Sister Missionary Wardrobe: Everything You Need On Your Packing List

Your sister missionary wardrobe is essential in preparing for your mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are so many emotions that surround serving a mission! Whether you’ve just chosen to serve, received your call, or are on the verge of starting your time in the MTC, there’s definitely some excitement in your upcoming adventure.

But there coexists a wee bit of dread. It’s all so new, and with so many rules to follow as a missionary, you may be wondering what rules exist around what clothing you can wear.

Don’t stress it, sister! This blog will break down everything you need to know about what to include in your sister missionary wardrobe.

Sister Missionary Wardrobe Checklist

The church outlines the guideline to bring a variety of blouses, skirts, dresses, dress slacks, sweaters, and jackets. While it may be tempting to bring as much as possible so that you have plenty of options during your time serving, this may not be possible.

Keep in mind that you are going to be frequently traveling. Not only is there a possibility of flying to your mission, but you will move from area to area multiple times during your eighteen months of service. You don’t want to find yourself with too many suitcases for you and your companion to try and move.

With this in mind, here is a simple checklist to consider when choosing what clothing to bring with you on your mission:

• 10-12 tops and blouses
• 2-3 Halftees
• 6-8 skirts
• 2-4 dresses
• 4-6 pairs of dress pants
• 1 heavy coat (depending on where you serve)
• 1 lightweight coat
• 2-4 cardigans/sweaters
• 2 pajama sets
• 2 exercise outfits
• 1 pair of jeans (for p-day and service projects)
• 2-3 casual t-shirts (for p-day and service projects)
• 2-3 pairs of professional, comfortable shoes
• 1 pair of running/casual shoes (for p-day and service projects)
• 6-8 pairs of tights/nylons
• 6-8 pairs of socks
• 14 sets of garments
• 5-6 bras
• 8 pairs of underwear
• Versatile jewelry including:
• A watch
• Earrings
• Necklaces
• Bracelets
• A CTR ring
• Hair accessories

Tops, Blouses, and Halftees

The key to choosing items to bring with you on your mission is versatility. How easy would it be to mix and match a given item with other articles of clothing you’re bringing? With each piece, you want to pack away in your suitcase, ask yourself if you can style it at least five different ways with your other items.

For example, you may have a cute blouse you want to bring along. Make sure it could pair well with a number of your skirts, or perhaps you could style over it one or two of your dresses. If you can’t style it multiple ways, you might want to leave it home and choose something else.

One of our favorite ways to make things functional and versatile is to style them with a Halftee. Whether it’s a sleeveless dress or a top with a lower neckline than you’d prefer, Halftees are a sister missionary essential. Get the coverage and comfort that you want while still being able to wear those pieces that you love.

Skirts, Dresses, and Slacks

The days of sister missionaries wearing exclusively black skirts are over; vibrant colors and fun patterns abound, and we are here for it! Give yourself a handful of skirts with patterns and designs and a good amount featuring solid colors. This variety will make it easier to pair more tops and blouses with your assortment of skirts.

As for skirt length, for both your skirts and your dresses, look for options with a midi or maxi length. These lengths will ensure you stay comfortable throughout the day, especially if you’re in an area where your primary source of transportation is, well, yourself. Missions are synonymous with a lot of walking, so make sure you bring items that you would be fine walking in all day.

The Church recently adjusted the dress code for sister missionaries to include dress pants! Bring along a few comfortable pairs of slacks to add some easy variety to your wardrobe.

Coats and Cardigans

The coats you bring on your mission depend entirely on where you get called. You may need something to protect against consistent wind and snow in one area, while another will require something lightweight and easy to carry with you as the weather changes throughout the day.

The key here is adaptability. Cardigans in breezy neutrals will be much easier to pair with that bold red skirt or patterned blouse.

Pajamas, Exercise Clothing, and P-Day/Service Clothing

When it comes to what pajamas to bring on your mission, we recommend indulging in a fun matching set. There’s nothing better than coming home after a long day and slipping into something cute and comfy!

As for exercise clothing, make sure that you bring bottoms, tops, and good sports bras. Each day, you will have a dedicated amount of time to exercise, and having comfortable exercise clothing can help motivate you to make the most of that period.

And for your P-day clothing, while some P-days will be spent in your everyday skirt and blouse/dress uniform, there may be others where you gather with other missionaries to play sports or other outdoor activities. For these, you will want a pair of jeans and a handful of casual t-shirts. This will also serve as the clothing you’ll wear for service projects.

Shoes, Socks, and Tights

Shoes, socks, and tights are perhaps the most important area you should consider when preparing your sister missionary wardrobe. You’ll need to find a few good pairs of shoes that will last 18 months, deliver on comfort, and can style with most, if not all, of your clothing options.

I know; it seems like a tall order.

There will be time for statement shoes after your mission. For these 18 months, look for something easy and neutral. Make sure one of the pairs of shoes you bring is a pair of boots.

You also want to bring plenty of socks and tights, primarily if you’ll be serving in an area where the temperature gets low. Bring along some fun tights! Cute colors and subtle patterns are totally welcome.

Underwear

Let’s not overlook the basics; bras, underwear, and plenty of sets of your temple garments will need to make their way into your suitcase.

Accessories

Bring some accessories to help add some flair to your outfits! A cute watch, some simple necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and hair accessories will make it easy to personalize your look and feel put together for your day of missionary work. Make sure your CTR ring comes along for the adventure!

You’ll want to be mindful to leave anything with sentimental value at home.

I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go

Sure, some aspects of mission prep can feel a bit overwhelming. Whether it’s preparing to go to the temple, getting checkups at the doctor, or gathering everything you need for your passport, there’s a long list of things that need to be done. But putting together your sister missionary wardrobe doesn’t have to be daunting! Be sure to consider some of our tips as you put together your ensembles, and don’t forget to snag some Halftees to help simplify getting ready!