The Sacred Undergarment That Has Mormon Women Buzzing

New York Times

6 days ago

Some Mormon women are obsessed with something illicit. They're phoning friends, calling in favors and paying for international shipping to get it: a sacred tank top.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has redesigned its temple garments, which are worn by faithful members under their clothes. The garments are effectively underwear that until recently, looked like white short-sleeve shirts and knee-length shorts. Now, the church has removed the sleeve on some designs, turning them into tank tops.
The church is releasing the tops to its more than 17 million members around the world in phases. Last October, it quietly announced that the new garments would first be available to members in 'hot, humid' climates like those in Africa and Asia.
They aren't sanctioned for wear in the United States yet, but that hasn't stopped American influencers from sourcing them — and showing them off in recent videos online.
'I was like: I want them now. I will get them at all costs. I will fly to Japan if I need to,' said Andrea Fausett, a 31-year-old influencer based in Hawaii. She secured a few tops from a friend in Asia. Other women told The New York Times that they had asked friends or family in Thailand and the Philippines to mail them.
Kim Austin, a 33-year-old consultant living in Provo, Utah, said that she wore the new garments under a sleeveless dress to church, and that women in her congregation asked how they could get them. 'Utah women will stop at nothing,' she said. Alyssa and McKenna Banks, sisters who run master classes for styling modest outfits (advertised as 'garment girlies — but make it vogue'), said their clients were dying to get them.
This seemingly small shift is a big deal within the faith. The tank tops contain multitudes: They are a relief for many faithful members who have been hoping for a change for years. They are a source of frustration for many former members who wish they could have come sooner. But above all, they are a tangible reflection of the ways the church's public perception is shifting. While the church was once known for its pioneers and polygamists, it's becoming better known for viral influencers — some of whom are bending or ignoring modesty mandates.
A welcome change
The garments are an integral part of the faith. They are worn by most faithful adult members as a reminder of covenants they make with God in the church's temples. Many members also believe they provide spiritual protection. The church instructs members to wear them 'day and night throughout your life.'
The garments aren't supposed to be seen in public. That's easier for most men, whose clothes rarely show their shoulders or thighs. But for women, garments can limit what shorts, dresses and tops they can wear. While women in the church often repeat the adage 'modest is hottest,' the garments are a quiet source of frustration for many.
John Dehlin, the host of the podcast 'Mormon Stories,' said he had interviewed hundreds of women, both practicing and former members of the faith. 'I would say close to all of them expressed significant discomfort, if not aversion to wearing garments,' he said. 'The women said the garments made them feel frumpy, contributed to body shame or negatively affected their sex life with their partners.'
The church seems to be listening, and many young women are thrilled.
'I'm stoked,' said Ms. Fausett, the influencer. 'It helps you feel a lot more normal. It won't be so easy to play 'spot the Mormon' everywhere you go.'
Other women say they welcome a redesign for health reasons. The garments fit tighter on women, and many complain that the synthetic fabrics cause yeast infections. Ms. Austin said the new tops were less hot and more comfortable for her body after giving birth. 'It makes me want to wear them more as opposed to complaining,' she said.
Kaylee Hirai, a 32-year-old woman in Washington, said she had longed to wear tank tops for years and struggled with the church's modesty requirements. 'It also was just healing for me,' she said. As a child, she added, 'I thought somebody was bad if they dressed this way, or I was bad.'
A source of resentment
Not everyone is pleased with relaxed rules. Both faithful and former members have been posting online about the change, and some of the comments have been angry.
Some current members responded that the new garments were too revealing or shouldn't be discussed. 'I still feel like there's judgment from older generations, specifically boomers,' Ms. Hirai said.
Former members also expressed mixed emotions. While some said they were glad to see a change, they said they were frustrated that they had spent years following the church's strictly enforced modesty rules, only for them to change without explanation.
'It creates a feeling of: What was all of that for?' said Hayley Rawle, a 29-year-old host of a podcast for former members.
The church's official announcement in October cited heat in some regions as a reason for the redesign. The church declined an interview and did not respond to specific questions about the impetus for the change.
'The temple garment remains an outward expression of an inner commitment to follow the Savior Jesus Christ,' said Irene Caso, a church spokeswoman. She referred people to images and information available on the church's website.
But members and nonmembers who spoke to The Times did agree that this shift reflected a broader change in the church's public perception.
Once associated with pioneer women in long dresses, Latter-day Saints are increasingly represented by a new vanguard of social media influencers. Women like Hannah Neeleman of Ballerina Farm, Nara Smith and the women of 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' are on pageant stages and red carpets in plunging gowns, shoulders bare. They are broadcasting a new vision of the church to their tens of millions of followers.
'None of us depict the 'perfect stereotypical Mormon wife' that is abiding by all the church rules and living exactly as they should or they're told to be,' said Miranda McWhorter of 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.'
In the show, she often wears tank tops.