The Most Scandalous Outfits The Duggars Have Ever Worn

The ongoing national fascination with the Duggars is complicated. Admirers of the "19 Kids & Counting" clan point to their traditional values and faith in God while their many detractors have strong feelings about the Duggar family's ultra strict religion. Parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar belong to the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), which imposes a highly restrictive dress code on its members. Women are forbidden from wearing pants or any clothing that shows skin above the knees or below the collarbone. Even a long necklace or a too-low patterned top is considered an "eye trap" that draws attention away from the face and could potentially lead a man to lustful thoughts and deeds. Suffice it to say, a lot of woman-shaming goes on in the IBLP. Men have a little more leeway, but they're still expected to dress modestly — chests covered, and absolutely no shorts, sleeveless shirts, or anything tight-fitting.

As the Duggar children married and moved out of the "Big House," they began to flout the wardrobe rules they'd grown up with. As Jinger Duggar Vuolo confirmed in her book "The Hope We Hold," after studying the Bible in depth, she "never found a passage specifically forbidding women from wearing pants," (via People). Her adult siblings have followed suit, proving that being a good Christian doesn't necessarily mean living in floor-skimming skirts. When the Duggars first began publicly showing off their new wardrobes, social media followers lost their minds. They're showing their knees!? Is that a bathing suit? The Duggar girls are rebelling! Now, it's not even newsworthy to see them in slacks or jeans. Controversy over their other clothing choices, however, rages on. We may never see a Duggar in a string bikini, but they've worn outfits and accessories that we never would've seen on TV. Ready to see their "wildest" ensembles?

Daughters Jill Duggar Dillard, Jinger Duggar Vuolo, Jessa Duggar Seewald, and Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth waited to trade their long skirts for jeans until after they had tied the knot, and even then only after praying and discussing the matter with their husbands. The youngest sisters — Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn, and Josie Duggar — still keep to the family rules on modest clothing despite being teenagers. The one exception among the nine sisters is eldest daughter Jana Duggar Wissmann, who began following her own fashion sense when she was still single and living on her parents' property. In 2020, she posted a picture on Instagram showing herself in a tank top that Jana would never have dared wearing as a child. 

From there, Jana's gallery has included glimpses of her in jeans, leggings, running shorts, and more arm-baring tops. Jana's August 2024 wedding to Stephen Wissmann was similarly daring. Her beautiful gown was also an eye-trap bonanza with its deep portrait neckline, lack of sleeves, and low-cut back. But, judging from the delighted smiles on her parents' faces, they had no qualms about seeing their daughter showing a little extra skin on her special day.

The Duggars certainly aren't shy about sharing their religious convictions. When they were first approached to star in the Discovery Health film that would help launch "19 Kids & Counting," they saw it as an opportunity to make a statement about their anti-birth control stance (the Duggars' church group urges married couples to welcome as many children as God sees fit, hence the 19 kids). "We said the only way we would do the documentary is if they did not edit out our faith, because that is the core of our lives," Michelle Duggar wrote on the family website. But their willingness to wear their Christianity on their sleeves — quite literally — has drawn equal amounts of criticism and praise. 

Take, for instance, the T-shirt that Jedidiah Duggar opted to wear on a 2019 group outing to the Silver Dollar City theme park, which you can judge for yourself above. Some fans gushed over it and even inquired as to where they could pick up one of their own. "Maybe we need to think about those things we need to change and do better in our life," mused one follower on Instagram. Others found it slightly too preachy, with one arguing, "What a morbid t-shirt. Nothing says fun day out like death on a shirt!!" Another also pointed out, "I know some lovely people that are supposedly 'damned' [who] are way better people [than] some supposedly 'saved' people are."

In October 2021, Jinger Duggar Vuolo caused an online commotion when she shared the above photo of herself with husband Jeremy Vuolo, as the couple was getting ready to go trick-or-treating with their daughters. What was all the fuss about, you may ask? It wasn't as though Jinger was dressed as a sexy nurse or a flesh-eating zombie; Pooh and Tigger are about as wholesome as they come. But Jinger had never celebrated Halloween as a child, because of its association with magic and evil. Instead, the Duggars attended "harvest"-themed church events where the children could get treats without any tricks involved. Only after she married Jeremy, a seminary student, did Jinger decide it was okay to have non-scary fun on All Hallow's Eve.

Some of her fans disagreed though. "That's a Pagan holiday...I'm surprised Jeremy doesn't know that, as a preacher," one follower clucked on Instagram. "Nothing about Halloween is ok," scolded another. "I don't support it and don't stand for it. Such an easy target to open unwanted spiritual doors." Others took a lighten-up stance and praised the Vuolos for enjoying the holiday in a family-friendly way. Jinger announced she's pregnant with her third child in 2024, so maybe she'll don a cute pregnancy costume.

Like her sisters, Jill Duggar Dillard began wearing pants and shorts only after plenty of soul-searching and Bible study. She has also dabbled in other style choices that were forbidden when she lived at home. Among them: The nose ring she got several years ago. Dad Jim Bob Duggar was totally opposed. "He pleaded with me not to do it," Jill wrote in her explosive memoir "Counting the Cost," explaining that her father even accused the former reality star of being a bad influence on her younger sisters. As Jill revealed, "He told me I was making a huge mistake. [...] He said I was ruining my life."

Undaunted, Jill has kept her piercing and is rarely seen in skirts. She even wore pants to her brother Jason's wedding in October 2024. Her next big move might be to add some ink. On her Instagram account, Jinger shared, "Sometimes I write Bible verses in sharpie on my hand to remind me of truths from scripture." It wouldn't surprise us if Jill decided to go under the needle to make one of those verses permanent, and she wouldn't be the first family member to do so. Other Duggars have sported tattoos over the years, including cousin Amy Duggar King and Jill's brother-in-law, Jeremy Vuolo.

The most controversial Duggar attire of all isn't a Halloween costume or a pair of Daisy Dukes. Josh Duggar, the eldest of the 19 reality-TV siblings, has been wearing standard-issue prisoner garb since May 2022, when he was convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material on his work computer. The disgraced TLC star is serving a 12-year sentence in a Texas federal prison, and thus far, all his attempts at parole or a new trial have been unsuccessful. By the time Josh is allowed to put his civvies back on and resume life on the outside, the oldest of his seven children will be 25 while his youngest will be almost a teenager (Madyson Duggar was born when Josh was still on trial).

It's worth noting that before his arrest, Josh, too, kept to the IBLP's recommended guidelines for clothing. Will all that time behind bars change his opinion of modest attire? Might he rebel by wearing muscle shirts and cutoff shorts, or even dare to appear at a public pool in nothing but swim trunks? We'll just have to wait and see.