~ modest clothing ~
Gemma’s Clothing

St. Gemma always dressed modestly. Her dress was most simple, and consisted of a costume of black wool, with a cape of the same color and material, and a black straw hat. No cuffs, no collar nor clasps, no ornaments of any kind. This was the only way she dressed, winter and summer, on festivals and ordinary days, nor would she hear of any other. (Note: the faded looking middle section of her dress, is actually the flash from the camera -Webmaster)

In her diary St. Gemma wrote, “One time I well remember. I was given a gold watch and being vain, I could not wait to put it on going out … When I returned and began to take it off, I saw an angel (which I know now was my Guardian Angel) who said most seriously: “Remember that the precious adornments of a bride of Christ can be no other than the thorns and the cross.” "… after reflecting … I made this proposal: for the love of Jesus and to please Him, I will not wear it any more, nor speak of things that lead to vanity. I still had a ring on my finger: I took even that off, and from that day I have never worn nothing of that sort any more."