'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Cast Often Discussed Mormon Garments — What Are They?

When Hulu debuted its reality TV series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, viewers were introduced to eight Mormon moms who were ready to demonstrate a new way of practicing the ancient religion they practice. The show began with controversy, as it followed the cast, who gained fame as the TikTok influencer group #MomTok, facing the ramifications of Taylor Frankie Paul's soft-swinging confessions, which she made during a 2022 livestream. However, viewers soon realized the group had bigger fish to fry.

During the eight-episode season, the cast dealt with plenty of drama among the group. Some stemmed from debates about which MomTok member was "Mormon enough" and who wasn't.

One gauge of who was more committed to the lifestyle than others was how often the ladies wore their Mormon garments. The garments were mentioned throughout the series, though those who aren't Mormon likely aren't aware of their importance.

So, what are Mormon garments? Here's the scoop.

Mormon garments, also known as "Temple garments" or "Mormon underwear," are something devout members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) wear underneath their clothes. According to the church's website, "faithful Church members" wear their garments daily "to remind about the commitments made with the Lord in the temple." The garments are made in various styles and worn by both men and women.

In most cases, the garments are white, though the website states, "Church members on active military duty can wear them in khaki, a light shade of brown with a yellowish tinge." The garments are also styled to cover most of the body to remind a Church member of their mission to dress modestly when out in the world.

"Aside from being a protective covering for the body, they emphasize the need to dress humbly and to lead a life that’s modest, simple and most of all: Christ-like," the website stated.

While many Mormons wear their garments every day, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives showed that not everyone wears them religiously. In one scene, Demi Engemann scolded Jennifer Affleck for believing she was a better Mormon than the rest of the group because she often mentions wearing her garments. Jen only proved Demi's point when she got upset about forgetting her garments during a girls' trip in one of the season's episodes.

"Aw, shiz. I forgot my garments," Jen told the group as one of the other moms jokingly asked, "Can you DoorDash garments?"

While you don't necessarily have to wear your garment all the time to be considered a Mormon, those who wear them take the commitment as seriously as their wedding vows. In September 2024, Jen shared that she believes her garments as crucial as the ring her husband, Zac Affleck, gave her to seal their marriage.

"It's honestly the same as wearing your wedding ring," she told Women's Health. "It's just a reminder of the promises that you made."

Jen added that the "personal decision" isn't something she always does, though she intentionally wore them during filming. She said she wanted to have the garments on as a reminder of her faith as she navigated reality TV for the first time.

"Before doing the show, I made a promise to myself that I'm going to really try hard to wear my garments throughout the show, because I wanted those reminders," Jen declared. "It helped me a ton."

"There were so many days where I wanted to wear something more sexy or more revealing!" she admitted. "I went back and forth."

Stream The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Hulu.