Female Enlisted and Noncommissioned Officer

The Blue Mess Uniform by AR 670-1 is specified in two variations - the Blue Mess Uniform with a short skirt and the Blue Evening Mess Uniform with the long skirt. The occasion for wear for either of these is:

• Social functions of a general or official nature, held after retreat.
• All private, formal social functions held after retreat.

In practice, however, Soldiers wear Mess Uniforms during very formal afternoon events, such as weddings, especially when the event extends into the evening hours. AR 670-1 is silent about the correct etiquette that is currently practiced with these two versions. From our experience, the correct etiquette is:

• Blue Evening Mess Uniform - worn with the long skirt, is the most formal uniform worn by Soldiers. Female Soldiers will wear this uniform for nearly all evening events except those that are truly "cocktail" events.
• Blue Mess Uniform - worn with the short skirt (a different cut than the short skirt with the dress blue), is worn for only "cocktail" functions held after retreat and ending before about 8 p.m. If the function extends beyond 8 p.m., the long skirt is appropriate.

Because most evening functions extend beyond 8 p.m., and because most Soldiers prefer the more formal look of the long skirt, Soldiers rarely purchase and wear the Short Blue Mess Skirt.

No headgear is authorized for wear by female personnel with the Army Blue Mess or Blue Evening Mess uniforms.