1840s Temple Garments of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Creator and Context:

The popularity of Hulu’s new reality television show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, has  renewed interest in the temple garments endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) and worn by many of its members. While some of the details surrounding the origins of the garments remain unknown, we do know that Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church, established an endowment ceremony in the early 1840s, a ritual that marked a practitioner’s increasing devotion to God, symbolized by the giving of garments (McDannell 1998, 200). For Church members, this practice reflects the teachings of both Smith and their sacred texts. For example, Exodus describes the special garments worn by Aaron and his sons in their role as priests. Isaiah 61:10 states, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness” and 2 Nephi 9:14 proclaims, “the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness” (see also Moses 7:3 and Alma 5:24) (Asay 1997). These passages highlight the close connection between being “righteous” and wearing “pure” garments. A connection members gain through participation in the endowment ceremony.

In the early to mid-twentieth century, temple activities, including the endowment ceremony, became more pivotal to the faith. With this shift in worship and ritual practice, temple garments became an increasingly common feature of Mormon life (McDannell 1998, 208-211). The endowment ceremony is a rite of passage that guides one into a deeper relationship with God. The word “endow,” according to the Church, “has two related meanings: ‘to bestow a gift’ and ‘to clothe upon.’ In this context, the temple endowment is a sacred gift whereby we are clothed with blessings from God.” Often members participate in this ritual prior to going on mission or getting married. They must be at least 18 years old (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints n.d.-c). After making these sacred covenants in the temple, participants receive their own set of garments. From that day forward, these items are intended to remind members of their spiritual promises and commitments.

Object:

The original garments were one piece and covered the wearer to the wrists and the ankles. Over the history of the Church, though, the temple garments have evolved given shifting fashion trends and members’ needs. For example, in the early 20th century, as shorter skirt lengths became popular, tensions emerged between societal and church standards. In 1923, then Church President Heber J. Grant allowed for modifications of the garments, including shorter  sleeve and leg lengths, as well as eliminating the collar (McDannell 1998: 218-219). This allowed Saints to follow many popular fashion dictates. The Church’s increasingly global presence has also meant altering the garments to accommodate different cultures and climates. For example, in 2024, the Church announced “new sleeveless, full slip and half slip” styles for Saints in “hot and humid climates,” now available in countries, such as Uganda and Kenya (Hartzell 2024).

This set of temple garments from around 1979, seen in Figure 1, shows male and female versions and highlights the shift from a one to two piece. Each set comes with a top and a bottom secured through elastic around the waist. The entirety of the apparel is white, a color that represents purity and cleanliness in the Church. There are also differences between the male and female styles. The garments for men have a lower, U-shape neckline, while the version for women has a Queen Anne shape. The garment for men sports short sleeves, while those for women feature cap-sleeves. The bottom portions of the garments extend to nearly knee length. The garments also feature sacred symbols that only members of the church are able to learn about, a feature that began with the earliest iteration of the garments and continues to this day (Nutt 2015, 25; Riess 2018).

In the 2010s, the Newsroom of the Church released a statement and video on “The Temple Garment.” The press release likens the garments to other forms of religious clothing worn by people of various faiths and provides a brief overview of their history and purpose (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints n.d.-b). In the video below, you can see that the temple garments have once again been updated and modernized–the fabrics and style look more contemporary, wearable, and comfortable. Revisions of the garment also occurred in 2018, which included silk-screened sacred markings, stretch cotton fabric, and a better fit. These updates further enhanced the garments comfort and wearability (Riess 2018). And in 2024, Saints expressed excitement that the sleeveless styles would soon be available in more countries (Riess 2024).

Wearers:

Ideally, the temple garments serve several purposes in the lives of Mormons. Most notably, they represent the Saints “commitments to God and their community” (McDannell 1998, 205). As the Church states, “the garment reminds them of their connection to God, their commitment to follow His will, and the blessings and protection God has promised the faithful” (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints n.d.-a). They are an outward representation of the wearer’s inward devotion. Wearing them not only recalls the endowment ceremony and promises made to God, but also highlights the distinctiveness of Mormon identity. Prescriptively, at least, they sartorially separate Mormons from non-Mormons and in doing so create communal bonds (McDannell 1998, 205). Mormons show their loyalty to the Church and its teachings by wearing the garments. At the same time, the garments afford wearers protection, shielding them from harm, while also reinforcing the Church’s ideas about modesty and chastity (McDannell 1998, 213-214).

Shawni, a member of the LDS Church, writes about her experience with the garments on her faith-based parenting and family lifestyle blog, “71 Toes.” In framing this practice, Shawni highlights the official teachings of the Church, which states that whether music, prayer, or rituals, these various forms of spiritual expression share “the same ultimate purpose: to connect the believer with the object of their devotion in the most personal way—to draw close to God” (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints n.d.-b). Shawni emphasizes this passage and explains how wearing the garments remind her of the “covenants” she has made with God and how this practice makes her feel like she is “‘putting on Christ’ each day,’” a reference to Galatians 3:27 (Shawni 2023).

