But the Costume Institute's annual exhibitions are more than just spectacle. They prove that fashion is more than just what we wear — or what people wore, rather; they're visual and contextual explainers of just how clothes penetrate below the surface, and across cultures, centuries, and yes, even religions, too. As Diane Winston, MS, PhD , professor of media and religion at University of Southern California, tells Refinery29 , “To experience Catholicism is to experience not just a religion but an aesthetic. [Catholicism] is all about beauty. The Catholic Church has been very wealthy for a long time, so they’ve been able to accumulate amazing artwork, beautiful religious vestments, [and] amazingly built cathedrals.” As odd as the pairing may have initially seemed, it really makes total sense.