Modest underwear?

[Petals]

There's this LDS modest fashion website that I used to lurk on, which recently underwent a redesign. Though not everything on the site is snark-worthy (there's actually some good relationship stuff), an article called "Are Your Clothes Really Modest?" had me cringing. She trolls out a lot of the shaming rhetoric and double-binds fundies usually use when they write about modesty ("You can be modest but still be inappropriately dressed for church or the temple...Don’t overdo it either—church is not a fashion show"), but then she gets to talking about underwear.

Underwear: Does the inside of your underwear drawer look like an adult-store catalog? The purpose of underwear is to cover and protect your private areas, not show them off. Wearing modest underwear, whether or not anyone else sees it, shows reverence for your sexual body parts and prepares you for all-covering garments. And make sure your underwear doesn’t peek outside your pants, especially when you bend or sit down.

I've never heard of this before. Why is it immodest to wear cute/sexy underwear, as long as no one but you or your husband is going to see it? Is this normal for LDS? What about fundamentalist evangelical Christians?

Here's a link to the article: http://www.jenmagazine DOT com/are-your-clothes-really-modest/

[Jessica]

If someone wants to wear lacy bras and undies under their clothes, that's their business. I've never heard any official church policy on what kind of underwear you can and can't wear. So because I wear sport bras am I too casual for church? Hmm...

Edit - I don't think this person has ever worn garments, otherwise she wouldn't be commenting on your underwear showing out of the top of your pants. If I pull mine up all the way (not stretching at all) they are about an inch below the bottom of my bra. They really need to redesign them because they come up too high and the seam is right along the butt so they give insane wedgies (I wear Victoria's Secret biki undies under mine to prevent that ;)).

[liltwinstar]

I'm guessing that since endowed (been through the temple) Mormons wear special/sacred underwear, she doesn't want un-endowed women getting used to wearing cute stuff? And, if she's talking to an unmarried audience, the Mormons are pretty big on chastity, so the thought process might be that if you are wearing cute underwear it's so someone can see it? And since no one is supposed to see your undies, there's no point in wearing anything cute?

(that's my take, anyway)

Also, I'm not Mormon, but I do think it's good that they define "modest" for their members. I think it's kind of control-freak-ish, but at the same time, it gives really clear guidelines for people who choose to follow them. Then (hopefully) you don't get the "modest olympics" that you get in other fundie churches.

[Austin]

WTF?

I don't pretend to even begin to understand "holy underwear" and have never heard this POV, even from the most extreme. If the whole point of modesty is to cover oneself, why would it matter what one wore under the clothes that actually did the covering?

Talk about taking legalism to the nth degree!

[emeraldskull]

I've never heard of this before. Why is it immodest to wear cute/sexy underwear, as long as no one but you or your husband is going to see it? Is this normal for LDS? What about fundamentalist evangelical Christians?

I can't speak for LDS, but as I know quite a few fundamentalist Christians, I would say that yes, it is a no-no to wear "cute" or "sexy" underwear, especially thongs. It's like if you wear a thong, you must be wanting to show it off to someone, so who are you showing it off to? If you are unmarried, then the big deal is with purity. if you ARE married, you should be a dowdy housewife I guess... :-P So yes, there is definitely a stigma there.

I think it all goes back to the shame factor. Women should be ashamed of their bodies. They shouldn't wear cute or frilly underwear because they shouldn't have a need to see themselves as attractive. If their husbands want them to wear it, they should, but they shouldn't enjoy it. :-P

[Petals]

Also, I'm not Mormon, but I do think it's good that they define "modest" for their members. I think it's kind of control-freak-ish, but at the same time, it gives really clear guidelines for people who choose to follow them. Then (hopefully) you don't get the "modest olympics" that you get in other fundie churches.

If that article's call for modest underwear isn't "modest olympics," I don't know what is.

[ChunkyBarbie]

My family is LDS, I am NOT by choice. Once you are endowed in the temple you are supposed to wear temple garments, you still wear a bra with them. Over or under is a debate. Opinions on underwear/lingerie vary, even among the temple workers and bishops, etc. I think everyone needs to decide what works for them and keep their noses out of others' underwear drawers.

ETA. I riffled.

Also, for the panty police...

I prefer underwear that is cotton, pretty and doesn't ride up. :whistle:

[Austin]

I can't speak for LDS, but as I know quite a few fundamentalist Christians, I would say that yes, it is a no-no to wear "cute" or "sexy" underwear, especially thongs. It's like if you wear a thong, you must be wanting to show it off to someone, so who are you showing it off to? P

Well, I must be a terrible hussy. I've been wearing thongs since they were invented, or at least marketed to the masses. Nobody has ever seen panty lines on this ass! :D

[PBrooke]

This thread is making me aware that I'm been sliding into "cute and comfy" for too long. I need to buy me some sexah undahpants.

