Q: "How do I get the right fit when I'm ordering online?"
After outfitting missionaries since 1997, here's the process that gets it right the first time:
Get real measurements. So many dress pants are "vanity sized" that you can't trust the number on the tag. Grab a helper and a cloth tape measure. The key numbers: neck, arm (center-back to wrist), chest, waist (about 2″ below the navel — not on the hips), and the outseam (waist down to where the rubber meets the leather on your shoe). You can also measure a favorite pair of dress pants from the top of the waistband to the hem.
For suits: The suit size is roughly the widest part of your chest. You can also measure around the widest part of the chest with arms down (around the arms too) and subtract 7, or add 6 to your waist measurement. The letter after the number is the jacket length: S = Short (up to 5’8″), R = Regular (5’9″–6’), L = Long (6’1″+). A 38″ chest at 5’11″ is a 38R.
Watch and measure along. We have short how-to videos for shirts, pant outseams, and the suit coat.
Tip: Order early. Suits and shoes may need alterations and break-in time, so give yourself a few weeks before the MTC.