Kody Brown's bizarre rules 'Sister Wives' had to follow: From outfit restrictions to accepting loneliness

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The polygamist patriarch Kody Brown's "Sister Wives" were required to follow stringent restrictions and obey his every demand, regardless of their feelings toward him.

However, three of his wives failed to stick to his strict rules and regulations and eventually abandoned the ship.

The first to leave was his third wife, Christine Brown, in 2021, followed by his second wife, Janelle Brown, and then his first wife, Meri Brown, who left in 2022. 

Kody is currently only married to Robyn Brown.  

Kody Brown wanted his wives to 'conform to patriarchy'

Some keep wondering why it took Christine Brown, Janelle Brown, and Meri Brown so long to say adieu and why Robyn Brown stayed, given Kody. Brown's oppressive control issues and the stringent regulations the "Sister Wives" had to observe.

According to Nicki Swift, one of the requirements the four women had to follow was to worship and serve their shared husband at all times to make sure everything went exactly as he wanted it to.

Christine, however, was not paying attention to Kody when she left in November 2021. Thus, he established rules and demanded that everyone "conform to patriarchy" and obey their master to make sure the other three understood him well.

In an October 2022 episode of TLC's 'Sister Wives', he declared, "I'm going to be the head of my household again, and so I'm not going to be circumvented in that," as per Entertainment Tonight.

Kody's second wife Janelle was not buying his rules either. She insisted that she had not agreed to a dictatorship under Kody.

Kody Brown wanted his wives to willingly accept 'sacred loneliness'

One of Kody Brown's other requirements for his wives was that they embrace "sacred loneliness" with joy.

In a September 2023 episode of the TLC show, Kody described how it was one of the "special requirements" that Janelle and Christine had been instructed to fulfill when they entered the fold, as per People.

He coined the phrase "sacred loneliness," which refers to the feeling that women in multiple marriages experience because "their husband's not around as much."

However, Janelle and Christine took issue with Kody's understanding of the phrase, which was essentially a theological doctrine-based justification for his absence.

Christine responded to Kody's remark with laughter and said, "Sacred loneliness? Like you're supposed to honor the fact that you're lonely?"

"The idea is that you sacrifice some of your emotional needs because you want to live in a plural marriage... I've always thought it was so dumb. Sorry," said Janelle of the phrase.

Kody, for his part, was tired of hearing about his wives' loneliness and accepted no accountability, preferring to play the victim.

Kody Brown had severe guidelines over outfits and body alteration

Kody Brown's "Sister Wives" were subject to stringent guidelines when it came to body modification. No piercings, specifically.

In the TLC show's Season 18, Kody revealed that his family had never allowed ear piercings since he had been taught as a child that God disapproved of them.

When he first met Janelle and Christine, he insisted that they take off their earrings, and they both did as he asked.

The wives used to follow rigid fashion guidelines as well. The women wore long, loose dresses with high necklines and three-quarter to long sleeves in the first few seasons.

They began breaking the standards of attire, though, as the seasons went on, experimenting with slacks, short sleeves, slightly higher hemlines, and slightly lower necklines.

Meanwhile, the regulations were pushed to the verge of breaking once Janelle, Meri, and Christine discovered delicious, sweet freedom once more.

Janelle shared an Instagram photo of herself in shorts and a tight T-shirt in August 2021. In September, Meri posted a picture of herself from a vacation in Mexico, sporting shorts and a sleeveless shirt.

Christine followed suit, striking a pose with a yoke neck blouse and black shorts.

Sharing was the strictest Kody Brown rule that 'Sister Wives' had to follow

Sharing was the one thing that Kody Brown's four wives were bound to follow. Above all, he insisted that the four women cheerfully and unreservedly shared him.

"To be honest, I am not sure if any one of my wives could fulfill all my needs, nor do I believe that I am fulfilling all of theirs," wrote Kody in his book, 'Becoming Sister Wives', as per SheKnows.

This was often difficult to follow, and enforce. After all, there would always be some jealousy and envy in a multiple marriage, especially when the spouse is Kody.

Having said that, Robyn told the Las Vegas Sun that there were many advantages to sharing Kody with others. She shared, "We fight sometimes. But having a sister to gripe with about your husband or to celebrate the triumphs is great," she remarked.