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AR 670-1: Chapter 17: Blue Mess Uniforms - Female

17-1: Classification

The female blue mess uniforms authorized for wear are classified as:

a. The Army blue mess uniform (see para 17–2b(1)).
b. The Army evening mess uniform (see para 17–2b(2)).

17-2: Composition

a. The female blue mess uniform is comprised of:

(1) Jacket, blue (see para 17–7).
(2) Skirt (see para 17–8).
(a) Blue, knee-length.
(b) Blue, full-length.
(3) Shirt, white, formal, female mess (see para 20–22b).
(4) Neck tab, black, dress (see para 20–17a).
(5) Cummerbund, black (see para 20–10a).
(6) Shoes, pumps, black (see paras 20–23f and 20–23g).
(7) Stockings, sheer (see para 20–24d).
(8) Undergarments (see para 20–28).


b. The variations of the blue mess uniform consist of:

(1) The Army blue mess uniform comprises the Army blue jacket, the Army blue knee-length skirt, the formal white blouse with black dress neck tab, and the black cummerbund (see figs 17–1 and 17–2).

(2) The Army blue evening mess uniform comprises the Army blue jacket, the Army blue full-length skirt, the formal white blouse with black dress neck tab, and the black cummerbund (see fig 17–3).

17-3: Accessories

The following accessories are normally worn with the female blue mess uniform.

a. Buttons (see para 20–4).
b. Capes (officers only) (see para 20–5).
c. Coat, black, all-weather (see para 20–7).
d. Gloves (see para 20–11).
(1) Black, leather, unisex, dress (only when the black all-weather coat is worn) (see para 20–11b).
(2) White, dress (see para 20–11c).
e. Handbag, black, dress fabric (see para 20–12b).
f. Scarf, black (see para 20–21a).
g. Umbrella, black (see para 20–27).

17-4: Materials

The blue mess uniform will be made of the following:

a. Wool barathea, dark blue, 14-ounce weight, Army shade 150 or 450.
b. Wool gabardine, dark blue, 11- or 14.5-ounce weight, Army shade 150 or 450.
c. Wool elastique, dark blue, 15-ounce weight, Army shade 150 or 450.
d. Wool tropical, dark blue, 9-ounce weight, Army shade 150 or 450.
e. Polyester and wool blend gabardine, dark blue, 9.5-ounce weight, Army shade 450.
f. Polyester and wool blend fabric in plain weave, dark blue, 9.5-ounce tropical weight, Army shade 450.
g. Polyester and wool elastique, 13.5 ounce, Army shade 450.

17-5: Insignia, accouterments, decorations, badges, unit awards and appurtenances

The following insignia and accouterments are authorized for wear on the blue mess uniforms:

a. Aiguillette, dress (officers only) (see para 21–27).
b. Insignia.
(1) Branch insignia (see paras 21–10 and 21–13a).
(2) Grade insignia (see paras 21–5 through 21–7).
(3) Insignia representing regimental affiliation (see para 21–24).
c. Service stripes (enlisted personnel only) (see para 21–28).
d. Decorations and service medals, miniature (see para 22–8).
e. U.S. badges (combat and special skill, dress miniature, and ID) (see paras 20–16 and 20–17).

17-6: General guidelines

a. Personnel will wear knee-length mess skirts, no longer than 1 inch above or 2 inches below, the crease in the back of the knee. The blue evening mess skirt is worn full length.

b. Personnel may wear the black dress gloves and black scarf when wearing the black all-weather coat. Personnel may wear white gloves with all uniforms. The black pumps or the black fabric pumps with sheer stockings are the authorized footwear for the blue mess and blue evening mess uniforms. (See paras 21–10d and 21–19 for information on lapel facings; see para 21–10e for information on the color of ornamentation and branch insignia for detailed officers.)

c. No headgear is authorized for wear by female personnel with the Army blue mess or blue evening mess uniforms.

d. There are two versions of the Army white jacket. The older version of the jacket is authorized for wear by officers only. The newer version of the jacket is authorized for wear by all females. Officers may continue to wear the older version jacket as long as it is serviceable.

