“This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another” (John 13:35).

As Catholic women with our hearts set on Heaven, we are called to discernment — yes, in our vocation, but also in those day-to-day activities that make up a lifestyle. We represent Christ and His Church in the world by how we live. Our demeanor, habits, morality, work ethic, and personal style are external representations of what we cultivate on the inside.

Jesus told His disciples, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another” (John 13:35). Do the people in our daily life know we love Christ by how we live? We must frequently analyze whether our externals accurately represent who God calls us to be.

Enter Worthy of Wearing, a movement that started on social media with a small but loyal group of women whom I call friends. We found ourselves in a dichotomy of wanting to live as authentic, integrated, modern Christian women but lost in how to take the first step.

Stylish and Faithful?

Even for someone like me, who has worked as a professional makeup artist, in retail, as a beauty editor, and in the New York fashion industry, it can be confusing balancing the two worlds of faith and style. Are faith and style diametrically opposed, or does what we wear matter?

I posted a video to Instagram in 2018 posing the question we were all wondering: “So, if it’s too nice to wear, why is it in our closet? Why are we not worthy of wearing something beautiful and special on a normal day? Try it. Wear something you think is too nice to wear!” And so it began.

After giving Worthy of Wearing a try with my close friends, we saw the subtle change it made in how we felt about ourselves. We collectively put forth effort in our appearance while striving to live virtuously, and we saw there was a path to pursuing sainthood and being an approachable, modern woman in the world.

The Backstory

After becoming a mother, I retired my “fashion girl” attire to the back of my closet. Ordinary life seemed too simple for a leopard print silk top or my favorite chalk line pinstripe blazer. Plus, was it really practical to don a dry-clean-only dress around the house?

Opening my closet each morning to work from home seemed frivolous; however, my confidence and desire to socialize was shrinking with every passing week. Resignation had settled in; I didn’t feel like myself anymore. Day after day, I wore the same three pairs of faded black leggings with the same three worn-in sweatshirts. Laundry was easier, but I began to think of wearing my clothing as a waste. I had a worthy wardrobe but insisted it was too good for me. Unknowingly, I placed the value of my clothing above my own dignity.

One day, after passing my fingers through each hanger, wondering what to wear, I realized that these clothes that seemed too nice to wear were taking up valuable real estate in my tiny closet. Then I tried something: I wore a “nice” top on a weekday, even though no one would see me but my little family.

The results were like a rush of adrenaline, as I felt a heaviness lift and the sensation of feeling like myself again returned. Soon, I put my tattered, stained, comfy clothes in the back of my closet and began to incorporate statement earrings, button-down tops, and pretty flats into my daily life. I found that it was effortless to throw on jeans when I purchased ones that actually fit, rather than squeezing into ones that used to. Comfort is not reserved only for pajamas!

Invest in Your Self-worth

Because I got dressed every morning, it was almost zero effort to go to daily Mass, meet a friend for lunch, or pick up that no-warning Facetime call. Not only did my confidence increase and my mood lighten, but I began to pursue hobbies and creative outlets that had also been put on hold with my wardrobe.

“Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world ablaze,” St. Catherine of Siena once wrote. How can we set the world ablaze when we are afraid to stain our favorite dress?

Had I stopped pursuing my goals and using my talents because I felt too ordinary, too simple, or too unworthy? My whole world opened up when I began to see that we are worthy of wearing things that make us feel confident, and so did new opportunities — including becoming a first-time author. When we use personal style to express our feminine genius, our story, and our state in life, our confidence bubbles over, and we can freely use our gifts for the Lord.

The act of taking a few moments each morning to care for ourselves helps us to be more present to the people we serve in our work each day. Christ calls all of us to live out our life in a way that draws others to Him; therefore, we must use the talents He bestowed upon us at our baptism. We can use clothing and the care of our physical body to honor how He made us and live in the world in a way that authentically attracts others to the Catholic faith.

#worthyofwearing is a movement of like-minded women who desire to be their best so we may serve others with the deep-seated joy that comes from knowing whose we are and who we are, through and through. We do not need to wait for an occasion or work outside the home to make us worthy of caring for ourselves intentionally. In doing so, we give our “yes” to living out God’s will for our life.

God asks us not to waste our talents but to use them to build His kingdom on earth. Let’s revisit our closet with this intention, remembering that our worth comes from Christ. We can create a space in our day (and wardrobe) to intentionally show that we belong to Him, so that we can pursue our mission to build the kingdom in the freedom that comes from living out our feminine dignity.

Nicole M. Caruso is the author of the new book “Worthy of Wearing” with Sophia Institute Press. She is also a professional makeup artist and beauty consultant, former beauty editor of Verily Magazine, and homeschooling mother of 3. Nicole’s mission is to inspire women to invest in their self-worth with her movement #worthyofwearing. She wants women to live an integrated life where faith and style meet. On her website nicolemcaruso.com, she shares expert style and beauty advice, tips on healthy living, and reflections on marriage and motherhood. She and her husband are raising their family right outside Washington, D.C.