Mormon Discussion

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Ok, I'm going to be honest: I'm weirded out by garments.

Not that I have my own set, but garments weird me out.

Not the spiritual aspect of them, as I understand their meaning and significance. And I think it's cool that we have that constant reminder.

AND I will concede that I am mostly going off of things that I've heard from Annie's grandma's brother's friend who once knew someone who did it one time when she was like 14. So my firsthand knowledge is HIGHLY limited.

But, speaking as an average 22 year old girl, the physical aspect of garments creeps me out. For girls, there seems to be a bit of confusion on whether it's over or under the bra. If it's over, I'm really grossed out. As every girl does, at some point in my life, I've put a bra on over my shirt. The shirt wadded. Every place it possibly could, it was bunched and awkward and weird. And lumpy.

And I'm also a little reluctant to give up normal underwear because, again, being honest, I LOVE UNDERWEAR. I have a Victoria's Secret credit card and I go NUTS when the semi-annual sale hits because who doesn't want 40 pairs of underwear for $8?! I have so many pairs that my top drawer doesn't shut. I could probably go for about 3 months without washing underwear and still be wearing a clean pair every day. So, I've got quite the investment, both with adoration and monetary value, invested in underwear. And I'm more than a little reluctant to give it up.

Not to mention I hate almost everything that is white. Of course, there is the figurative conotation of being white in the religious sense. But, speaking as a caucasian girl with skin so pale that the blue veins under my eyes become visible in the winter months, pale girls shouldn't wear white. Ever. It's just sick looking. Imagine a tuberculosis infected girl in 1903. That's what I look like in white (or yellow for that matter). So once I'm married, every morning I get to look in the mirror and go, "AIIIIIYYYYYEEEEEE!!!!!! WHO'S THAT GIRL INFECTED WITH CONSUMPTION...Oh, just me. Grrrreat."

And I'm thinking that they would be hot. Constantly wearing more than one layer. I'm sweating just thinking about these stuffy Minnesota summers with 100% humidity and it's so gross outside you don't even want to be wearing skin. And I'll be wearing two layers. Whew. Pass me the extra strength deodorant, please.

Of course, I realize that there are all small things compared to the importance of wearing garments, but...BUT...I'd be willing to wager that other garment-less people have had the same thoughts. And those of you with garments probably wondered about the physical mechanics about them as well.

So, was it weird switching from garment-less to garmented? How did you deak with the basic physical aspect/concerns? And for the garment-less, do you wonder about these too? Or am I just a weirdo (which could be.)?

5 Comments:

  • check out the conversation here:
    http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org/?p=189

    By Blogger fMhLisa, at 1:09 AM  

  • Oh silly Adrianne. I was once like you. Loved my underwear and made it a point to always have a matching bra and underwear on. I have so many colors of bras. I loved it. And I liked to wear form-fitting shirts so I didn't know how garments were going to work. I didn't want a wrinkled mess under my clothes, but it is nothing how I imagined. I thought it was weird that my mom would tuck her tops into her bottoms, but I do it now too, the tops stay down that way and now I can't do it any other way. And I too thought it would feel so incredibly uncomfortable to wear my bra over them, but it isn't at all, and they have them designed in a way so that they don't bunch up like your t-shirt did. As for them being hot. There are different fabrics. I like the silk bottoms because your jeans don't stick to them, but some people like the cottom bottoms. I hate them because they feel so constricting to me and tight and a lot warmer. Which is nice in the cooler months I guess, but I have mid calf ones for that, which a pretty comforatble and they stay down. So to make a long explanation short, it wasn't as weird as I thought it would be and I got used to them in about 2 days. You have to try out different fabrics to see what works for you.

    By Blogger The Bluths, at 7:06 AM  

  • Adrianne,
    You're 22, so do whatever it takes to righteously get a temple-rec and hie thee to the temple, forthwith! Post-haste, even.

    If you don't have already, get a testimony of the Savior, His gospel, the church, etc. And then you'll get a testimony of the temple when you go.

    Wearing garments (righteously, of course) brings spiritual warmth, and a feeling of protection, like a blankie. I was worried because I never wore undershirts before, but I had no problem adjusting. Like the Bluths said, it will take maybe 2 days.

    There are all sorts of fabrics to match the seasons and your clothes. Buy a set of temple garments in each fabric and experiment with what goes with what clothes.

    I like nylon mesh fabric for hot weather. I love cotton for winter weather, and corban for spring/fall. Ditto on the silk (or nylon?) being good with jeans.

    Years ago, I left the church and stopped wearing garments. Among the biggest mistakes I've made. I've come back, but haven't been re-baptized yet, so I don't qualify for wearing garments. I miss them.
    I anxiously await the time when I can go back to the temple and wear the G's again.

    You address comfort issues. But, don't fall into the "style issues" trap. Young people, men and women, should always build their wardrobes from the beginning with temple-compatible clothing, so they won't have an expensive adjustment when the time comes for them to go to the temple.

    And if you do have clothes that aren't temple-compatible or garment-compatible, then you can sell them at a consignment shop, or, even better, donate them to Goodwill! Think of the blessings that would bring!

    That's the reason I said upfront to get a testimony of the Lord and his church, and then get a testimony of the temple. Because when you do, then any clothing adjustments (or sacrifices of non-compatible clothing) that have to be made, will be a LOT easier, and won't seem like a sacrifice. It will seem like a privilege.

    Take it from the prodigal son who misses his garments. They are a "good thing."

    By Blogger Bookslinger, at 9:13 PM  

  • It wasn't weird at all. I was excited for the symbol, but I also find them much more comfortable than general 'undergarments'. My underwire doesn't cut into skin (garments go directly over skin) and no more visible panty line. Personally, I think it was God's gift to the fashion world!

    By Blogger glo, at 6:09 PM  

  • I have been weraring the garments for a year now and I don't find htem any problem at all.

    The Temple President told us before our endowment, not to mistake the garments for underwear. He told us that the garments are not underwear and that our arrangements for underware are our own choice.

    It was also stated that these days hte bra over or under issue was a decision between God and the individual.

    Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong in soem way, I am only passing on the words of a Temple President.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:19 PM  

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