Historians have noted that the trend of dressing well on the Sabbath coincides on timelines with the Industrial Revolution. Before the cotton gin was invented, fabrics were extremely expensive to buy and time consuming and difficult to create. Only the wealthy had nice clothes. The rest of civilization made do with one or two sets of clothes, usually washed only once every few months, or about as often as people bathed in antiquity. Thankfully, times have changed since the medieval ages.
With mass cloth production, church suits prices lowered, higher quality clothes became
available to the upper and middle classes. While some resisted the urge to wear fancier clothing to church, others embraced the new fashion trend. In time, the Sabbath came to be seen as a pleasurable experience and social gatherings where guests wore their best became a tradition. Church was more fun, which aided in fostering deeper spirituality and the celebration of faith with friends and family.
Christianity expanded exponentially when the congregation came to enjoy their experience. The church was also revolutionized because it became a place less filled with fearful threats, guilt, fire and brimstone and more about connecting as Christians and viewing the lord with love instead of fear.
The formation of the tradition of the church suits changed the face of Christianity. When congregations became more hygienic, they became healthier. With better health, the masses felt rewarded by God. While looking their best, Christians came to be more confident and open in their interactions with each other. By fostering open communication, the church suit helped to form tight-knit communities. People acted differently – they started caring about themselves. Dressing well changed humanity, psychology and spirituality, hopefully forever.
