"Mormons" and Modesty or what to wear this summer

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, modesty is not being humble about a compliment. Modesty is how we talk about dressing appropriately. I've wondered why we call dressing appropriately, modesty. Here's a definition from google: the quality or state of being unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities. That's the modesty I talked about first. If you take off the last part and say that modesty is the quality or state of being unassuming or moderate, then modestly applies to being humble and how we dress.

We came to earth to receive a body and to gain experience. We cherish our bodies and want to respect them. We want others to see our qualities as a person and not our flaunted bodies. Our bodies are a temple or house for our spirits. Together our body and spirit make up who we are. When we dress to show off our body, then we are not being unassuming or moderate and we draw attention to our body and not our whole self. Yet, we are not a religion who wear coverings or only dresses. Also like the saying, you are what you eat, you are also what you wear. The way you dress determines the way you act. If you're in exercise clothes, you're probably not going to sit tall with your legs crossed like you would while wearing a dress at church. If you're wearing a revealing dress you may act in a way to try to show off what the dress reveals, more seductive, or you may be uncomfortable and self conscious and more worried about how you look than about how you act.

A great resource for a standard of dressing modestly is the "Dress and Appearance" section of the For Strength of Youth pamphlet. It says, "Immodest clothing is any clothing that is tight, sheer, or revealing in any other manner. Young women should avoid short shorts and short skirts, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and clothing that does not cover the shoulders or is low-cut in the front or the back. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. Young men and young women should be neat and clean and avoid being extreme or inappropriately casual in clothing, hairstyle, and behavior. They should choose appropriately modest apparel when participating in sports. The fashions of the world will change, but the Lord’s standards will not change."

Like every other standard in the church, members are free to choose and make their own decisions. These guidelines are not to be restrictive but to encourage every person to see themselves as a child of God who has potential beyond the sexuality of their bodies.

So this summer as you pick out that new swim suit or pair of shorts or summer shirt, think about what that piece of clothing will say about you as you wear it. Then have fun this summer in the beautiful body God gave you.