# New Air Force service dress prototype



## 16128 (Feb 8, 2005)

https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123020472

...I have to say, this (the high-collared one) is an improvement over the current uniform. The prototypes with standard lapels remind me of police uniforms, however.


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## globetrotter (Dec 30, 2004)

the high color doesn't strike me as american, for some reason.


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## Bradford (Dec 10, 2004)

globetrotter said:


> the high color doesn't strike me as american, for some reason.


Looks vaguely Prussian to me...


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## tiger02 (Dec 12, 2004)

_Ja mein fuhrer!_

The knock on AF class As has been that they look too much like a business suit. I guess they didn't want to change the color, so changed the collar instead 

Tom


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## 16128 (Feb 8, 2005)

tiger02 said:


> _Ja mein fuhrer!_
> 
> The knock on AF class As has been that they look too much like a business suit. I guess they didn't want to change the color, so changed the collar instead
> 
> Tom


Yes, a cheap business suit at that.

And the women's version? I can't tell you how many times I was mistaken for a flight attendant.


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## tiger02 (Dec 12, 2004)

VS said:


> Yes, a cheap business suit at that.
> 
> And the women's version? I can't tell you how many times I was mistaken for a flight attendant.


Isn't that what all you flygirls are?









CPT Tom
US Army


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## Bradford (Dec 10, 2004)

Why not just go all the way Sci-Fi?


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## 16128 (Feb 8, 2005)

tiger02 said:


> Isn't that what all you flygirls are?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No, you're thinking of the girls in the Italian Air Force, but I was definitely in the rear with the gear.

Bradford - I love that movie for its sheer campiness. Brilliant.


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## EastVillageTrad (May 12, 2006)

Very very vintage look, much like the early post-WWI air (signal) corps uniforms.

As seen here:


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## Mr. Checks (Dec 21, 2005)

Better than the "bus driver" look of my years.


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## tew (Oct 30, 2005)

Bradford said:


> Why not just go all the way Sci-Fi?


Bradford, you know M.I. and Fleet don't mix! The look you're, ahem, looking for is this one:


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## Srynerson (Aug 26, 2005)

Bradford said:


> Looks vaguely Prussian to me...


That was my exact same reaction.


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## Bradford (Dec 10, 2004)

tew said:


> Bradford, you know M.I. and Fleet don't mix! The look you're, ahem, looking for is this one:


I realized that, the problem is that I detest the lapels on the fleet unis. The Mobile Infantry look would be much better.


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## Rocker (Oct 29, 2004)

I'm not too keen on that AF design, but at least they're considering changing their uniforms - the only branch of the service with decent looking uniforms is the Marines. Those cheesy green army uniforms with the the pea green cotton/poly blend shirts and black tie gotta' go. The WWII era army uniforms looked much better with the olive drab wool and khaki colored shirts.


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## Tyto (Sep 22, 2004)

It looks as if they're trying to emulate the Marines' uniforms....


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## Beresford (Mar 30, 2006)

Needs a Sam Browne belt.


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## Fogey (Aug 27, 2005)

They look like a Salvation Army Air Corps.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

VS said:


> https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123020472
> 
> ...I have to say, this (the high-collared one) is an improvement over the current uniform. The prototypes with standard lapels remind me of police uniforms, however.


Having worn the old design (or vairiations thereof) for 26 years, I must admit to harboring a decided preference for the original uniform design...perhaps old habits are just hard to break. I doubt the high collar option will be a very comfortable (or practical) choice. Being retired, I'm kinda glad I won't be field testing that one.


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## Relayer (Nov 9, 2005)

I don't remember any Sr Master Sergeants looking quite like that when I was in...

Were the old dress blues a fine fashion statement? No. I guess I still prefer them purely out of nostalgia, maybe.

I also wasn't very happy about going to 'subdued' uniforms back in the 70's, either.


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## Mr. Knightly (Sep 1, 2005)

I always assumed that movie was supposed to be ironic. It's certainly enjoyable that way. I can't imagine taking it seriously.


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## Garfield (Jan 29, 2006)

I'm sure the Marine Corps is happy that the Air Force is copying their dress uniforms.

What is with the AF and their unform redesigns? Wasn't it 5-6 years ago they tried to copy the Navy's uniforms?


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Someone beat me to it, but that high collar is pure USMC. However, the belt reminds me of the uniforms we wore in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets as teenagers -- not very military, to say the least (100% polyester, shudder).

