A bit of a rant on Mormon modifications of clothing that just shouldn't be

I'd like to talk about this item...

Being LDS there is a standard, a code if you will, of appropriate attire. We are a "modest" people (though this does not mean unstylish...oh no no no). We (ideally) shy away from styles and fads that are overly extreme or overly revealing. This goes so far as to include hair color and piercings. We are counseled to avoid the too low, too high, too unnatural (clearly bleaching doesn't count...snort...and yes I had some green sprigs in my hair once...my ONE moment of rebellion and it's green hair sprigs...), and generally too "much." A lot of this counsel most clearly is directed towards women - since women clearly have a greater range of clothing choice and, lets say, more private areas to consider covering.


That said...


Although I "appreciate" that LDS women are trying to find ways to "modest-ify" some of the worlds more popular trends, and even have started businesses that specialize particularly in more modest and "covering" attire (which really is great - I mean finding a formal dress that doesn't require something over it or under it is the find of a CENTURY - am I right ladies?), I do NOT appreciate the universal white t-shirt that all (read: most...) women assume can go "under" EVERYTHING and match anything. The truth: it can't and it doesn't. For some reason some LDS women are under the notion that the white t-shirt dictates they can suddenly WEAR the tube tops, the halter tops, the sleeveless what nots, and the spaghetti straps. Oh thank the Lord for the generic white cap sleeved tee. Right? No, I disagree. I find it completely tacky in MOST respects. No, not all respects, but MOST respects.



I also don't understand why it's always the white tee. I mean there ARE other colors and I admit I've seen the "wear a t-shirt under that immodest dress" idea pulled off rather nicely. Example: General Conference I saw a girl who had a black dress on and a black t-shirt under it. It looked really good - and the t-shirt boasted other natural fibers other than "casual cotton." She did it well. She realized that the white tee can be taken to other lengths, like colors - and THIS I feel is possibility for making some revealing bits of clothing more "wear-able" for the LDS woman.


Point: the white tee is NOT the universal "go under." One of my biggest pet peeves and one of the tackiest things I've EVER seen is the white "cure all" tee under a tube top. Shudder. Ladies - I think we all just have to accept as LDS women who want to follow "the dress code" that we simply can not wear some things. I think the attempt to Mormon-ify some styles is commendable, and as mentioned it DOES work sometimes. I mean, why do we always have to put things UNDER our straplesses and sleevelesses, why not put something OVER it instead? A tasteful cardigan should be the Mormon women's staple item. I have 3 myself - in your basic cream, dark brown, and black - and I'd like more. Take a risk - look into cardigans. Nordstrom has many.


So, come come ladies - expand your ideas for "modesting" your clothes and put something over "it" - and PLEASE don't think just because it's a white tee shirt it can go under ANY "immodest by itself" item. Just accept that there are some things out there that you just plain can not wear. If we're going to follow these guidelines - then lets not try and include the "world" in them by trying to modify a tube top with a white tee. It really looks THAT bad. Tubes weren't meant for tee's - and thus tube's weren't met for "modest conscious" LDS womens. Trust me.