Over a year ago, I began researching for my documentary film about the virtue of modesty. It has been an adventure through literature I never thought I would read (God truly has His own ways). I even started with Muslim and Jewish authors like Hafsa Lodi and Manis Friedman, wanting to reach a broader audience. But over time, I realized that something was missing—the fullness of faith that we find in the Catholic Church and its teachings.
That’s when I understood that I wanted to speak directly to a Catholic audience. It’s an audience I know much better, and one to whom I can present the fullness of the Church’s teaching and doctrine.
From there, I shifted my research toward Christian and Catholic authors. At first, I was surprised by how few resources I could find. But gradually, more and more began to appear: Dressing with Dignity by Colleen Hammond (gifted to me by a friend), Catholic Modesty by Jacinta Boudreau, and Christian Fashion by Virginia Coda Nunziante.
That shift completely changed my perspective and gave me hope to pursue this “forgotten” subject of modesty. Around that time, I also came across several articles by Anna Kalinowska on fashion and modesty.
But no matter what I tried, I couldn’t get in touch with her.
That changed when I had a call with Virginia Coda Nunziante, who offered to introduce me. I was thrilled.
A few days later, we connected. I quickly realized how closely our views on modesty aligned, and she agreed to be interviewed for my film. During that same conversation, I learned that she was about to publish a book: “Clothed with Beauty: A Catholic Philosophy of Dress.” Just a few weeks later, a copy arrived in my mailbox.
I began reading it just days before my trip to St. Louis to interview Anna—and I was captivated right away. Her approach is different from other Christian authors. She places a strong emphasis on beauty and is clearly on a mission to restore Catholic culture in today’s society.
She begins by examining modern culture and different approaches to clothing. What she calls the “School of Normalcy” and the “School of Modesty” both lack the essential values found in the “School of Beauty.” She offers a compelling vision of why we should pursue beauty and why it matters in our daily lives—I won’t spoil it for you.
She then walks the reader through the fundamentals of what makes an outfit beautiful: harmony, rhythm, proportion, balance, and emphasis. It’s a helpful summary of the principles introduced in The Lost Art of Dress by the Goldstein sisters in the early 20th century.
The book also includes photographs and illustrations that help bring these ideas to life.
One of the most striking sections compares fashion from before the French Revolution to today’s clothing—often elegant, but no longer truly beautiful. I found myself genuinely shocked at how much we have lost, not only in style but in our sensitivity to beauty over the past few decades.
She also discusses materials, pointing out how today we are often wrapped in synthetic fabrics, rather than drawing closer to God through natural materials like cotton, wool, and linen.
(Let me just say—quite a bit of my wardrobe ended up at the Salvation Army!)
She concludes with reviews of books written by other Christian authors, speaking honestly about both their strengths and weaknesses. I highly recommend reading that section.
Anna Kalinowska’s “Clothed with Beauty: A Catholic Philosophy of Dress” impressed me with its fresh perspective on fashion—not focusing solely on modesty, but on the essential role of beauty in today’s world. She does not shy away from bold statements, but speaks the truth with both passion and clarity.
As for me—I’m taking up the challenge. From now on, I want to make more intentional and conscious decisions about what I wear!
And my challenge to Anna is this: give us more. We need more education on beauty in clothing. She is answering the question, “how do we dress in a way that reflects the glory of God to the world around us?” And “How do we inspire others and give them hope?”. But I personally would love to have more examples and education around this subject, maybe second book?
Get your copy today: “Clothed with Beauty: A Catholic Philosophy of Dress”
