Let’s get straight to the point.

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

Social media users debate these questions since news of the redesign broke on October 16. Can devout Latter-day Saint women now show their shoulders on their wedding day? What about those eternal Audrey Hepburn-style high-neck cocktail dresses? Is this now an option?

For carriers, the clothes symbolize the power of Jesus to save while reminding them of the sacred promises that individuals make within the sacred walls of Latter-day Saint temples. These alliances are considered eternal. But as historians have documented, the cut and construction of underwear has changed repeatedly and dramatically since their introduction in the early days of the Church.

It’s true that the hem of the new top no longer extends past the shoulder. But, as Latter-day Saint scholar Laura Brignone noted in a recent episode of the Salt Lake Tribune Podcast “Mormon Land”underwear still covers much of the joints exposed by many, if not most, women’s sleeveless styles. The slip neckline, meanwhile, appears to be more conservative than many of the standalone shirt options currently available.

Minky Kapande was among the first to try the new designs, which are currently limited geographically to a range of hot and humid climates around the world, including Durban, South Africa, where she lives. (The plans are in place so that the additional options will be widely available in the United States near the end of 2025.)

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

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

According to Kapande, the biggest deals are around the availability of skirt and slip options, both for health and cultural reasons.

“Some African sisters are more comfortable with skirts and dresses,” she says. “Some of them have never worn pants.” New styles fit better into their “cultural norms.”

“The bodies are so different”

Katie Peare is a Latter-day Saint wardrobe stylist based in Los Angeles whose work has been featured on some of the world’s reddest carpets, including the Oscars and Grammys. By far the biggest factor in how changes to what women can and cannot wear with clothes will be their own body shape, she says.

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

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

One advantage, however, is certain: there will be fewer seams for those who wear briefs and skirts.

“If you have curves, it would be nice to not have a mid-thigh line” that typically comes from the cropped style bottoms currently worn by most women, Peare explained. “Or if you were wearing something more fitted, there will be a seamless slip dress, which means less fabric to tuck into the waistband.”

The role of sexuality

Nickels sees yet another, lighter benefit in the skirt and slip options – one that could be categorized as “marriage strengthening.”

“As a married member, clothing sometimes makes it difficult because attractive underwear styles are worn much more rarely,” the jewelry company founder. Nickel and suede said. “A garment slip option seems like a great way to open up the underwear options.”

Sexy and sacred.

For many, the potential of such a match is more than superficial. The Tribune heard from dozens of current and former clothing wearers that previous styles left them unattractive and perpetually self-conscious about their bodies. A few even talked about problems in their sex lives with their spouse attached to underwear.

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

This feeling was reinforced by the clothing designs and the instructions she received about them, including putting them back on quickly after sex. Her body, they seemed to point out, was not hers but “belonged to male authority.”

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

Blair hopes that, associated with the recent shift in language around women and the priesthoodthe new styles could mean a healthier, more positive connection to sexuality for more Latter-day Saint women.

“The ability to choose one’s intimate clothing is certainly a very important part of bodily autonomy, and it has absolutely had an effect on my own ability to develop a sexual sense of self,” she said. “And the ability to choose styles, for example flowy briefs, would allow for differences in sensory input.”

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

“Having the ability to wear underwear with clothes will add personal choice and control into my life,” Queathem said, “which are important aspects of my sexuality.”

“Modesty is another question”

Nickels, who has worn the garments for nearly two decades, emphasized that the sacred undergarments “are important to me in what they symbolize and who they remind me of.”

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

Given this, she said, “I’m grateful that they’re updating the fit to fit more with modern clothing styles.”

Kapande expressed a similar sentiment. Ultimately, the South African said, she’s not really interested in showing a lot of skin, regardless of where the hem of her garment falls.

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

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