This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
There are some new dressing options under the sun because of the sun, actually for Mormon missionaries.
Hats are now OK as are sunglasses "conservative" ones, of course.
These now go with the standard LDS missionary attire of white shirts, ties and dress slacks for men and professional-style jackets, dresses and skirts for women.
"You may wear simple and conservative sunglasses to provide protection from the sun," the church's updated website tells prospective missionaries. "However, unless your sunglasses serve a medical purpose, you should not wear them when speaking with others or while indoors."
In addition, "wide-brimmed hats may also be worn while proselyting."
The instructions urge the elders to "avoid bright-colored hats or hats that are too casual or that may distract from your message. Baseball, cowboy, bucket, newsboy, and fedora hats are not acceptable."
So BYU football or Utah basketball hats remain no-nos while preaching and teaching.
It's not that young proselytizers in sunny climates across the globe didn't don shades before in the 1980s, the practice was so common that sunglass-wearing elders sometimes were mistaken for CIA operatives or FBI agents but now they have official permission.
In recent years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has allowed elders in hot regions to forgo wearing suit coats and sisters to forsake their pantyhose.
Peggy Fletcher Stack