Comments on: A Photograph: Southern States Missionaries

By: Steve C.

Steve C. — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:40:53 +0000

Looking at what they wore in the photos (thanks Justin for the Mississippi missionary photo) and thinking about the wonderful southern heat and humidity, all I can say is those missionaries better be well rewarded in the next life.

By: Matt W.

Matt W. — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:04:13 +0000

While I can't justify the second phrase, "cheap john" is fairly innocuous.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:56:14 +0000

I also found a photograph of two missionaries serving in Mississippi that is dated to 1897. They wear the Prince Albert coat.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:52:42 +0000

Oh. My. I’m reading along, wondering if “‘Cheap John’ establishments” is a slur I should be concerned about … or maybe it’s the “cheapness is next to nastiness” remark … and then, Oh. My.

That *is* a nice picture, too. Hard to tell about jacket length since they’re sitting, but they’re wearing the same short lapels of our photo.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:25:31 +0000

Another item of instruction printed in the February 15, 1906, issue was titled "Folly of Purchasing Cheap Clothing" (p. 199). I won't quote the unfortunately worded counsel here. (There is also a nice photograph of office elders and conference presidents on p. 198.)

By: Clark

Clark — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:26:27 +0000

Unless you’re in England, in which case a derby is a bowler, and when you’re in Derby…

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:02:51 +0000

I love Justin.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:28:56 +0000

Justin for the win yet again! Those are wonderful clips (and I will study my hats so that I never again call a derby a bowler. Derby. It’s derby.)

I wonder too, Bruce. It’s certainly cheaply made (compare the difference in their shoulders, too), and you’d expect expense (or lack thereof) to be a major factor in a choice to have them mass-produced for the missionaries.

By: Bruce Crow

Bruce Crow — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:08:20 +0000

I know this is a stretch, but there is a small chance that the puckered look the Elder on the left had was part of the issue that made the suits less than suitable. (sorry about the puns. I couldn’t help it.)

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:36:20 +0000

I found a few items in the Liahona regarding dress for the Southern States missionaries (first decade of the 1900s).

The September 1903 issue published a set of rules and regulations adopted by a conference of presidents in the Southern States mission. Rule 8: “The elders should be dressed in neat, dark suits. Straw hats may be worn in summer and Derby hats are recommended in winter. Shirts and ties should be neat and suitable for our profession” (p. 3).

In 1905, the mission ordered tailor-made suits in an attempt to establish a uniform dress for the elders. “The cloth is a beautiful dark color, medium weight and serviceable; the coats, sack-shape and strictly up to date in every particular, making the clothes suitable either for field or home service.” Apparently the suits turned out to be less than suitable, and the mission offered to replace them for free.

The September 1, 1905, issue included this note from the field: “The elders of the mission are counseled to adopt the derby hat from now on. This will produce a uniformity among the missionaries, which is greatly desired, besides which they are more durable.”

The February 15, 1906, issue featured items of instruction given by President Ben E. Rich at a meeting of conference presidents. One item of instruction, titled “Proper kind of clothing to wear,” stated: “Elders should be particular about their appearance. They should be dressed in neat, dark suits, and derby hats; shirts and ties should be suitable for their clothing” (p. 201).