Hi Off-Road,
personally I do not like to wear uniforms. Sometimes however you have to. Flying tourists of a cruiseliner you mostly will have to also VIP, so if you are PIC wear 4 bars. If you are in a "2-pilot required" machine and you are 2ndIC wear 3bars. If you are certified and checked as a captain in the same machine but fly 2nd on this flight, wear 4 bars.
Of course sometimes a flightsuit is just the best choice for the job. For me a flightsuit is not really a Uniform but a special workoutfit to help ease the job.
I can confirm the stories about Uniforms in 3rd world places. Wear one and you will be called "Capitan" all dday long and doors open fairly easy.
Donīt wear it and they even forgot they called you "Capitan" just yesterday.
Try to forgo the jeans+t-shirt outfit or at least make it clean shirts and non-"worn-look" jeans.
Especially in the 2rd world jeans are not looked at as respectable clothing, make it "Dockerīs"-style pants and youīre on! Beats me where this changes you as a person......but it is like this.
Also I heared from a friend, that in some Asian parts T-shirts a looked apon as poor mans clothing - you wear a short-arm shirt without a single dollar in the pocket, but youīre a step ahead!
Donīt even try to understand this!
If it is a dirty job, like some sling load or filming in remote areas can become, show up in clean stuff and change into the grungy work one when on site or near.
Most customers will take you AGAIN in ANY outfit and condition for your flying skills. However you want to make a FIRST impression and a good one. No need for a uniform but a clean look looks professional.
My 10 cents,
3top
