Where are all the "slim" suits for missionaries?

Looking out into the suit marketplace at large, one can easily see that the trend for menswear is going in one direction: slim.

From television shows where slick and suave lawyers wear suits seemingly suctioned to their frames, to musicians like Michael Buble or Justin Timberlake, to most anyone walking the red carpet at the awards, the style is slim and designed to impress.

So why is it that missionary retailers have been generally sticking with the fuller, more traditional designs for our suit offerings? Don't they want their missionaries to look fashionable?

The answer to that is actually... no. We want our missionaries to look professional.

Whenever we get the request for slimmer or skinny suits, we first refer to the official rules on LDS.org which don't mince words when they say "Do not wear sports coats or slim-style suits." We make note of the fact and the wording does not say "We prefer you do not bring slim..." or "If you prefer to wear slim..., it says emphatically "Do not wear slim." So while the popular styles tend toward the slim styles, the official missionary rules say differently.

Do you see the General Authorities sporting the midsection-suctioning, tiny-ankled, inch-wide-lapelled suits? Of course you don't. Even Elder Uchtdorf (who arguably is the best dressed of the GAs) wears a traditional fit suit, so we'd say if it's good enough for him, it should be good enough for the missionaries.

We think that should be enough to dissuade most Elders and their families, but just in case we have a more practical answer: usability and durability.

When we build our suits and slacks, we design them to adhere to church standards for missionaries and to ultimately be items that are flexible and last as long as they need to. We have specific measurements on waist, hip, thigh, knee, and approximate hem width among other metrics that allow for the flexibility missionary work demands. Slimmer styles and tighter patterns do not allow for enough flexibility, and so in turn, they tear more easily, wear out faster, and in the end just cause more problems for the missionary to deal with. Who needs more problems? You've got missionarying to do! No time for that.

Our recommendation is to follow the rules and purchase a traditional fit suit, such as the ones sold by most missionary retailers, us included. You'll have fewer problems, have to repair your suits and slacks far less often, and you'll look as the guidelines tell you to look. You will look professional, you will look good. You will also be fulfilling the call you accepted to serve, forgetting yourself, and most important of all: getting to work.

We can take light colors! We can take khakis and grays! Hallelujah!

A little over a month ago, the LDS church came out with some updated guidelines on how missionaries, Elders in particular, are expected to dress from here on out. It surprised quite a few people and created a stir among stores that service and help missionaries, since the guidelines for Elders has been exactly the same for literally decades.

When I received a mission call to Japan nearly twenty years ago, the rules were the same as they have been since then: dark conservative colored slacks and suits, and conservative ties as well. Although they generally allowed more latitude in the choice of tie colors, the general rules were decidedly cut and dry.

Suits and slacks must be black, navy, dark gray, and dark brown. Period.

We found out about the news early, when a newly called missionary came in to be outfitted and brought his freshly minted paperwork he had received only a few days prior. On his paperwork they allowed the missionaries new found freedom: TANS GREYS AND KHAKIS!

New Guidelines for Missionaries

We're not in opposition to change, in fact we welcome it! Our pant racks no longer appear to have 6 shades of black. Our suit racks no longer look like we outfit only morticians! We brought in the lighter colors and we were happy to have them. In fact I even purchased a lighter grey suit myself, because I want to be on the cutting edge of missionary clothing trends (that may not actually be a thing, but I digress.) So while we stock the clothing in accordance to the new guidelines we feel it's necessary to ask that missionaries be cautious when choosing to be part of God's new lighter toned Army.

The call says lighter colors like khaki, they don't say you can wear "khakis" like some missionaries seem to think. They still have to be dress slacks, and they can't be a cotton or Docker's style pant.

The other thing we would like to say is that the darker colors... hide a lot more. They hide dirt, grease, food, rain, mud, and most importantly: sweat. We can't emphasize that last one enough. When you are wearing your dress slacks it will usually be warm. In many places it will be downright HOT. Heaven forbid you are riding a bicycle in that heat... sweating... in tan pants. We don't feel the need to expound on that. Just take it for what it's worth.

So while having the option of new colors is exciting, and by all means take a pair or two if you feel so inclined, we suggest you leave the lighter colored suits at home and buy the lighter colors in your washable slacks. That way all the grease, bugs, oil, food, and other stains can be washed off and life is good again.