Jamie Lee Curtis has said that there is nothing sexier than a man in a white shirt, and I am going to have to agree with her statement. MoJo says it's one of the top ten fashion essentials for men (make sure it's crisp, white cotton). A fitted, white shirt was the look of the month on the men's fashion blog iluwfashion in May (check the link to read about the holy aura it has, and for tips to keep your shirt whiter than cocaine). Yes, there's a reason James Bond wears a white shirt.
On a spiritual note, my mission president in the MTC said that seeing all the missionaries dressed in white shirts reminded him symbolically of the white stones the Jaredites kept in their barges, giving light to steer by. In 1996 Elder Holland called the white shirt worn while passing the sacrament "ceremonial clothing." And in our recent General Conference Elder Oaks used white shirts to connect the ordinances of baptism, the sacrament, and temple covenants. So really, what man wouldn't want to avail himself of the privilege of wearing a white shirt on Sundays?
Who wouldn't want to arrive at Church looking like Orlando Bloom at Loews Lincoln Square NYC?
And you can always ditch the tie after passing the sacrament for the Johnny Depp look:
But if the above tips aren't individual enough for you, take some hints from SNL on making the white shirt the "best look in the world!"
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Almost thou persuadest me to don a white shirt!
I gratefully gave up white shirts when I stopped going to church...maybe I'll put one on occasionally for Jana. :P
I think Jana would appreciate the best look in the world.
ugh.. the more GA's (or anyone else with authority) talk about the importance of white shirts, the less likely I am to wear one... just to be difficult.
Wow! From Bond to Depp to Sacrament....that was a craftfully spun entry!
I've seen your name on the bloggernacle a lot, but I don't know why I haven't stopped by until now! Glad I did!
BiV,
Surely you could have found Johnny Depp in a non-white shirt, as well as most of the other celebrities....Why are you only showing one side of this issue?
I'd try to put up some rebuttal photos, but I have absolutely no idea how to do that in the comments.
This whole white shirt thing seems like mormon folklore to me. While I can admit that white shirts look good on occasion, it's like eating vanilla ice cream all the time. Isn't variety the spice of life?
D'arcy, welcome! Come back and visit anytime.
Heretic, I would be quite pleased to see more pics of Orlando Bloom. Shirt color optional.
Biv, I gotta give you major points for trying to make mandatory white shirt wear more palatable. It is a novel approach to link white shirts and the Sacrament with hotness instead of worthiness. But the fashion statement power of a white shirt on Daniel Craig doesn't seem to hold its value when pictured on every man in the Church. In fact, when mandated, a white shirt becomes at best a bland uniform and at worst, a unfortunate but effective way for some people to judge who is righteous and who is not.
I like white shirts 'cause they go with just about any suit and tie.
That said, I've never understood the argument that a white shirt is a symbol of purity, etc. Why is just the shirt vested with such meaning in sacrament meeting? Why not socks? Suits? Shoes? A lower law that permits the non-temple worthy to participate in meetings?
If it's important at all, how can we hide the shirt under the bushel of a navy blue blazer or charcoal suit coat and still consider ourselves square with the Lord?
You forgot one important caveat: the white shirt only looks good if it's long-sleeved.
I'm sorry, but I think the short-sleeved white shirt is kind of tacky-looking. Practical for missionaries in hot climates and grocery store managers, but not exactly "dressy."
You have made one of the best arguments for the case that I have run across. I recently wrote a little essay entitled: "Double-0-Heaven" based on my secret admiration for Double-0-Seven. I never noticed the white shirt correlation before. Now I know.
Still, I am willing to be that tiny splash of color in the priesthood quorums. If people think I am an iconclast, then so be it.
I'm going to have to disagree with your photographic examples. Even with a white shirt, neither Mr. Bloom nor Mr. Depp would be viewed favorably in any LDS chapel with that heretical mop top and facial hair! The uniform of the priesthood also includes a clean shave and hair trimmed above the ears. And all of the 007 pics show him in a tux. We all know that the only reason Mr. Bond dons that tux is so that he can bed as many ladies as possible - again, behavior that is not necessarily LDS-approved. It seems to me that you are just trying to be "of the world" instead of "in the world but NOT of the world."
Yes, I agree with some of these comments. Can you imagine a deacon passing the sacrament with a white shirt buttoned only to his navel as Johnny Depp?
I think the members would prefer a covered chest! :)
Is that anonymous comment real? I have to agree with John in his post. White shirts are indeed evocative of purity and cleanliness, unless, of course, they're not clean. It's been 7 years since I've been able to keep a shirt clean for more than 15 minutes, my husband's shirts included. And I dunno, white is really kinda boring and unimaginative.
Man, I love the SNL skit! That's a keeper!
You write very well.
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