Historically, self-belts are a British thing, along with open collars (think RAF pilots during WW2 and _all_ Imperial officers in WW1). The high collars were standard for US uniforms in WW1, including officers, so there is a heritage there. Self-belts only look good with open collars. High collars only look good without self-belts. So the belt _and_ the high collar is just plain weird.


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## 16128 (Feb 8, 2005)

Garfield said:


> I'm sure the Marine Corps is happy that the Air Force is copying their dress uniforms.
> 
> What is with the AF and their unform redesigns? Wasn't it 5-6 years ago they tried to copy the Navy's uniforms?


The AF has also redesigned the BDU uniform, but service dress has been the same for a very long time.

The fabric is gaaaack. The Marine Corps has nothing to worry about in terms of having the best uniforms.


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

*Good Old Days*

There are few people alive that remember the USAF uniforms that we had in the '50s. The color was called silver blue, and the cut was much different than the next iteration. The only place that you can see the ones in question, except for a museum, is if you catch the '57 movie "Strategic Air Command", starring Jimmy Stewart. Still on the tube, occassionally.

The current ones look like polyester train conductor uniforms.

We had flight suits that looked better that the WWI Eddie Rickenbacker models pictured, IMO.

What a shame.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Intrepid said:


> There are few people alive that remember the USAF uniforms that we had in the '50s.


Bet they were all wool, right? Sacrificed to the alter of EE-ZEE-CARE synthetic fibres...


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

Doctor Damage said:


> Bet they were all wool, right? Sacrificed to the alter of EE-ZEE-CARE synthetic fibres...


Absolutely right, Doctor. As were the summer dress blouses and trousers.

For some reason, when they went to poly, they changed the color from silver blue to police officer poly blue.


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## In Mufti (Jan 28, 2005)

*They should go back to the "Twelve O'clock High" look*

Marine Uniforms look good because they are high quality garments and Marines are required to keep them constantly tailored for proper fit. If the Air Force chooses to go with form fitting uniforms, they will have to require a great deal more upkeep from their men and women than they are accustomed to. By Marine standards the uniforms in the photo need to be tailored quite a bit. A set of officer's dress Blues starts at about $600.00 in the Marines and then will usually be fitted a number of times before it's ready for prime time. If the Air Force tries to go down this road they are going to suffer from sticker shock.

I was assigned to an Air Force command for three years. I had a wonderful time and thought they were great people and they treated me wonderfully. But I kind of felt sorry for them often. My observation was that the Air Force was always trying to find an identity and this drove the constant uniform changes. The problem was that their real heritage was the Army Air Corps from World War II, but many of their leaders didn't want to embrace anything that heralded from the time when they were part of the Army. They tried the airline pilot look for a while trying to tie it to some aeronautical theme in the same way that the Navy's uniforms are driven by a "seafaring" heritage.

So my two cents is that the Air Force should go back and adopt uniforms similar to those worn during the Second World War. The old "Pinks and Greens" a la "Twelve O'clock High" look super sharp, do not require as much up keep as the high collar tunics they are considering and they are tied to their real heroic heritage from the Big War. I am confident they would be a big hit with their people. Uniforms must enhance the culture of the service they represent. Marine uniforms work because they reflect the Marine Corps' culture. The Air Force's most severe test was faced in skies over Europe. They should embrace that heritage. This gets talked about in Air Force circles all the time-going back to the WW II uniforms-but it just doesn't seem to go anywhere.


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

*1940s style AAF uniforms*

In Mufti, you make an excellent point. It obviously isn't going to happen, but the new uniforms attempt to go back the the WWI Eddie Rickenbacker look. That really wasn't our heritage. That era was the Army Signal Corps.

When the Air Force became separated from the Army in 1947, the powers that were in control tried to put as much distance from the new service, in relation to the Army as possible. Black shoes, not brown, blue blouse and trousers, etc.

Actually our heritage went back to brown blouse, pinks, and brown shoes that you mentioned. It won't happen, but it is a great idea.

If you ever have a chance, go through the 8th Air Force Museum in Savanah. Your point is made there very dramatically. 20 year old aircraft commanders with 200 hours flying daylight raids over Germany.


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## LondonFogey (May 18, 2006)

Similarly, the traditional uniform of the British Bobby has sadly been replaced by synthetic dayglo hideosities....

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2063142.stm


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## Martinis at 8 (Apr 14, 2006)

That new Air Force uniform...what a joke!


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

LondonFogey said:


> Similarly, the traditional uniform of the British Bobby has sadly been replaced by synthetic dayglo hideosities....
> 
> https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2063142.stm


Bad news! Next, the black London taxis fleet will be converted to a Pirus fleet.No feel for the impact of tradition, it would appear.


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