In Bible times, some Christian women may have been inclined to wear the showy clothing and elaborate hairstyles that were popular back then. But the apostle Paul counseled: “I desire the women to adorn themselves in well-​arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with styles of hair braiding and gold or pearls or very expensive garb.”​—1 Timothy 2:9.

Paul’s counsel does not rule out your looking attractive. It simply means that your appearance should be “well-​arranged,” or suitable, not showy; modest and sensible, not bizarre or faddish.

“Prettiness may be vain,” says Proverbs 31:30, and even artfully applied makeup cannot mask a negative disposition or a shallow mind. The Bible reminds us: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment . . . Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”​—1 Peter 3:3, 4, New International Version.