Quran Universe
7:26

يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ قَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِبَاسٗا يُوَٰرِي سَوۡءَٰتِكُمۡ وَرِيشٗاۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

Ya banee adama qad anzalna AAalaykum libasan yuwaree sawatikum wareeshan walibasu alttaqwa thalika khayrun thalika min ayati Allahi laAAallahum yaththakkaroona

O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember.

Word by word
  1. يَٰبَنِيٓO Children
  2. ءَادَمَ(of) Adam
  3. قَدۡVerily
  4. أَنزَلۡنَاWe have sent down
  5. عَلَيۡكُمۡto you
  6. لِبَاسٗاclothing
  7. يُوَٰرِيit covers
  8. سَوۡءَٰتِكُمۡyour shame
  9. وَرِيشٗاۖand (as) an adornment
  10. وَلِبَاسُBut the clothing
  11. ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ(of) [the] righteousness
  12. ذَٰلِكَthat
  13. خَيۡرٞۚ(is) best
  14. ذَٰلِكَThat
  15. مِنۡ(is) from
  16. ءَايَٰتِ(the) Signs
  17. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  18. لَعَلَّهُمۡso that they may
  19. يَذَّكَّرُونَremember
Al-A'raf · 7:26Makkah

Clothes cover you. Taqwa covers you better.

Two kinds of clothing, one is best

What was given
libascovers what must be covered
rishadornment, beauty
libas of taqwathe best one
What really covers me
the right outfithow I look
taqwaAllah covers your errors

Right after the story of being exposed, Allah speaks to all of Adam's children. The tafsir says clothing to cover is essential, adornment is extra. Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd said: when one fears Allah, Allah covers his errors.

Twenty minutes choosing an outfit for the wedding, checking the mirror from every angle. There is another covering nobody sees in the mirror, and it hides more than any outfit can.

Looking good is how I protect myself from people's eyes.

Clothes cover my body. Taqwa covers my faults.

Try this

While getting dressed tomorrow, ask Allah to clothe you in taqwa too.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

O Children of Adam! We have bestowed Libas (raiment) upon you to cover yourselves with, and as Rish (adornment); and the Libas (raiment) of Taqwa, that is better. Such are among the Ayat of Allah, that they may remember (26)

Bestowing Raiment and Adornment on Mankind

Allah reminds His servants that He has given them Libas and Rish. Libas refers to the clothes that are used to cover the private parts, while Rish refers to the outer adornments used for purposes of beautification. Therefore, the first type is essential while the second type is complimentary. Ibn Jarir said that Rish includes furniture and outer clothes. 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam commented on the Ayah,

وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَىٰ

(and the Libas (raiment) of Taqwa...) "When one fears Allah, Allah covers his errors. Hence the 'Libas of Taqwa' (that the Ayah mentions)."