What did St. Thérèse Actually Wear?

When you think of St. Thérèse of Lisieux you probably think: roses, lace, a wistful top bun, or soft-smiling Carmelite. Let’s look a little closer at the garments of this sensitive soul and what they communicate about the heart of a saint. 

The popular photo of young St. Thérèse in her taffeta dress can be viewed in her hometown. After viewing the photo many times in sepia, you might be surprised to see it in the living colors of teal with a burnt orange ruffled blouse and a delicate white lace trim. Teal has been a color historically connected to St. Joseph (such as the Sisters of St. Joseph who wore teal scarves for at the canonization of St. Mary Mackillop). St. Thérèse took refuge in the intercession of St. Joseph especially through her illnesses and the grief of losing her mother.

This outfit was actually way more colorful in real life!

When she took over her sister’s old painting room she took care to decorate it, “In front of the window was a table covered with a green cloth, and in the center were an hourglass, a small statue of St. Joseph, a watchcase, baskets of flowers, an inkwell, etc.” (Story of a Soul). Orange innately reflects her confidence in the mercy of God which purifies like fire, “God alone, content with my weak efforts, will raise me to Himself and make me a saint, clothing me in His infinite merits” (Story of a Soul).

At her basilica and shrine, they gathered items that would be present in her bedroom including her white muslin night gown with pink sash about the waist, decorated pleats on the hem and crocheted cotton all about it. How precious are these little  garments of a sensitive heart that must have loved her mother’s lace, all the while practicing embroidery, reflecting the floral patterns of the century. Her love of beauty reflects her love of the Divine. 

In her joy, she would surrender all these beautiful things to become the bride of Christ by taking up the brown woolen dress. Prior to entering the convent, she longed to die a martyr’s death like St. Joan of Arc–whom she would reflect in her homemade costume later on in her play within the convent. 

To reflect all the complex personality of the Little Flower, put on lace contrasted by cotton or wool. Wear brown for her Carmelite vocation but also red for her desire for martyrdom that would be lived out in her ordinary sacrifices offered to the Christ child. White can also be worn for her vocation as a bride of Christ and the snow when she received the habit; as she wrote,

“What is certain, though, is that many considered the snow on my Clothing Day as a little miracle and the whole town was astonished. Some found I had a strange taste, loving snow! Well, so much the better! This accentuated even more the incomprehensible condescension of the Spouse of virgins, of Him who loves Lilies white as SNOW!” (Story of a Soul).

In Honor of Saint Therese, we have a new scarf available on our website today - we hope it can be a reminder to all who wear it of following Jesus through the Little Way of the present moment.