As the only former university cadet on my entry at the Towers, along with 40 direct entrants, I came in for quite a bit of grief from the senior regiment instructor for my No1: "Good grief man, how long have you had that uniform - it looks months old already!"
"Two years sir".
"Hmm".
He also took exception to my nicely drooping SD hat and told me to get a new one. Fortunately, after the parade a sympathetic flt sgt drill instructor took me on one side and said "wait a minute". Sure enough a few minutes later he reappeared with a wire band stiffener from an airman's SD cap. Inserted in Bates and problem solved. Wire band ceremonially removed after passing out parade and handed back to DI.