17-7: Jacket, Army blue mess, female

a. Design. The jacket will be made from an approved specification or pattern.

b. General description. The jacket is cut along the lines of an evening dress coat, descending to the point of the hips and slightly curved to a peak in back and in front. The coat has a notched collar with a branch of service colored lapel insert and is fully lined, with an inside vertical pocket on the right side. The coat front has six gold 20-ligne buttons. Two 20-ligne buttons joined by a gold or gold-colored chain about 1 1/2 inches long are worn in the upper buttonholes. The shoulders have a device for attaching shoulder knots on officer uniforms.

c. Lapels. The lapels of the Army blue jacket are rayon, acetate, or other synthetic fabric with a satin face in the following colors:

(1) General officers, except chaplains: dark blue.
(2) All chaplains: black.
(3) All other officers: the first-named color of their basic branch of service (see para 21–19).
(4) Enlisted personnel: dark blue.

d. Shoulder knots. (Officers only) (see para 16–7d).

(1) General description. The shoulder knot is made from 1/4-inch diameter cord of gold bullion, synthetic metallic gold, or gold-colored nylon or rayon. The shoulder knot is formed of four plaits, composed of three cords interlaced as one, and rounded at the top with a gold 20-ligne button positioned in the upper end of the knot. The knot is no more than 4 1/2 inches in length and 1 7/8 inches in width, conforming to the shoulder and stiffened on the underside with a flexible backing, covered with dark blue or black cloth. The flexible backing has an attachment that is suitable for fastening it to the shoulders of the jacket.

(2) How worn. Officers wear the shoulder knots attached to the shoulders of the Army blue jacket.

e. Sleeve ornamentation.

(1) General officers wear a cuff of blue-black velvet braid, 4 inches in width, positioned 1/8 inch from the bottom edge of each sleeve. A band of oak leaves in groups of two, 1 inch in width, are embroidered on each cuff of braid, 1 inch below the upper edge, in gold bullion, synthetic metallic gold, or gold- colored nylon or rayon. General officer grade insignia is centered on the outside of the sleeve, 1 inch above the upper edge of the cuff braid. When general officers wear their branch insignia, it is centered on the outside of the sleeves 1 inch above the upper edge of the cuff braid. Grade insignia is positioned 1 inch above the branch insignia. If branch insignia is worn, general officers will wear the nonsubdued, metal pin-on insignia. Grade insignia is embroidered silver bullion. General officer stars are 1 inch in diameter and are worn with one point facing upward.

The following describes general officer stars:

(a) General insignia is four stars, with 1 1/4 inches between the midpoints, centered horizontally on the outside of the sleeves (see fig 17–4).

(b) Lieutenant general insignia is three stars, with 1 3/8 inches between the midpoints, with the middle star centered horizontally on the outside of the sleeves (see fig 17–5)

(c) Major general insignia is two stars, with 2 inches between the midpoints and centered horizontally on the outside of the sleeves (see fig 17–6).

(d) Brigadier general insignia is one star centered horizontally on the outside of the sleeves (see fig-17–7).

(2) Other commissioned and WOs wear a 3/4 inch braid consisting of two, 1/4 inch, two-vellum gold, synthetic metallic gold, or gold-colored nylon or rayon braids, placed on each sleeve 1/4 inch apart on a silk stripe of the firstnamed color of their basic branch. The bottom of the braid is positioned parallel to, and 3 inches above, the bottom edge of each sleeve. A trefoil is attached to the upper edge of the braid on each sleeve. It consists of a knot composed of three loops, one large upper loop and two small lower loops of 1/4 inch gold, synthetic metallic gold, or goldcolored braid, interlaced at the points of crossing, with the ends of the knots resting on the sleeve braid. Officer grade insignia (nonsubdued pin-on or embroidered silver bullion) is worn vertically in the center of the space formed by the lower curves of the knot and the upper edge of the braid (see figs 17–8 and 17–9).

(3) Previously authorized sleeve ornamentation, which consists of the sleeve band, the branch insignia centered in the space formed by the lower curves of the trefoil and the upper edge of the sleeve band, and the number of trefoils appropriate to the specific grade of the wearer, is authorized for wear for the life of the jacket. This option is for commissioned officers only, and applies only to jackets purchased prior to 11 August 1975. This ornamentation is not authorized for jackets purchased after 11 August 1975.

(4) Enlisted personnel wear a 1/8 inch soutache braid of gold-colored nylon or rayon, 3 inches above the bottom of
each sleeve (see fig 17–10).

17-8: Skirts, blue mess and blue evening mess

a. The Army blue mess skirt is knee-length, with a one-piece front with waist darts (one on each side), a four-piece back, a slide-fastener closure on the left side, and a sewn-on waistband that is closed with three hooks and eyes. The skirt is fully lined.

b. The Army blue evening mess skirt is full length, with a one-piece front with waist darts (one on each side), a four-piece back, a slide-fastener closure on the left side, a sewn-on waistband that is closed with three hooks and eyes,
and an overlapped center back pleat. The skirt is fully lined.