Mormon undergarments

Mormon garments, also referred to as Mormon undergarments or Mormon underwear, are undergarments worn by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a symbol of sacred covenants made with God. In Mormon culture the term “garments” has been adapted to mean these special undergarments.

When members of the church are initiated in the Mormon temple for the first time, they begin wearing these undergarments in addition to or in place of other underwear and promise to continue wearing them night and day for the rest of their lives as a covenant with God that they will remain faithful and obedient to the commandments of God and to the special covenants made inside the temple.

The garments are white, symbolizing purity, (except for some designed to be worn by those in active military service which are olive green) and are made of several different fabrics: cotton, cotton/polyester, silk, etc. There is a top and a bottom, the top covering the shoulders and the bottom extending to the knees. This is to promote modesty of dress. They are worn directly next to the skin and completely covered by outer clothing. They are removed when considered proper for the activity. Naturally, bathing and swimming necessitate their removal, but they may be removed for other strenuous activities such as football, basketball, or other vigorous exercise as deemed appropriate by the wearer.

The practice of wearing religious clothing begins with Adam and Eve. The Bible states, “unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21) when they discovered their nakedness. Mormons wear their garments in this same context, as an instruction from God. Like those of the Jewish faith wearing the yarmulke, ministers or priests wearing a special collar, or the clothing worn by nuns, the undergarments worn by Mormons signify the specific religion to which they belong and are a symbol of devotion to God.