In our church, when the Bishop walks in a meeting, there is a certain respect accorded him because of his position. He dresses the part, 2 or 3 piece suit, a white shirt, and normally with a conservative tie.
His position doesn’t dictate his clothing as much as his clothing is a reflection of who he is, a common judge in Israel and a representative of the Lord.
When I coach baseball or participate in a team sport, we all wear the same clothing, symbolic that we are one. When we win, the entire team wins. When we lose, the entire team loses. Regardless of the sport, there is no championship without the entire team.
It is appropriate to dress according to the event or activity. After wearing a suit and tie all day at church, I change into comfortable clothing to study, write, and teach gospel discussions in my home. Nothing about the casual dress stands out as a point of reference screaming: look at me I’m comfortable.
Our outward dress is an expression of who we are inside. When we dress to provoke attention such as short dresses, exposed cleavage, pants on the ground, radical hair, an overzealous application of makeup, or excessive body piercing, we expose our fears, weaknesses, and lack of confidence.
When I was a teenager, I used my outer clothing as a means to compensate for a lack of security on the inside. I grew my hair long because of negative pressure from parents and leaders who wanted me to agree with their point of view on how I should look.
Hindsight they were right, I did look silly, but their approach drove me away from the very thing I wanted – happiness and confidence in who I was. I didn’t know who I was and my search was hindered by parents, grandparents, and leaders who were more concerned with their point of view being accepted than in discovering who I was.
Young Men and Young Women who use the fashions of the world to express their starvation for attention and low self esteem are like herded cattle, all looking alike under the false assumption they are being different.
Truly being different and highlighting individuality is doing what is right because you want to, and not for any other reason. The very ideal that teenagers rebel against, going along with the crowd (obeying the commandments, attending church, reading the scriptures and praying) is what they do when they seek individualism in the outward fashions of the world.
