Chapter 35
Nature vs. Custom in Clothing
OF THE CUSTOM OF WEARING CLOTHES Whatever I shall say upon this subject, I am of necessity to invade some of the bounds of custom, so careful has she been to shut up all the avenues. I was disputing with myself in this shivering season, whether the fashion of going naked in those nations lately discovered is imposed upon them by the hot temperature of the air, as we say of the Indians and Moors, or whether it be the original fashion of mankind. Men of understanding, forasmuch as all things under the sun, as the Holy Writ declares, are…
Public-domain chapter text, formatted for reading.
Master this chapter. Complete your experience
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"custom only which renders that impossible that otherwise is nothing so; for of those nations who have no manner of knowledge of clothing, some are situated under the same temperature that we are, and some in much colder climates."
Context: Nudity where climate allows
Habit blocks imagination.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says it is custom only which renders impossible what is otherwise nothing of the sort, including going without clothes in cold places. Nations without clothing exist under our climate or colder. When you say something can never be done, check whether you mean never, or only not here.
"borrowed forms and fashions have destroyed our own."
Context: Artifice replaces nature
We lost natural covering.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says we by borrowed forms and fashions have destroyed our own natural relation to the body. Like artificial light putting out daylight, habit replaces what nature furnished elsewhere. Ask which of your daily comforts are needs and which are inherited costumes you never tested against the body.
"I am all face."
Context: Shirt in deep winter
Exposure is relative.
In Today's Words:
A beggar in winter, asked how he bears a shirt while others wear furs, answers that we go with face bare and he is all face. Montaigne uses the joke to unsettle certainty about clothing. People endure what they are used to and call impossible what they are not.
"How many men, especially in Turkey, go naked upon the account of devotion"
Context: Nakedness for religion
Custom varies by piety.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne notes how many men, especially in Turkey, go naked upon the account of devotion rather than climate alone. That complicates simple weather explanations of nakedness. Bodies follow meaning as much as temperature; ritual can make exposure normal where modesty elsewhere feels sacred and required.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Montaigne contrasts pampered nobles with hardy peasants and indigenous peoples, showing how wealth often weakens rather than strengthens
Development
Builds on earlier themes about how social position shapes perception of reality
In Your Life:
You might notice how financial stress actually builds resilience while comfort can make you fragile
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Society dictates what clothing is 'necessary,' creating artificial standards that seem natural but are purely cultural
Development
Deepens the exploration of how group pressure shapes individual behavior
In Your Life:
You might catch yourself buying things because 'everyone has one' rather than because you actually need them
Identity
In This Chapter
Our clothing and possessions become extensions of who we think we are, making us dependent on external things for internal stability
Development
Continues examining how we construct self-image through external markers
In Your Life:
You might realize how much of your self-worth is tied to things you own rather than who you are
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
True strength comes from deliberately practicing discomfort and questioning assumed needs rather than accumulating more comforts
Development
Reinforces the theme that growth requires challenging our assumptions about what we need
In Your Life:
You might start viewing inconveniences as opportunities to build resilience rather than problems to avoid
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
The beggar's simple wisdom about being 'all face' shows how honest self-knowledge trumps social pretensions
Development
Continues exploring how authentic connection requires dropping artificial barriers
In Your Life:
You might find that admitting your struggles creates deeper bonds than pretending everything is perfect
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What does Montaigne mean when he says other creatures are 'sufficiently furnished' but we've 'destroyed our own' natural abilities?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
He argues that animals have natural protection like fur or shells, and humans originally did too. But we've weakened ourselves by relying on artificial clothing instead of developing natural hardiness.
- 2
Why does the beggar's response 'I am all face' work so well to challenge assumptions about cold tolerance?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
It reveals that we already expose sensitive parts like our face to cold without thinking about it. The beggar suggests our tolerance is more mental than physical - we could adapt if we stopped assuming we're fragile.
- 3
Where do you see modern examples of people becoming dependent on conveniences they don't actually need?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Air conditioning makes us less heat-tolerant, GPS weakens navigation skills, or constant snacking creates artificial hunger. Like Montaigne's clothing, these conveniences can make us weaker than we naturally are.
- 4
How would you test whether something you consider necessary is actually just habit, using Montaigne's approach?
application • deepOne way to read it
Look for people who live without it successfully, like Montaigne's examples of naked peoples in cold climates. Try gradually reducing dependence while observing your actual versus imagined discomfort.
- 5
What does Montaigne's clothing argument reveal about how custom shapes our sense of what's possible for humans?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
Custom creates artificial limits by making us forget our natural capabilities. We mistake social conditioning for biological necessity, which keeps us from discovering our actual resilience and adaptability.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Necessity vs. Habit
Make two lists: things you believe you absolutely need to function day-to-day, and things your great-grandparents lived without completely. Look for overlap between the lists. Pick one item that appears on both and spend this week experimenting with going without it occasionally. Notice the difference between actual physical need and mental discomfort.
Consider:
- •Start with something small and safe - not medication or truly essential items
- •Pay attention to the stories you tell yourself about why you 'need' certain things
- •Notice how quickly your body and mind adapt when you remove a comfort
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to go without something you thought was essential. How did you adapt, and what did you discover about your own resilience?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 36: Don't Judge Others By Your Own Standards
After customs of cloth and cold, Montaigne praises a man who judged others by their own model. He will write on Cato the Younger and the difference between real virtue and performance.
