V. On Modesty of Attire

I. Notion of Modesty of Attire. Modesty of attire is defined: a moral virtue inclining man to preserve measure, according to the prescription of reason illumined by faith, in the adornment of the body and the arrangement of external things.

II. Object of Modesty of Attire. 1. The remote material object is external things which someone can use for the cultivation and adornment of the body, and for the necessities and conveniences of life; the proximate object is the passions which are occupied around these things.

2. The remote formal object is the reason of debt of preserving in these things the measure of right reason, which prescribes that all these things be congruent and adapted to persons, places, times, and other circumstances (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 169, a. 1); the proximate formal object is the special moral goodness which shines forth in preserving the aforesaid measure.

III. Opposed Vices. By excess there is opposed luxury, inclining one to adornment of the body and arrangement of external things beyond the measure of right reason; by defect, negligence, by which someone in the adornment of the body and arrangement of external things remains below the measure owed to his condition (cf. St. Thomas, II-II, q. 169, a. 1).¹

¹ Cf. Salmanticenses, cited place, n. 160 end (p. 503).