Uniforms of the Royal Navy
Uniform regulations for officers were first issued by Lord Anson in 1748, and remained unchanged for nearly twenty years.
"[2] The "best uniform", consisting of an embroidered blue coat with white facings, worn unbuttoned with white breeches and stockings, was worn for ceremonial occasions; the "working rig" was a simpler, less embroidered uniform for day-to-day use.
[3] In 1825, the white breeches were replaced by trousers for officers serving in the United Kingdom, although the practice of wearing white trousers with naval uniforms (popularly known as “Wei-Wei Rig”) continued for officers serving overseas (e.g. in the West Indies and China) until 1939.
Throughout the nineteenth century, there was great variation; officers paid for their own uniforms, and often adapted it to fit civilian fashion of the time, as the Admiralty regulations were not highly prescriptive.
[1] During World War II, a blue working dress on the lines of battledress was approved.
[1] A number of changes have been introduced since the introduction of the first rating uniform, notably the removal of the blue jacket in 1890, and the replacement of bell-bottoms by flared trousers in 1977.
In 1997 there was a major standardisation programme, meaning that all ratings now wear the same ceremonial uniform for the first time in history.
[1] Present-day Royal Navy officers and ratings have several different uniforms; some are blue, others are white.
Introduced in 1960, it is essentially the same Full Dress uniform worn for ceremonial occasions before that date only with the cocked hat replaced by the peaked hat and the epaulettes replaced by shoulder boards, and without the cuff slash and gold lace on the rear pockets.
2A is the formal evening dress for ceremonial dinners; it consists of a navy blue mess jacket with a white waistcoat (black cummerbund for female officers) with miniature medals.
For officers of these ranks, in addition, gold-laced trousers (known informally as 'lightning conductors') may also be optionally worn either with the tailcoat or the mess jacket.
3C is the same in all respects as 3A but with the addition of a navy blue thermal jacket, which replaced the woollen jersey.
The Royal Navy Personal Clothing System (RNPCS) was adopted navy-wide during 2015 after being tested beginning in 2012.
It is similar to the British Army's Personal Clothing System Combat Uniform (PCSCU), but in navy blue instead of multi-terrain pattern.
4 Action Working Dress (AWD), which consisted of blue shirt and trousers, both with flame retardant properties, worn with pullover (optional) and cap or beret.
5 refers to the wide range of job-specific working kit worn by different personnel (e.g. medical, flight deck, boat crews, chefs, divers, etc.)
[6] Included in this category is the Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP) PCS (personal clothing system) uniform.
Other officers may be instructed to wear this uniform "when required to conform with accepted international standards of dress on state or major ceremonial occasions".
Historically, this was originally known as the 'long jacket', and was first introduced for engine room artificers, masters-at-arms, and schoolmasters.
This mess undress is optional wear in the evenings for dining by all senior rates and warrant officers.
The cut of the jacket is different from that worn by officers: it is double breasted, but features a shawl collar and only four buttons instead of six.
Petty officers wear blue on white versions of their substantive rate, trade, and good conduct badges with the tunic, Chief Petty Officers wear their cuff buttons and a gold on blue trade badge above the right cuff, and Warrant officers wear gold on white versions of their sleeve rank badges.
The current uniform for junior ratings dates in its present form from 1906, replacing an earlier version introduced in 1856 that featured an untucked frock instead of the navy blue seaman's jumper, that was itself based on the traditional (but unregulated) dress of the seaman.
These include overalls, dry and wet suits, physical training uniform, and dental and medical scrubs.
Included in this category as well is the Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP) PCS (personal clothing system) uniform.
A version of Royal Navy Full Dress, complete with epaulettes and cocked hat, is still worn by the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, but the current holder of that office, (Admiral Sir George Zambellas), wore his Royal Navy ceremonial day coat in lieu of this.
This practice was already informally widespread amongst officers at sea but in the 1825 regulations, the round jacket was finally given official sanction.
A modified version of this uniform is still worn, usually with peaked cap and without epaulettes, by the Master and Elder Brethren of Trinity House.
This was not introduced until comparatively late in World War II, in contrast to its Army and RAF equivalents.
It was used as a formal ceremonial uniform until those officers received their bespoke tailored outfits towards the end of training.
