Mormon Garments

Sacred and Secret

Nancy Ross, Jessica Finnigan, Larissa Kanno Kindred

• Publisher: University of Illinois Press
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9780252089190
  9780252049545
• eBook ISBN:
  9780252048692
• Topic: Teología y religión
• Subtopic: Denominaciones cristianas

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints requires that adult members wear garments under their clothes day and night. Though a central practice, the wearing of garments exists behind a wall of silence, as Church authorities and LDS culture discourage discussion of such a sacred matter. Nancy Ross, Jessica Finnigan, and Larissa Kanno Kindred draw on a survey of over 4,500 Church members and their own backgrounds to explore the multifaceted meanings and experiences of Mormon garments. As the authors show, garments also function as a tool of social control that shapes behavior and reinforces conformity around sexuality. The diverse lived experiences of Latter-day Saints reveal how belief and gender intersect with feelings of secrecy, shame, and obedience while creating complexities for LDS members as they navigate questions of faith, identity, and agency. In addition, the authors call for greater understanding of the people grappling with tensions between personal customs and religious expectation. Insightful and rich with detail, Mormon Garments sheds light on an intimate practice in the lives of Latter-day Saints.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1 A Short History of Garments
• 2 Garments, Belief, and Gender
• 3 Secrecy and Sacredness
• 4 Shame and Worthiness
• 5 Obedience and Control
• Conclusion
• Appendix
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index
• Back Cover