Modesty & Propriety

[Acts 12:8] And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
Gird thyself - The girdle was like a wide belt (about four to six inches wide) which went around the waist. When they slept, the outer garment was thrown off, and the girdle, with which they bound their inner garment, or tunic, was loosed. He was directed now to gird up that inner garment as they usually wore it; that is, to dress himself, and prepare to follow him.
In the girdle was the place of the purse, (Matthew 10:9) and to it the sword and dirk were commonly attached. 2 Samuel 20:8. In modern times, the pistols are also fastened to the girdle. It is the common place for the handkerchief, smoking materials, ink-horn, and in general the implements of one's profession. The girdle served to confine the loose flowing robe, or outer garment, to the body. It held the garment when it was tucked up, as it was usually in walking, or in labor. Thence, to gird up the loins became a significant figurative expression, denoting readiness for service, activity, labor, and watchfulness; and to loose the loins, denoted the giving way to repose and laziness, 2 Kings 4:29; Job 38:3 Isaiah 5:27; Luke 12:35; John 21:7.
In Bible language, "to be girded" means "to be ready for action." It means "let nothing keep you back or interfere with your progress as you run the race which is before you" (see Luke 12:35). What do you think the first part of 1 Peter 1:13 means?
Bind on thy sandals - Put on thy sandals--prepared to walk.
The word here translated shoes, has a signification different from what it has in our language. At first, in order to keep the feet from the sharp stones, or the burning sand, small pieces of wood were fastened to the soles of the feet, called sandals. Leather, or skins of beasts dressed, afterwards was used. The foot was not covered at all; but the sandal, or piece of leather or wood, was bound by thongs.
The wooden sandal is much worn in Arabia, Judea, and Egypt. It has a raised heel and toe, as represented in some of the preceding cuts; and, though often expensive and neat, it was usually a cheap, coarse, and very clumsy article.
The people put off these when they entered a house, and put them on when they left it. To loose and bind on sandals, on such occasions, was the business of the lowest servants; and their office was to loose and carry about their masters' sandals.
Because the people wore sandals, their feet got dirty and this is why we read in the Bible about people getting their feet washed (see John 13).
Cast thy garment about thee - The outer garment was called a mantle. It was like a large robe. The closest thing we have to it would be an overcoat. This mantle would shelter the person from the wind and the rain and it would also serve as a blanket at night. This is the outer garment or mantle which Elijah had and which became the property of Elisha (2 Kings 2:8-13). The outer garment that was thrown loosely around the shoulders. It was nearly square, and was laid aside when they slept, or worked, or ran. The direction was that he should dress himself in his usual apparel.
The Jews wore two principal garments, an interior and an exterior. The interior called the "coat," or the tunic, was made commonly of linen, and encircled the whole body, extending down to the knees. Sometimes beneath this garment, as in the case of the priests, there was another garment, corresponding to pantaloons. The coat, or tunic, was extended to the neck, and had long or short sleeves. Over this was commonly worn an upper garment, here called "cloak," or mantle. It was made commonly nearly square, of different sizes, five or six cubits long, and as many broad, and wrapped around the body, and thrown off when labor was performed. This was the garment which is said to have been without seam, woven throughout, John 19:23. If, said Messiah, an adversary wished to obtain, at Law, one of these garments, rather than contend with him, let him have the other also. A reference to various articles of apparel occurs frequently in the New Testament, and it is desirable to have a correct view of the ancient mode of dress, in order to a correct understanding of the Bible. The Asiatic modes of dress are nearly the same from age to age; and hence it is not difficult to illustrate the passages where such a reference occurs. The ordinary dress consisted of the inner garment, the outer garment, the girdle, and the sandals. The preceding cut will give a sufficiently accurate representation of the more simple and usual modes in which the garments were worn.
Among the poorer people, the tunic was often the only clothing worn in warm weather. Wealthier people might wear the tunic alone inside the house, but they would not wear it without the outer garment outside the house. In the Bible the term "naked" is sometimes used of men who only have their tunic on (see John 21:7). To be dressed in such a scanty manner was thought of as "nakedness."
Usually the people (men & women) had at least one change of clothing. Today we have gone to ‘excess’, think of the poor people who have nothing to wear. Does our wardrobe please the Father in style and excess?
Men and women wore the same kind of clothing, but it differed in detail. They both would wear an inner garment and a girdle and an outer garment, but the dress of the woman was more elaborate and ornamented. However, the women wore longer tunics and larger mantles than the men.
The general principles of modesty and propriety can be applied even today. We should dress for public in a way that is Biblical considered appropriate.