What fashionable items can and cannot be worn by faithful women?

Let’s get down to business.

What exactly do new clothing styles do? these new clothes – jumpsuit and skirt option for women plus (relatively) sleeveless option for women and men – open to faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Social media users are discussing these issues since the redesign was announced on October 16th. Can devout Latter-day Saint women now show off their shoulders on their wedding day? How about the ever-classic Audrey Hepburn-inspired high-neck cocktail dresses? Is this an option now?

For owners, clothing symbolizes the power of Jesus to save while reminding them of the sacred promises that people make within the sacred walls of Latter-day Saint temples. These covenants are considered eternal. But, as historians note, the cut and style of underwear have changed repeatedly and dramatically since their appearance in the early days of the church.

True, the hem of the new top no longer goes over the shoulder. But as Latter-day Saint scholar Laura Brignone noted in a recent issue of The Salt Lake Tribune, Land of the Mormons PodcastThe underwear still covers most of the joints exposed in many, if not most, women’s sleeveless styles. Meanwhile, the slip neckline seems more conservative than many of the single shirt options currently available.

Minky Kapande was one of the first to try out the newly released models, which are currently geographically limited to a range of hot and humid climates around the world, including Durban, South Africa, where she lives. (There are plans additional options will be widely available in the US by the end of 2025.)

Some women “will really like sleeveless tops,” Kapande said. “The new design will solve some (style) problems, but not all.”

For example, the new sleeveless dress she bought for a family wedding still requires her to wear a top underneath because of the plunging neckline.

A much more important point, according to Kapande, is the availability of skirt and slip options, for both health and cultural reasons.

“Some African sisters are more comfortable wearing skirts and dresses,” she said. “Some of them have never worn pants.” New styles fit more clearly into their “cultural standards.”

“Bodies are so different”

Katie Peer is a Latter-day Saint wardrobe stylist based in Los Angeles whose work has been featured on some of the world’s red carpets, including the Oscars and Grammy Awards. The biggest factor in determining how the changes will affect what women can and can’t wear in clothing will be their own body shape, she said.

“Bodies are so different,” Peer said, “so it will be interesting to see exactly where the hem falls” on different shoulders.

Another open question, as fashion blogger and Latter-day Saint entrepreneur Keeley Nickels noted, is the armhole width of new styles, another place where current clothing styles often clash with clothing trends.

However, one win is clear: those who wear overalls and skirts will have fewer seams.

“If you have any curves at all, it would be nice not to have a mid-thigh line,” which is usually caused by the short pants most women wear these days, Peer explained. “Or if you’re wearing something more fitted, it’ll be a seamless slip dress, which means there’ll be less fabric to tuck into the waistband.”

The role of sexuality

Nickels sees another, lazier benefit to the skirt and jumpsuit options, which can be attributed to “strengthening the marriage.”

“For married people, clothing sometimes makes it more difficult because attractive styles of underwear are worn much less often,” founder of a jewelry company. Nickel and suede said. “The romper option seems like a great way to open up access to lingerie.”

Sexuality plus the sacred.

For many, the potential of such a union is more than superficial. The Tribune heard from dozens of current and former women who wear the clothes who said previous designs made them feel unattractive and constantly self-conscious about their bodies. Some even mentioned problems in their sex life when their spouse is attached to their underwear.

Amanda Lynn Blair, who grew up in the church, said she was taught that “the body and sexuality are dangerous and distracting, especially for men.”

This feeling was reinforced by the design of the clothes and the instructions she received on how to use them, including changing them quickly after sex. Her body, they seemed to imply, was not hers, but “belonged to male power.”

So Blair “kept my excitement low,” said the 42-year-old Salt Lake City resident, “until a few years after I had the last of my five children.”

Blair hopes that coupled with the recent change in language around women and the priesthoodnew styles could mean a healthier and more positive connection with their sexuality for more Latter-day Saint women.

“The ability to choose intimate apparel is obviously a really important part of bodily autonomy, and it has absolutely impacted my own ability to develop a sense of sexual self,” she said. “And the ability to choose styles, such as flowy jumpsuits, will allow for differences in sensory perception.”

Candice Quitham, a married 35-year-old woman living in London, agreed.

“Being able to wear underwear with clothes will add personal choice and control to my life,” Quitem said, “which are important aspects of my sexuality.”

“Modesty is a separate issue”

Nickels, who has been wearing the garment for nearly two decades, emphasized that the sacred underwear is “important to me because of what it symbolizes and who it reminds me of.”

But, she continued, “modesty is a separate issue from clothing length.”

With that in mind, she said, “I’m grateful they’re updating the fit to be more in line with modern clothing styles.”

Kapande expressed a similar sentiment. Ultimately, the South African says she’s not very interested in showing off a lot of skin, no matter where the hem of her clothes is.

More important to her is the belief that “these changes are a sign that God is in control” and “that we have good people on the ground advising our leaders.”

Editor’s Note • This story is available only to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers. Thank you for supporting local journalism.