Hello. I’m not a member of the church, but I’d like to be. My boyfriend is a member and is currently serving a mission. What I want to know is, if I become Mormon will I be able to use jeans? I don’t like dresses very much. Thanks.
Hi Rosa. I'm happy to hear that you're thinking about joining the LDS Church. I love being a member of this church because of how it strengthens people and families. Of course being Mormon doesn't make all problems disappear, but the faith in Christ that I've developed in this wonderful church helps me, and millions of others, face these challenges with hope. I hope you find the same peace here.
As I've described elsewhere, Mormons often use certain clothes symbolically. In some cases the clothing has doctrinal significance, and in some cases it has cultural significance. In the case of wearing skirts or dresses in church on Sunday, it's more of a cultural practice. It symbolizes respect for God and Christ's church. Similarly, men typically wear suit pants, white shirts, and ties for the same reason.
It would be a little unusual for a member of the church (man or woman) to wear jeans on Sunday, though people who are visiting the church for the first few times often (and understandably!) do. But if you feel strongly about it, you are certainly free to wear whatever you like. These cultural questions really are trivial when compared to the official doctrines and practices of the church. A person can certainly be a faithful member of the church without adopting a Mormon sense of fashion! :)
All the best!
Chet Cox
2015-07-06 08:02:23
President (of the Seventies) J. Golden Kimball told about a man who attended services in a loincloth. Let's not go there, but it does show the extremes that people will live. I've noticed many people throughout the world attending in various forms of dress - and, yes, after a while, people do tend to try to "look their best" and try to foster an atmosphere of respect & reverence.
Back when I was mobile, I wore jeans whenever I helped clean the building. Does that count?
As I've described elsewhere, Mormons often use certain clothes symbolically. In some cases the clothing has doctrinal significance, and in some cases it has cultural significance. In the case of wearing skirts or dresses in church on Sunday, it's more of a cultural practice. It symbolizes respect for God and Christ's church. Similarly, men typically wear suit pants, white shirts, and ties for the same reason.
It would be a little unusual for a member of the church (man or woman) to wear jeans on Sunday, though people who are visiting the church for the first few times often (and understandably!) do. But if you feel strongly about it, you are certainly free to wear whatever you like. These cultural questions really are trivial when compared to the official doctrines and practices of the church. A person can certainly be a faithful member of the church without adopting a Mormon sense of fashion! :)
All the best!
Back when I was mobile, I wore jeans whenever I helped clean the building. Does that count?