Who was going to tell him otherwise?

I think I was advised get myself a No 2 as I was going into the Regiment and it would be more practical than a No 1 in daily use, I remember a "chopped "pilot turning up to join the Regiment course, and he had acquired one of those V Force BD jackets. He wore it on the first day, but he was sent back to the mess at lunchtime and told to come back correctly dressed after lunch!

Re gaiters/puttees, our course Flight Sergeant instructor was clear on the matter. "They are anklets gentlemen. Bleedin' bishops wear bleedin' gaiters!" We did wear puttees when in combat gear, and most of us bought a pair of Fox's officers' puttees, which were of a smooth fawn material rather than the rough, brown material which the airmen wore.

As I asked before, do officers still buy their own uniforms, or is it all on issue now? I think Moss Bros are still trading,but are Alkit, Gieves, R.E.City etc still around?

Absolutely!

On day one in the RAF, we were told that two words were never said:

1. Plane - unless referring to a carpentry tool.

and

2. RAFF - unless combined with RIFF- which of course it never was when referring to the Junior Service (in those days......)

Incorrect, Putees were wound around the calf and rapidly used to undo themselves and trail behind you.. :p

OMS, even worse when the 'zoomies' rip the knee boards off the rotary coveralls..cher ching!

The Abu Dhabi police wear something very similar to the proposed new uniform, wonder if the same company make it?

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....30ac5251f2.jpg

Some FJ idiots did that to a UAS girl at some pre-airshow event. So they were ordered to source a replacement flying coverall with pockets, name badge etc. plus sort all the SCAF paperwork before they would be allowed to depart after the show.

Tankertrashnav: all kit is provided through stores on initial issue, including No 1s & 5s, although some of it is of rather dubious quality, especially the SD hat which is a cheap fancy dress item. Replacing any kit is still at your own expense though.

I purchased my first No 1 from Snaiths with my uniform allowance but after a few years on the UAS it was a little tired having been worn as interim mess kit for mess rugby etc. I was forced to purchase an issue set from stores at Cranwell in order to be allowed to graduate from IOT as mine were deemed not fit to be on the parade square with HMQ who was our graduation reviewing officer. They were of good quality though and I still have cause to wear them from time to time over three decades later (they still fit after a small amount of tailored intervention to allow for middle aged expansion…) I can’t vouch for the quality of the issued ones today, although I was entitled to a new set when I joined the VR after retiring from the regular RAF I couldn’t really see the point of adding to my kit mountain. With hindsight it might have added useful extra insulation to the loft given the cost of fuel this winter.

Do ‘issued’ No. 1 HD also come with the option of red or light blue lining?

SB

not just at shows. It was quite a ‘thing’ at an airbase somewhere in N.Wales in the 90s. When TinCano studes were detached in there they suffered from the same puerile game….

Did on-one get a cautionary punch in the gob then?

CG

The recently 'gorn' Lex Brown used to sport a No1 jacket cut down to a battledress, complete with scarlet lining. Rather set off his AFC ribbon. What larks, Pip!

CG

Ah! Scarlet silk linings! A very young-seeming, well spoken, obviously on the upward slope squadron leader sported such to his beautifully-tailored greatcoat at Topcliffe c. 1965.

Best I ever did in such suavity was in a blazer .... lining cost more than the blazer. Which no longer fits, having shrunk from disuse.

Weather-guesser's uniform was usually an old tweed jacket with elbow patches, shirt with frayed collar, woollen tie, a gaudy waistcoat and baggy trousers - plus old brown brogues....

Correct on most counts for this guesser except footwear: always bulled, whether brown [not in town], or black. Just OCD, a Sunday pre-lunch time filler.
Bondhu boots/ brothel creepers if a rapid retreat seemed advisable.

You forgot the Fairisle pullover, with a hole and ink-stain or two ....... waistcoats were for the bosses.

No plans to follow Virgin Atlantic's latest wheeze, one trusts!:=

Jack

Nothing, but nothing, would surprise me in the relentless pursuit of RAF wokedom.
2/3 of 4/5 of zero.

That reminds me of my Welsh Guards chum (referred to in an earlier post ) who, finding himself at a loose end one Friday afternoon, decided to get himself off to Paddington to catch the train down to the West Country for the weekend. Respectably dressed in tweed suit and brown brogues, he had the misfortune to bump into the adjutant while crossing the concourse on his way to his train. He was promptly sent back to barracks, where he spent the weekend as duty officer for the crime of being incorrectly dressed in town on a weekday.

https://wavellroom.com/2022/07/05/ra...ampaign=buffer

RAF Working Dress – Improving Identity, Quality and Fit

In February 2022, a 15-page proposal of new ‘ASTRA’ uniforms for the Royal Air Force was leaked onto social media. It quickly became national news and generated hundreds of memes universally ridiculing and mocking the propsals as well as the Service. Uniforms are a hot topic that all service personnel (and the general public!) have an opinion on.

A recent service-wide survey on uniforms had record participation, with over 13,000 personnel providing their views on what they do and don’t like. It is well known that there are long-standing issues over identity, sizing and quality of the current No.2 Working Dress. It is seen as bland, boring and often compared to a bus driver’s or uniform. Similarly, the MTP working dress often means RAF personnel are mistaken for soldiers in the Army.

We should avoid drastic-wholesale changes to our uniform. What is trendy and fashionable today, will not be in 15 year’s time. Through several quick, small, and cheap alterations, we can produce a uniform that provides a high-degree of service identity, builds esprit de corps, and is durable for the requirements of the service.

This article will explore the issues over identity, quality and sizing, before proposing a set of relatively quick changes to overcome them.…

In an Internal Briefing Note (IBN) just before Christmas it was announced that the No 2 Service Dress would stay for office wear but with significant improvements made to the quality and functionality (like pockets in the skirts for women!). Plus also a RAF Utility Uniform (RAFUU) would be introduced for light non-op duties. For the RAFUU then next year (2023) would be subject to series of Focus Groups with the RAFUU not expected until at least 2025.

As ever, a compromise solution brings in a little common sense :ok:

What is the obsession with fvcking stable belts? Wearing one in blues is an absolute bell weather of a bell end. In fact in MTP as well.