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.
