poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet
they were neat and comely.”
— Alma 1:27
I find it interesting that repeatedly in the Book of Mormon, a symptom of the moral decay
of the people was pride and the wearing of costly apparel. (See 2 Nephi 28:13, Jacob 2:13,
Alma 1:6, Alma 1:27, Alma 1:32, Alma 4:6, Alma 5:53, Alma 31:28, Helaman 13:28, 4 Nephi
1:24, Mormon 8:36‑37.) In contrast, when they were humble, they gave of what they had to
others and were modest, clean, neat and attractive. (Alma 1:27)
There is a danger when we become too obsessed with expensive designer clothing. Bruce
R. McConkie said, “Worldly styles and fashions in women's dress, whatever they
may happen to be at any moment, being of the world, which those who join the Church are commanded to forsake, are improper and to be avoided. Almost always the apparel so involved is excessively costly, with those who wear it being lifted up in the pride of their hearts. The Nephite prophets repeatedly identified the wearing of costly clothing with apostasy and failure to live by gospel standards.”1
The prophets have stated the standards which correlate well with Alma 1:27.
“Wear modest, clean clothing. Your clothing doesn't need to be new and [it] should have some fashion of course, but [it] should be clean, modest, and neat. Be dignified in your outward manner and in your inward morality.”2
of the people was pride and the wearing of costly apparel. (See 2 Nephi 28:13, Jacob 2:13,
Alma 1:6, Alma 1:27, Alma 1:32, Alma 4:6, Alma 5:53, Alma 31:28, Helaman 13:28, 4 Nephi
1:24, Mormon 8:36‑37.) In contrast, when they were humble, they gave of what they had to
others and were modest, clean, neat and attractive. (Alma 1:27)
There is a danger when we become too obsessed with expensive designer clothing. Bruce
R. McConkie said, “Worldly styles and fashions in women's dress, whatever they
may happen to be at any moment, being of the world, which those who join the Church are commanded to forsake, are improper and to be avoided. Almost always the apparel so involved is excessively costly, with those who wear it being lifted up in the pride of their hearts. The Nephite prophets repeatedly identified the wearing of costly clothing with apostasy and failure to live by gospel standards.”1The prophets have stated the standards which correlate well with Alma 1:27.
“Wear modest, clean clothing. Your clothing doesn't need to be new and [it] should have some fashion of course, but [it] should be clean, modest, and neat. Be dignified in your outward manner and in your inward morality.”2
“Have your dresses neat and comely, and conduct yourselves, in the strictest sense of the
word, in chastity. If you do this you set a good example before the rising generation. Use good
language, wear comely clothing and act in all things so that you can respect yourselves and
respect each other.”3
“Let the sisters take care of themselves, and make themselves beautiful, and if any of you
are so superstitious and ignorant as to say that this is pride, I can say that you are not informed
as to the pride which is sinful before the Lord, you are also ignorant as to the excellency of the
heavens, and of the beauty which dwells in the society of the Gods. Were you to see an angel,
you would see a beautiful and lovely creature. Make yourselves like angels in goodness and
beauty. Let the mothers in Israel make their sons and daughters healthy and beautiful, by
cleanliness and a proper diet. Whether you have much or little clothing for your children, it can
be kept clean and healthy, and be made to fit their persons neatly.”4
How beautiful! To keep ourselves as “angels in goodness and beauty.” What a wonderful
ideal, yet it is an ideal that is possible to achieve. All it takes for us to be as “angels in goodness and beauty” is to be clean, modest, neat and comely in our clothing, reflecting an inner purity and radiant spirituality. As at-home-mothers, virtue is our clothing, our beauty and our wealth (see Proverbs 31:10-31). We exchange the worldly, expensive designer clothing for the opportunity to be with our children and raise them in loving, caring homes. It isn’t even an equal exchange. We are getting the far better end of the deal...one where the value is priceless.
word, in chastity. If you do this you set a good example before the rising generation. Use good
language, wear comely clothing and act in all things so that you can respect yourselves and
respect each other.”3
“Let the sisters take care of themselves, and make themselves beautiful, and if any of you
are so superstitious and ignorant as to say that this is pride, I can say that you are not informed
as to the pride which is sinful before the Lord, you are also ignorant as to the excellency of the
heavens, and of the beauty which dwells in the society of the Gods. Were you to see an angel,
you would see a beautiful and lovely creature. Make yourselves like angels in goodness and
beauty. Let the mothers in Israel make their sons and daughters healthy and beautiful, by
cleanliness and a proper diet. Whether you have much or little clothing for your children, it can
be kept clean and healthy, and be made to fit their persons neatly.”4
How beautiful! To keep ourselves as “angels in goodness and beauty.” What a wonderful
ideal, yet it is an ideal that is possible to achieve. All it takes for us to be as “angels in goodness and beauty” is to be clean, modest, neat and comely in our clothing, reflecting an inner purity and radiant spirituality. As at-home-mothers, virtue is our clothing, our beauty and our wealth (see Proverbs 31:10-31). We exchange the worldly, expensive designer clothing for the opportunity to be with our children and raise them in loving, caring homes. It isn’t even an equal exchange. We are getting the far better end of the deal...one where the value is priceless.
1 “Doctrinal New Testament Commentary,” Bruce R. McConkie, Vol.3, p.80
2 “The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball,” Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, Utah, p.379
3 Journal of Discourses, Vol.12, p.299 ‑ p.300, Brigham Young, October 8th, 1868
4 Journal of Discourses, Vol.12, p.201 ‑ p.202, Brigham Young, April 8, 1868
2 “The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball,” Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, Utah, p.379
3 Journal of Discourses, Vol.12, p.299 ‑ p.300, Brigham Young, October 8th, 1868
4 Journal of Discourses, Vol.12, p.201 ‑ p.202, Brigham Young, April 8, 1868
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