Avoiding the Power Suit

In my blog The What To Wear List for an LDS Missionary, I listed the church's preferred suit colors for missionaries. They are black, dark blue, dark green, dark gray and dark brown. (Notice the dark and conservative theme.)

I recommend that you avoid buying a black suit, even though they may be considered the standard uniform for missionaries. Here's why: according to research in the field of color psychology, black is a power color.

"Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless...Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. Villains, such as Dracula [and Darth Vader], often wear black."

Black is not a welcoming, approachable color. It is a dominating presence in a room. For example, when our missionary was set apart, his stake presidency met with us during the middle of the day. One of the counselors had come from his office where he is a top executive. He was wearing a black suit, and as we proceeded with the setting apart, he was physically dominating the meeting. I can still remember how severe he looked, though he was a very pleasant person.

Now you might say that a dominant presence or a sense of authority would be a good thing, but I think that one of the hardest obstacles to overcome on a mission is just getting people to talk to you, the whole first impression. A missionary in a black suit is a lot more threatening, than say a missionary in a dark blue suit because blue is a more easy, approachable color.

"The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms...Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms."

A lot of the general authorities wear blue at General Conference.

Green is a calm, refreshing color, and brown is manly, earthy and reliable. Since there are other, better alternatives, I recommend avoiding black, if possible. It probably won't have much bearing on your missionary's success while on their mission, but why not give them an added advantage, even if it is only psychological.

I love dark gray as an alternate to black myself, and our missionary looked so grown up in his dark blue and dark gray suits. I cried when he came out of the dressing room.