A lot of mission-shopping mistakes happen because something looks right for church, school, or the office, but is not built for the demands of missionary life.
Since July 10, 1997, we have helped 593,888 Elders and Sisters with their mission shopping. Over that time, our guarantee has taught us what actually works for real missionaries and what usually causes problems later.
Here are the things we wouldn't do!
1. Do not buy business-grade 1-pant suits
A regular suit may be fine for church, interviews, school dances, or an office. A mission is different.
Missionaries sit, walk, bike, serve, sweat, travel, attend meetings, have last-minute transfers, and repeat outfits constantly. A 1-pant business suit can wear out quickly because the pants usually take the most abuse. Traditional suit jackets can also be hot (since they are fully lined) and are dependent on dry cleaning.
For a missionary, a regular business suit can be like taking a sports car off-roading. It may look great before the trip, but a few miles in, you'll start having problems.
What to buy instead: Mission Grade, two-pant, washable flex suits that are built for long days and protected by our guarantee. If a guaranteed suit fails while your missionary is serving, we replace it free of charge.
2. Do not buy items that do not have a guarantee
Incentives matter.
Other stores make money when missionaries have to repurchase mission gear. We do not. If a guaranteed item wears out while your missionary is serving, we pay to replace it.
That protects missionaries and their families, but it also teaches us what works. When something fails, we learn from it. That feedback helps us improve materials, stitching, soles, insoles, fabrics, and construction for the next missionary. Our guarantee gives us a front-row seat to what actually survives missionary life.
3. Do not buy fashion items that are uncomfortable
Cute shoes, trendy dresses, suits and pants with no stretch in the fabric can be a bad choice if they are uncomfortable after a few hours of walking.
Missionaries need clothing and shoes that can handle long walking days, changing weather, biking, service assignments, meetings, and repeated wear. That does not mean everything has to look boring. It does mean comfort and construction matter more than fashion details that only work for a short event.
What to look for:
- Comfort fits
- Breathable fabrics
- Stretch
- Supportive insoles
- Real leather when appropriate
- Reinforced construction
- Designs made for missionary use
If it looks great but hurts after half a day, it is probably not mission-ready.
4. Do not buy high-maintenance items
Missionaries usually do not have the time, budget, or access to baby their clothes.
If something requires constant dry cleaning, special handling, careful packing, or fussy care, it may become a problem in the field. Mission clothes should be easy to wash, easy to wear, and easy to keep looking appropriate.
What to choose instead: washable, wrinkle-resistant, easy-care items that can survive real missionary schedules.
5. Do not buy from stores that do not specialize in missionaries
Mission clothing is its own category.
Even if you do not buy from us, we would rather have you buy from another missionary-focused store like Mr. Mac than from a store that does not understand missionary life.
Since 1997, we have helped hundreds of thousands of missionaries prepare to serve. That experience matters because we see what missionaries actually wear, what they love, what they ignore, and what fails.
Choose gear built for the mission
The right mission gear should help your missionary feel prepared, comfortable, and confident. It should look appropriate, but it also needs to work in real missionary conditions.
Mission Grade clothing, shoes, and accessories are built around real missionary life and backed by the guarantee that keeps teaching us what works.