[fundifugee]

My parents' church made a rule that female 'worship leaders' needed to wear sports bras after a particularly well-endowed woman, who was prone to getting all charismatic and hopping around while leading worship, was about ready to knock herself out with her breasts (which were jumping to a different beat than she was).

[fundifugee]

And, I wonder what she would say about this shop -- Christian marital aids!!! (aka sex toys)

http://mybelovedsgarden.net/

[fundiefan]

This thread is making me aware that I'm been sliding into "cute and comfy" for too long. I need to buy me some sexah undahpants.

I'm with you there.

[DamnPrecious]

I was thinking about underwear and fundies earlier. lol Wondering what would happen in I "happened" to leave a g-string in a bathroom where the boys go.

I need a life.

[LynnKaboom]

Huh. I buy all my underwear from Aerie or Victoria's Secret. I started doing this in 8th grade when this bitch in my gym class made fun of my "granny panties" and told me that I was too ugly to wear nice things, and so I said, "Fine, fuck you, bitch, I'll buy some pretty underwear and I'll wear it just to spite you."

And then I learned that they fit me a lot better than the Wal-Mart brand of bras and panties and they didn't fall apart in the washing machine/get bent out of shape so easily, and I never went back. And I just like them. So now I buy new underwear all the time.

[Maggie Mae]

And, I wonder what she would say about this shop -- Christian marital aids!!! (aka sex toys)

http://mybelovedsgarden.net/

And... lots of misinformation on this page: http://mybelovedsgarden.net/Beginner's-Corner.html

[moreorlessnu]

And then I learned that they fit me a lot better than the Wal-Mart brand of bras and panties and they didn't fall apart in the washing machine/get bent out of shape so easily, and I never went back. And I just like them. So now I buy new underwear all the time.

It is AMAZING how long Victoria Secret underpants will last wash after wash. Too bad I don't like their bras...

[Austin]

It is AMAZING how long Victoria Secret underpants will last wash after wash. Too bad I don't like their bras...

That is so true. I have some that I know for sure were purchased in 2000 (I only remember because they were part of my back-to-work wardrobe purchase :) ). They still hold their shape and wash up nicely in cold water on the gentle action cycle of the washer and air drying.

With a lot of other brands, the elastic around the waste or legs starts to fray and they just kind of unravel from there. In the end the cheaper ones are more expensive because they only last a fraction of the time.

And I don't care for their bras, either.

[moreorlessnu]

Plus, if you shop the VS sales, you can get the panties for $3/pair. Take that(!) Fruit of the Loom!

[tinuviel]

Finally cashed in my Gap giftcard and ditched the grannie panties! I find thongs totally uncomfortable, but I was able to find a lot of sexy/pretty non-thongs. Yay! That's right uptight lady, I like to "respect my sexual parts" by not wearing fugly crap.

[clibbyjo]

I like the"boy short" style as I think it helps not show lines(I hate lines). I buy whatever is cute on Target clearance, so I got a bunch of $5 ones for $2.

Now I want the $3 VS ones!

[Seven Severn]

I buy my underwear at Costco. Six in a pack for $10, baby!

[dawbs]

This post reminded me of thsi:

http://www.violentacres.com/archives/25 ... g-panties/

(not breaking the link because she's not fundie and won't flounce. In case anyone cares, her blog isn't rated G)

[slh12280]

Haha I was just thinking about this today as I was looking at my cute underwear. They are no granny panties by any stretch. Bikini cut :oops:

Once again I fail at being a "good" Christian, even though I thought it had nothing to do with underwear.

[O Latin]

My mom didn't "understand" thongs, so I never wore them as a teenager. I bought a couple about a year ago and I find them uncomfortable. I know lots of people who swear by them, though.

My only problem is that I can never find underwear small enough (I know, I know, but they size it differently so that even if you wear a large in everything else you wear a small in underwear). Like most everything else these days, I buy ones meant for teenagers.

[Maggie Mae]

This post reminded me of thsi:

http://www.violentacres.com/archives/25 ... g-panties/

(not breaking the link because she's not fundie and won't flounce. In case anyone cares, her blog isn't rated G)

I forgot about Violent Acres! I unbookmarked her when she stopped updating for, like a year! I'm so happy she's back.