In 1960 at No1 ITS South Cerney an officer cadet was issues with £10.0s.0d. With this he would have to buy an SD cap, shoes and a pair of brown leather gloves. His No1 uniform was issued by stores and corrected for fit by a resident tailor.
On my course there was a bunch of University graduates whom had already received the initial No1 at their University Air Squadron so they could pay for another one. Some of them did and some had red linings put in them (strictly unofficial), that set them back around £22 10s. 0d..
There were two main RAF tailors. Gieves and R E City. Both supplied hats made to Air Ministry specification but they were crap compared with Bates, who made a hat with a heavy crown that with encouragement could be persuaded to touch ones ears Luftwaffe style. Their shoes weren't a patch on Poulsen shoes so the ideal trio was a Bates hat, Poulsen shoes and Gieves gloves. That would set you back £12 or so.
I have been reminded to include Moss Bros, Alkit maybe.
I bought my next No1 when I was older and fatter after a tour in Singapore so it was made there just before I left. Having a natural ability to dodge parades and suchlike that lasted until I left the service ten years later.
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 11th Dec 2019 at 09:36.