Let’s cut to the chase.

What exactly do new clothing styles do? these new clothes — a slip and skirt option for women, plus a (relatively) sleeveless version for women and men — opened to faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Social media users are discussing these questions redesign news since October 16th. Can devout Latter-day Saint women now show off their shoulders on their wedding day? What about the classic Audrey Hepburn-style high-collared cocktail dresses? Are these even an option anymore?

For users, the clothes symbolize the power of Jesus to save money and at the same time to remind us of the sacred promises made by individuals within the sacred walls of Latter-day Saint temples. These covenants are considered eternal. But as historians have documented The cut and model of underwear has changed repeatedly and dramatically since its introduction in the early days of the church.

That’s right, the top edge of the new garment no longer extends past the shoulder. But as Latter-day Saint scholar Laura Brignone noted in a recent episode of The Salt Lake Tribune “Mormon Country” podcastunderwear still covers most of the knuckles, which are exposed by many if not most of the sleeveless styles for women. The brief’s neckline, meanwhile, looks more conservative than most of the stand-alone shirt options currently available.

Minky Kapande was among the first to try out the newly released designs, which are geographically limited to various hot and humid climates around the world, including Durban, South Africa, where she currently lives. (Plans are in place additional options to be widely available in the United States by the end of 2025.)

Some women “will absolutely love tank tops,” Kapande said. “The new design will solve some (styling) problems, but not all of them.”

For example, the new sleeveless dress she bought for a family wedding still requires her to wear a top underneath due to its low-cut neckline.

Kapande believes an even greater opportunity lies in the availability of skirt and slip options for both health and cultural reasons.

“Some African sisters are more comfortable with skirts and dresses,” she said. “Some of them never wore pants.” New styles fit better with their own “cultural standards.”

‘Bodies are very different’

Katie Peare is a Los Angeles-based Latter-day Saint wardrobe stylist whose work has been showcased on some of the world’s red carpets, including the Oscars and Grammys. She said that by far the biggest determinant of how the changes will affect what women can and cannot wear in clothing will be their own body shape.

“The bodies are so different,” Peare said, “and it will be interesting to see exactly where the skirt falls on various shoulders.”

Another open question pointed out by Latter-day Saints fashion blogger and entrepreneur Kilee Nickels is the width of the armholes of new styles, another point where today’s clothing styles are often out of sync with clothing trends.

But one win is certain: There will be fewer stitches for those who wear slips and skirts.

“If you have any curves, it would be nice to not have the mid-thigh line that usually comes from the cropped style bottoms worn by most women now,” Peare explained. “Or if you’re wearing something more form-fitting, you’ll be wearing a seamless dress, which means less fabric fits into the waistband.”

The role of sexuality

Nickels sees another, lacier benefit of skirt and slip options – one that could be presented under the heading of “strengthening marriages.”

“As a married member, clothes sometimes make it difficult as attractive lingerie styles are worn much less frequently,” the jewelry company founder said. Nickel and Suede in question. “The clothing option seems like a great way to expand underwear options.”

Sexy plus sacred.

For many, the potential of such a match is more than superficial. The Tribune heard from dozens of current and former women’s clothing users who said previous designs left them feeling unattractive and constantly self-conscious about their bodies. A few even talked about problems in their sex lives with their partners being tied to their underwear.

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

This feeling was reinforced by the clothing designs and the instructions he received about them, including how to quickly redress after sex. They were apparently stating that her body did not belong to her, but “belonged to male authority.”

The 42-year-old Salt Lake City resident said Blair “kept my arousal turned off until years after I gave birth to the last of my five children.”

Blair is hopeful about this: paired with recent shift in language around women and priesthoodnew styles may mean a healthier, more positive connection to one’s sexuality for more Latter-day Saint women.

“The ability to choose one’s intimate clothing is, of course, a really big part of bodily autonomy, and it has definitely impacted my ability to develop a sense of sexual self,” she said. “And the ability to choose styles, such as a fluid glide, would allow for differences in sensory input.”

Candace Queathem, a 35-year-old married woman living in London, agrees.

“Having the option to wear underwear with clothing will add personal choice and control to my life,” Queathem said, “and these are important aspects of my sexuality.”

‘Humility is a separate issue’

Nickels, who has been wearing the clothes for nearly two decades, emphasized that the sacred underwear “is important to me in terms of what they symbolize and who they remind me of.”

But he continued: “Modesty is a separate issue from the length of the garment.”

With that in mind, she said, “I’m grateful they updated the fit to better suit modern dressing styles.”

Kapande expressed a similar sentiment. After all, the South African said she’s not too concerned with showing too much skin, no matter where the hem of her dress falls.

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

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