Modesty and neatness yield to slouchiness and shabbiness in dress and grooming. ... You will be safe if you look like and groom like and act like an ordinary Latter-day Saint.
In reference to fashion I believe that it is possible to have individuality in style without drawing undue attention to oneself. Uniforms like Quakers wear I feel can draw undue attention to one self ( as cute as those bonnets are). As I look at the pictures in the Strength of Youth pamphlet I see some individuality. What is an ordinary Latter-day saint? What is it to be "peculiar"?
"Condemn me not because of mine imperfection,... but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been." Mormon 9:31
I'd like to add a favorite piece of advice from President Spencer W. Kimball about taking a good hard look at your self and making changes "until you are a very normal person."
I know that these days, and for some days past, people are trying, too hard, to be individuals who stand out from the crowd. Since when is conformity a bad word? I'm certainly not advocating dressing and grooming like the weirdo homeschool kids, because that's not normal. You would stick out just as much.
To be modestly dressed, encompasses more than covering bare skin. Spandex shorts, jeggings, leggings, tights, etc. are generally not worn modestly. I won't touch the fact that I, personally, just don't like the "fashion" of them. I see many a young, and not so young, woman wearing a longish shirt or sweater and leggings and feeling that it's modest because her bare legs are covered. In For the Strength of Youth it speaks about tight clothing, clothing that is revealing in any manner, and avoiding extremes in clothing, appearance and hairstyle. So right now, for me, powder blue eye shadow that goes from my eyebrow to eye lash would be considered immodest.
Personally, I think you, as the individual, need to assess yourself and what is and isn't flattering. I usually opt for less is more. What ever is natural to you, than that is what is best suited for you. If you are a red head, don't bleach your hair blonde or color it black. There are rules, with hair color, for example, you don't go more than 2 shades lighter or darker to maintain a natural look. If you have straight hair, like me, curling it like shirley temple isn't going to help me achieve a normal look. Coco Chanel famously said "When accessorizing always take off the last thing you put on." To have crazy hair, crazy clothes, crazy accessories will make you look crazy, a la Lady Gaga.
LESS IS MORE, people!! Granted we shouldn't dress like the people in the 50's thought we'd all look, matching one-piece silver suits. Naturally, we all have different skin tones that are complimented by different colors, so of course there will be some individuality in our dress. Not everyone prefers to wear a polo shirt and dockers pants, or plain t-shirt with blue jeans. There will be some individuality, but hopefully the thing that keeps us similar is that we are modest in what we chose to wear.
For guys, I think that it will always be appropriate to have a missionary or BYU approved hair length and style. My own tastes have never been in favor of facial hair or long side burns. I like the look that our First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have today. They are all neatly groomed men. Yes, way back in the day it was appropriate to have a full beard and maybe a bit longer hair for the leaders of our church. The men, back then (Wilford Woodruff comes to mind) were in the fashion of their times without being extreme in any way. I would be sad to see our dear leaders with a "Beiber" hair style.
Does "peculiar" refer to the manner in which we are to stand out from one another, or the way we're to rise above the world and its unwholesome trends?
What is the purpose of individuality in style? Couldn't it be argued that there's a "best" way to dress and that we should try our best to approach it? Why the need to stand out from the crowd with an individual style? And what exactly is an individual style? Is that just blending the clothing we buy at the mall in a new way (kind of like the Taco Bell menu finds ways to create 25 entrees with the same fake meat, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes)?
What do you think President Packer meant by "You will be safe if you look like and groom like and act like an ordinary Latter-day Saint"? I've yet to see a warning from a general authority that members are dressing a little too normal for individuality's sake...
[EDIT]I like Angela's post. Well, I mean, I like everybody's posts since you're all participating and that's happy. But I agree with what Angela said. Except for the thing about the matching one-piece silver suits. I think there should be a mandatory "Fridays of the Future" where we all must dress...cosmically! If we all do it, it'll be normal.
When God can do what he will with a man, the man may do what he will with the world. ~George MacDonald
The way you dress is a reflection of what you are on the inside. Your dress and grooming send messages about you to others and influence the way you and others act.
Specifically, it says you can show you are a disciple of Christ through your dress and appearance. Do we consider that when we are out shopping or when we are getting dressed in the morning?
So here is a thought. I have a modest one piece bathing suit but have noticed that Land's Ends two piece bathing suit with the skirt bottom ( and the top does not ride up) to be more modest than my one piece.
"Condemn me not because of mine imperfection,... but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been." Mormon 9:31
yeah, I've seen those in their website. I'm a bit torn because I totally love that you get to be more covered with them, but at the same time, I've always been told one-piece suits. I'm usually a fan of a one-piece and a skirt thingy.
I love those swimming suits!!!. Interestingly "For the Strength of Youth" does not mention one piece bathing suits. The words used are "to dress modestly".
"Condemn me not because of mine imperfection,... but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been." Mormon 9:31
Well, technically those women aren't wearing "one-piece." If my estimates are correct, there seem to be many, many pieces to their ensembles, what with the sashes, frills, and leg warmers. So I suppose it's more appropriate to describe them as conservative "seven-piece" swimming suits.
What is the church's position on that?
When God can do what he will with a man, the man may do what he will with the world. ~George MacDonald
It is beneath the character of the Latter-day Saints that they should have no more independence of mind or feeling than to follow after the grovelling customs and fashions of the poor, miserable, wicked world. (13:4:69.)
To me the desire to follow the ever-varying fashions of the world manifests a great weakness of mind in either gentleman or lady. (14:16:70.)
When God can do what he will with a man, the man may do what he will with the world. ~George MacDonald
I am ashamed, as I walk the streets of our cities, at the lack of modesty in the dresses, not only of our young people, but our mothers and even grandmothers. I will rejoice when there shall come over this land again an increased respect for the sacredness of the body and a willingness on the part of our good, pure, upright ladies to dress themselves in a more becoming manner. I shall rejoice when the Latter-day Saints shall endeavor to find out that thing which will bring to them and to their posterity peace and comfort of body and of mind. The Lord said that he was a jealous God, and that we should serve no other God before him. So we should not serve the god of fashion. When our Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations were organized they were organized under the title of the Young Ladies' Retrenchment Associations, and one of the purposes was retrenchment and more modesty in dressing; and I shall rejoice if the Lord will inspire the Latter-day Saints to set a better example in the future than they are setting at the present time.