Plain and simply on the subject of uniforms i think the rule should be clear:
If your ambition is to fly privately then you can turn up and fly in whatever you like.
If your ambition is to fly professionally then i think you need to act and dress professionally from the start. Maybe slightly different for modular ppl/hour building but from CPL upwards the absolute minimum should be pilot shirt, trousers and tie.
For the professional pilot this standard is always going to be echoed throughout their career. So i think it's good mental practice to get in to the discipline of preparing ( shine shoes, press shirt and slacks) and wearing a uniform of some description.
As for eppaullettes - ummm..... you have to laugh when you see someone with four bars on climbing out of a cessna 152? - on a private flight.
However within a professional integrated environment - ie. OAT, CABAIR, JEREZ etc there is nothing wrong with this. I presume their role is to help candidates become familiar with seniority and authority gradients. I think its a good idea and probably would lead to more well rounded candidate that is used to sitting next to someone wearing the all austere coveted four bars.
On a slightly more bemused note the amount of airline pilots i've seen who don't shine their shoes, cut their hair, do up their jacket, or tuck their shirt in is just appaling!! If you are reading this and you are one of those people - please do something about it - remember you're suppose to inspire people with confidence in commercial aviation and you as a pilot.
Oh and while i'm here - is it just me or do airline pilot uniforms seem to be getting shabbier? The more lo-cost the airlines seems to be echoed in the uniforms as well (single breasted plastic button jackets, plastic hats and nylon/polyester trousers that short your electrics are really just too cheap)
I once remember a Captain whose airline had cut costs by making uniforms single breasted, green tie, plastic buttons etc... was standing waiting for his family at JFK when a man and his wife came up and said, and i quote,
"Excuse me - can you help us with our bags, we need them taking to american departures"
i rest my case.
In my book, and many others i'm sure, uniforms should be as follows:
Double breasted Naval Style Button Jacket (you know the smart ones with the vertical buttons made out of a nice heavy fabric (non cheap).
Here's a good example
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/3...7_trav_150.jpg
Non-Branded or Subtly Branded Tie
Slacks
Black Polished Shoes
White Pilot Shirt
On the color schemes, - well theres only two worth noting:
White shirt / Black slacks,jacket and tie/ Gold or Silver bars & insignia
or
White shirt / Navy slacks,jacket and tie/ Silver bars & insignia
Sorry no offence intended to anyone at all but i just feel that pilots should look like pilots. Nowadays people look at pilots and their impression is "glorified bus driver" - what's changed from the days when people used to ask for a pilots autograph and look up to pilots because they epitomized a successful, fulfilling and prosperous career?...
Just my 2 cents...