Costly apparel versus clothing their nakedness

Clothing and nakedness with its symbolism has been discussed extensively on this blog before. The robe of righteousness or "clothed with glory/purity" and similar terms have deep symbolic meaning. But when actual physical clothing is described in the Book of Mormon, there might be some underlying symbolism as well. I just noticed that when the Nephite society is described and their clothing is mentioned, there are usually two alternatives:

1. A wicked society wearing fine/precious clothes coupled with pride
2. A righteous society where clothing is solely used to "cover their nakedness"

The price of the clothes we wear is not usually considered an indicator of our righteousness or wickedness in church today. It must have had a much more significant cultural and symbolic meaning among ancient Nephites. I cannot even begin to link all relevant previous posts touching on these concepts, but the idea of covering our nakedness is closely linked to the atonement (the Hebrew word for atonement means covering). The recurring theme of lifting yourself in pride has also been discussed extensively, and sometimes appears together with costly apparel. Perhaps this can be seen as a symbol of trying to cover your own sins instead of letting the atonement do it, similar to lifting yourself in pride instead of letting Christ lift you.

There are several examples supporting the pattern outlined above. 

For instance, in the Book of Mormon the wicked are often described as wearing costly apparel, and it is almost without exception coupled with pride.

because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel (Jacob 2:13)

And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches? (Alma 5:53)

And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel (Mormon 8:36)

Conversely, we see another pattern when clothing of a righteous people is described.

And I did cause that the women should spin, and toil, and work, and work all manner of fine linen, yea, and cloth of every kind, that we might clothe our nakedness; and thus we did prosper in the land - thus we did have continual peace in the land for the space of twenty and two years. (Mosiah 10:5)

Notice how "prosper in the land", the promise of the Mosaic covenant, follows when their clothing was only used to cover their nakedness. A very similar statement is found in Helaman.

Behold their women did toil and spin, and did make all manner of cloth, of fine-twined linen and cloth of every kind, to clothe their nakedness. And thus the sixty and fourth year did pass away in peace. (Helaman 6:13)

...and in a rare period of righteousness and prosperity among the Jaredites

And they did have silks, and fine-twined linen; and they did work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves from their nakedness. (Ether 10:24)

We see both of these patterns play out in Alma 1, where we are introduced to Nehor, who is described in verse 6

And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to wear very costly apparel

Those who did not support him and belonged to the true church of God are described in verse 27

And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely.

Interestingly, the next verses go on to relate that the members of the church became "far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church" (Alma 1:31). Consequently, they could have afforded much more expensive clothes than those who did not belong to the church. Yet, those who did not belong to the church are described thus in verse 32:

For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes

While the prosperous, righteous people of the church were concerned with "not send[ing] away any who were naked" (Alma 1:30).

Another observation is the similarity between the righteous people of the church in Alma 1:29

And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need—an abundance of flocks and herds, and fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.

...and the great and abominable church in 1 Nephi 13:6-7

6 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
7 And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots.

The phrases in bold are very similar but a noticeable difference is the description of the clothing. "all manner of good homely cloth" versus "all manner of precious clothing".