I'll try to explain this the best I can. It's an odd situation.

I've always had really bad self esteem, especially about my physical appearance. I'm not sure why, but ever since I was really young (like 5 or 6), I felt really uncomfortable when I had to wear dresses and stuff to Church. I remember feeling a lot of distress when I had to wear my frilly white baptism dress.

I already hate my body enough as it is. For instance, I really, REALLY dislike being full-chested and just wish I could remove them entirely. I don't like my curves either, so when I have to get dressed up for church, I feel like I'm accentuating everything I hate about myself and everything that I desperately try to HIDE during the week.

I used to wear bright colors, lace, high heels, etc to fit in with the other girls/women at church, but dressing like that gave me so much anxiety that I started wearing more comfortable attire (dark colors...almost always black, thick leggings, heavy scarves to cover my chest, long coats).

Anyway, I still go to Church for family reasons, but I dread it because of the dress code expectations and I have a hard time explaining why. There's really no logical explanation and it's pretty trivial, but the severe discomfort/anxiety with wearing that type of stuff is overwhelming at times. And then being in the mind numbing Church environment just makes it worse.

Anyone else have a similar problem or am I going crazy?

There are plenty of girls and women who dislike traditionally feminine attire, makeup, etc., but what concerns me is the level of hatred you have for your own body. :-(. You may want to consider taking with a counselor who specializes in body dysmorphia issues.

Additionally, while I don't know how full-busted you are, I have known a few very large-busted women who had breast-reduction surgery, and they were very happy with the results. Maybe something to discuss with a counselor as well or with a good cosmetic surgeon.

I was always horrified when the island converts (for example)were forced to give up their cultural dress for ugly uncomfortable mormon uniforms. Where was God hundreds of years ago when they started dressing for their climate and culture. Probably right there in his comfy sarong.

I generally feel more comfortable in pants, and I've worn them most of the time to work or to the occasional church service for many years now. I consider wearing pants on a very cold winter day to be the only sensible way to go, and I'm at a loss as to why the Mormon church has not caught up in that regard. It is perfectly ridiculous to send female missionaries around Maine or Minnesota in January in a skirt! If the male leadership of the church had to wear skirts in the depths of winter, the men would change their tune quickly enough.

I wouldn't say that I have ever been ashamed of my body, but it took my a long time to get comfortable with exposing some cleavage. I had an otherwise very conservative work colleague who had no problem exposing some cleavage. Although I don't really approve of dressing that way for work, her comfort level made me realize that there is no harm in dressing that way in my free time, if I so choose. I just kept trying until I gained more comfort with it.

I agree with NeverMo in CA that if you are that uncomfortable with your breasts, you may wish to get counseling.

I haven't worn a dress or Mrs Woman type shoes since I quit the judgy country club that is the Mormon church. Now every Sunday I wear hiking boots and jeans and I'm very happy. Molly Mormon clothes are disempowering.

Get some great sports bras and enjoy your life. Mormon frilly frou frou outfits are clearly not your style! Maybe you're more of an adventurer than a frumpy sheep.

Years ago my good friend and I were sitting in RS suffering through the lesson when she leaned over and asked, "Why does she (the teacher) bother me so much?" I replied, "Seven bows". And my friend laughed and told me that was it. The lady had hair bows, neck bow, sleeve bows and I can't remember what else was bowed. But she looked like some little girl's doll.

I'm the same way, I mostly wear pants, as the only dresses I own show off my shoulders. Even then, the last time I wore one of those dresses was for a wedding that was held outdoors last summer.

Here is the truth. You are beautiful in sweats sans make up with bed head hair. All that's missing is your agreement and acceptance. Never met you. Just know. Love yourself. Easy to say. Perhaps difficult to do. Little steps. One at a time. You are a fabulous and worthy woman - just as you are.

Reading this has left me strangely turned on.

Babylon, thou art a hoot!

I still had issues, but I was happy to be flat chested. My daughter wishes she was flat chested.

I hated nylons. I hated feeling squeezed in in nylons and I was very thin. I just felt judged at church.

I also don't wear dresses any longer. I own ONE. I had to find one for my daughter's wedding and was so thrilled when I did find one. Then she didn't get married. I'm saving it. I feel better in jeans and a turtle neck even in summer. I don't wear turtlenecks in summer, but I wear long sleeves. I can't bring myself to wear capris. I feel strange in them.

I say wear what you feel comfortable in and I think you'll start feeling better about yourself. If you want to wear dark colors, DO. I have had people make comments about my long sleeved shirts in summer. I think it is just rude and their problem. Even my boyfriend says I wear shirts that he never sees anyone else wear, but he says he likes that about me. I wear what I feel comfortable in.

I have requested I be buried in jeans and a turtleneck.

You say you can't wear capris? WHY? Try them. Do you think you have ugly legs? You have two legs? They are beautiful, and I've never seen them. Some people don't and have to cover up.

I have been thrilled to absolute death wearing sleeveless things and shorts. Not Daisy Dukes, but above the knee. No under-roos to bake me in the hot sun anymore! HeeHaw!

If we go to church, I'll add a linen jacket to my tee shirt and jeans. Nobody says anything but "Hey, nice to see you!"

I have owned one dark-navy suit that I've kept for more than 25 years. It gets trotted out for funerals. That is the only clothing I own that has a skirt.

If my jeans are not welcome, that place does not need my patronage.

In that I don't go to church any more, it's not a problem. However, when I do/did go (such as to my husband's funeral service), I didn't hesitate to wear slacks. And, to a granddaughter's baptism (a little less formal).

I noticed that two-or-three of the women at the baptism wore long skirts.

To heck with long stockings.

I struggled with gender fluidity issues from childhood until college. Oddly enough, I became more grounded in my gender as my biological sex dictated it after I left the church.
I have come to the conclusion that the oppressive church structure caused me to hate anything associated with femininity. Anything feminine was weak, emotional, unreliable, dirty, inferior. I hated my breasts (though I've never had boobs) and subconsciously hid them with tight sports bras. I tried to build as much muscle as possible and was horrified by any body fat (though I never developed anorexia or bulimia).
And almost as suddenly as I left the church, I was exposed to strong, confident cisgender females. I no longer had any reinforcement of female=weak from church, and I became okay with the idea that I could strive for the traditionally male personality traits while looking and presenting myself as pretty feminine. I still have an occasional day where I feel out of place in my body, but I've become much less fluid. I don't want to sound that that obnoxious parent who says "It's just a phase", but sometimes gender fluidity is just that. Sometimes it goes away, sometimes it sticks around.

I guess my point is, it would probably help to speak to a counselor that specializes in gender issues. Gender fluidity might not even be the problem, but I thought I'd throw it out there. I didn't even know it existed until college, but it explained so much.

Strongly seconded!

Hey, in Utah, do they still do the long denim jumper (often with cargo pockets) over a white jersey T? Now, that was a look for the centuries, kind of a "mainstream" Mormon version of the FLDS prairie dress.

Blasphemy

I'm a dude so I only had to worry about my white shirt was clean or not . simple