Does 1 Corinthians 11 require women to wear head coverings to church?

What does the Bible teach about our personal appearance?

Some have wondered if the head covering the apostle Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 11:5-6 and 13 refers to women wearing hats to church. But the context clarifies that Paul was primarily referring to how women of the day wore their hair. In verse 6, shorn or shaved hair is contrasted with a woman being "covered." Verse 15 makes clear that the subject is hair: "But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering."

In respect to the broader question of personal grooming, the United Church of God encourages its members to groom themselves in socially acceptable ways. The men should appear masculine, and women should appear feminine.

Perhaps the clearest statements in the Bible on a Christian woman's personal grooming are found in 1 Peter 3:3-4 and 1 Timothy 2:9-10. Both references counsel women to concentrate upon the "grooming" of their inner character in a way that is pleasing to God, as opposed to placing undue emphasis on their outward appearance.

Personal grooming can and often does reflect one's attitude. People, men and women alike, who want to "make a statement" of rebellion through their grooming or to call attention to themselves, stand out in a crowd.

Grooming that makes a woman stand out as odd or different from culturally accepted norms of good taste detracts from a godly emphasis on her inner character.