed.” Did God’s Word change? If the Scripture still says it, then the disciple still does it.
- Holiness is not bondage; it is freedom to please the Lord. The Holy Spirit will never lead a woman to dress in a way that denies modesty or blurs the sexes.
Practical counsel
- Choose modest, feminine dresses or skirts that fall well below the knee, not tight, not sheer, not split to reveal the leg when walking or sitting.
- For work or weather, add layers underneath, but keep a modest, feminine covering outwardly. There is always a way to honor God without violating His Word.
Short reinforcement
Now notice, this is not about legalism; it’s about love and obedience. The Bible says what it says. A Christian woman, led by the Spirit, will gladly keep the distinction of the sexes and walk in modesty. That’s the testimony of a heart sanctified unto the Lord.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Questions and Answers, Part 2
64-0823E §109
QUESTION: Brother Branham, is it all right for a young child to wear slacks and shorts? How young? Just let you be the judge of that; you're a Christian. A little girl or any little bitty kid, I imagine, I don't know, I... Only thing I know, the Bible says it's an abomination for a woman to wear a garment that's---that pertains to man. See? "A woman," didn't say, "a child." But now, I just ... You just suit yourself about that, I... For my part, I see nothing wrong with a little bitty kid, little bitty girl four or...
Abraham's covenant confirmed
61-0210 §22
Now, the reason that the Holy Spirit today would rebuke and tear down the church... You remember, the Laodicean age? He said, "As many as I love, I rebuke." As many as I love, I rebuke. Thank God for rebuking. A real father will straighten us up, and get us out. I met a ... happened to meet a lady today, and she was very much upset at what I said the other night, about women wearing little, short clothes. It was not nice for Christians to do that, and it was absolutely unscriptural. She said, "Young man, you'll rui...
Things that are to be
65-1205 §72
Now, notice this ... live for him, keeping ourselves from the world. Now look! You look on television, some of you sisters, and you go down here and you want... You young women, you're young; I know that, but you're a Christian. See? You're different. You don't want to be like the world. You love the world---not only you young ones, some of you older ones. See? Well, what does that? See? You watch television; you go down to the store; you see these little old clothes that women wear that's ungodly. Do you know what...
Life
58-0512 §28
...dn't let your girls put on them little old vulgar-looking clothes and get out on the street. Then talk about juvenile delinquency. Not only do they do it, but mammy, you do too. "Oh," you say, "I don't wear them shorts (I believe they call it) and halternecks. I don't wear them; I wear slacks." The Bible said that a woman that'll put on a garment that pertains to a man, it's an abomination in the sight of God. That's what the Bible says. And today, you take women come down the street with these little old skirts on...
From that time
61-0520 §60
but yet... A woman said to me some time ago, she said... I was telling them about wearing them immoral clothes. I said, "God will make you answer for committing adultery." She said, "I do not commit adultery." I said, "But Jesus said, 'Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her in his heart.' Then when that sinner answers for adultery, who did he commit it with? because you presented yourself that way. That's right. You'll answer at the day of the judgment." That's exactly. And...