Shawni also points out, though, that her recognition of the Temple Garments’ spiritual significance grew over time. At first, she wore the garments out of expectation and obligation with little reflection; however, this gradually changed. She explained:

Little by little, the symbolism has become real to me. Like anything else in life, when we seek to understand, we find what we’re looking for. Oh, it’s not a done deal. I’m still sometimes seeking…I am far from perfect (whatever perfect might be). But I’m grateful for this beautiful daily remembrance of the covenants and promises I’ve made with God. A reminder that I can take God with me in this often-difficult journey of life.

Shawni 2023

For Shawni, the garments help realize God’s presence in her life and connect her to other Mormons who participate in this practice. As a kind of uniform, temple garments create and reinforce the values and teachings of the Church (Joseph 1986, 2). At the same time, Shawni cautions readers that not all demonstrate their faith in the same way. While temple garments are private and worn under daily apparel, often onlookers can determine if someone is wearing them. Shawni urges readers to not judge others’ devotion to God based on their choices. Instead, she advises them to leave this judgment up to God and grant others grace (Shawni 2023).

In contrast to Shawni, Jen Affleck, a cast member of the popular new television series, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, explained her own personal, yet differing, experience with the garments. Affleck shared that she does not wear her garments everyday, but she decided to wear them while filming. She emphasized wanting “those reminders”–of the promises she made to God–during the TV shoot. During this time, the garments served as a mechanism to guide her actions in a setting known for fostering temptations, namely reality television. However, she is quick to note that this was not an easy decision: “There were so many days where I wanted to wear something more sexy or more revealing!” After filming, Affleck resumed her normal life and stopped wearing her garments. She explained that in her daily life she does not need “these reminders” of her faith. She insists that it does not mean she has lost her faith or become less devout, but rather that “everyone’s relationship with God looks different” (Walsh 2024).

Thus, similar to the evolution of the garments, wearers’ relationships with temple garments differs and changes. While the visibility of the garments creates internal religious pressure, this practice also highlights individualism amongst members. Saints are encouraged to discern for themselves whether and why to wear the garments. While “making personal decisions all members are believed entitled to divine inspiration— even direct revelation— through the agency of God’s spirit that is believed to resonate within every human being” (Shepherd 2015, 198). Through their own religious discernment and relationship with God, members of the church find guidance on when to wear the garments. The evolution of temple garments combined with diverse experiences of wearing it exemplifies one way the LDS Church balances tradition and adaptation. This sacred yet flexible sartorial tradition creates space for practitioners to honor both their individual spiritual journeys and their shared religious identity.

Sydney Branch (WFU ‘26).

14 October 2024

Tags: Ceremonial, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Everyday, Mormons, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Temple Garments, United States

References:

Asay, Carlos E. 1997. “The Temple Garment: An Outward Expression of an Inward Commitment.” Ensign, August. churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1997/08/the-temple-garment-an-outward-expression-of-an-inward-commitment?lang=eng.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. n.d.-a. “Garments.” Gospel Topics. Available at: churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/garments?lang=eng.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. n.d.-b. “Temple Garments.” Newsroom. Available at: newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/temple-garments.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. n.d.-c. “What Is the Temple Endowment?” Available at: churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/what-is-temple-endowment?lang=eng

Hartzell, Eastin M. 2024. “The Church Redesigns Temple Garments for Hot and Humid Areas,” The Daily Universe, 21 October. Available at: https://universe.byu.edu/the-church-redesigns-temple-garment-for-hot-and-humid-areas

Joseph, Nathan. 1986. Uniforms and Nonuniforms: Communication Through Clothing. New York: Greenwood Press.

McDannell, Colleen. 1998. Material Christianity. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Nutt, Shannon. 2015. “Understanding the Sacred Undergarments: An Outsider’s Perspective,” Psi Sigma Siren 8(2). Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/psi_sigma_siren/vol8/iss2/3

Riess, Jana. 2018. “Hallelujah! Mormon Women’s Temple Garments Just Got a Lot Better,” The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 March. Available at: sltrib.com/religion/2018/03/15/commentary-hallelujah-mormon-womens-temple-garments-just-got-a-lot-better/

Riess, Jana. 2024.  “Sleeveless LDS temple garments, finally! Why now?” Salt Lake Tribune, 18 October. Available at:

sltrib.com/religion/2024/10/19/will-young-latter-day-saints-wear/

Shawni. 2023. “Some Thoughts about LDS Garments – 71 Toes.” 71toes. 14 November, https://71toes.com/some-thoughts-about-lds-garments/.

Shepherd, Gordon, and Shepherd, Gary. 2015. A Kingdom Transformed : Early Mormonism and the Modern LDS Church, New Edition. Chicago: University of Utah Press.

Walsh, Charlotte. 2024. “What Are the Garments from ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’? Jen Affleck Breaks It Down.” Women’s Health, 6 September. Available at: womenshealthmag.com/life/a62071931/mormon-garments-jen-affleck-mormon-wives/