Basil reduced the objects of cloathing to two, namely, "Honesty and necessity," that is, to decency and protection.

Tertullian laid it down as a doctrine that a Christian should not only be chaste, but that he should appear so outwardly.

"The garments which we should wear, says Clemens of Alexandria, should be modest and frugal, and not wrought of divers colours, but plain." Crysastum commends Olympias, a lady of birth and fortune, for having in her garment nothing that was wrought or gaudy.

Jerome praises Paula, another lady of quality, for the same reason.

We find also that an unreasonable change of cloathing, or a change to please the eye of the world, was held improper.