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Fashion Quote by Joseph F. Smith

“I lift my voice against these audacious practices and these infamous fashions, and I pray that you who have daughters in Zion will save them, if you can, from following these obscene fashions, that if followed, will destroy the last vestige of true womanly modesty, and reduce them to the level of…” quote by Joseph F. Smith
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““I lift my voice against these audacious practices and these infamous fashions, and I pray that you who have daughters in Zion will save them, if you can, from following these obscene fashions, that if followed, will destroy the last vestige of true womanly modesty, and reduce them to the level of the courtesans on the streets of Paris, from whence these debasing fashions come. They are the lowest and most degraded specimens of womankind, who have yielded their bodies to crime and their souls to death, if not to perdition, and are devoid of modesty and the sense of shame. We cannot afford to let our women follow such as these or to adopt the cursed fashions they set. . . . I suppose I shall incur the censure and displeasure of many in saying these things, but I do not care what the world has to say, what men say, nor what women say, in relation to these things. In my sight the present day fashions are abominable, suggestive of evil, calculated to arouse base passion and lust, and to engender lasciviousness, in the hearts of those who follow the fashions, and of those who tolerate them. Why? Because women are imitating the very customs of a class of women who have resorted to that means to aid them to sell their souls. It is infamous, and I hope the daughters of Zion will not descend to these pernicious ways, customs and fashions, for they are demoralizing and damnable in their effect.””

Joseph F. Smith

About This Quote

A warning that contemporary fashion trends corrupt moral standards and modesty, urging women to resist seductive, immoral styles that degrade their character.

In simple terms: Fashion as moral decay

Key Takeaway

Resist harmful cultural influences

Themes

morality gender roles cultural criticism modesty social conformity

Mood

concerned cautionary determined

Type

advice social critique moral exhortation

When to use this quote

  • young women in religious communities
  • fashion industry observers
  • parents concerned about youth
  • social reformers

Key Concepts

modesty moral decay cultural influence gender expectations

Practical Applications

  • educational sermons
  • community guidelines on dress

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do cultural trends shape personal values?
  • What responsibilities do communities have in guiding fashion choices?
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