Work Attire
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Navy Blue Working Uniform
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| In 1943, a navy blue working uniform for summer
was introduced. It had the same design as the woolen winter service uniform
(Service Dress, Blue), but was made of cotton gabardine. A white, short-sleeved,
cotton gabardine shirtwaist was worn with the summer blue uniform.
Enlisted women wore their rating marks on the
sleeves of these shirts. Officers wore collar insignia on the shirt. Removal
of the suit jackets while working was permissible.
Toward the end of 1943, the navy blue cotton
suit was replaced by the gray working uniform. However, wearing the lightweight
navy blue uniform as a work uniform was still allowed as an individual
option. |
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Gray Working Uniform
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The WAVES working uniform was made of gray and white pinstriped
cotton seersucker fabric. It consisted of a shirtwaist dress with matching
jacket.
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WAVES Working Uniform
(Enlisted Personnel)
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The shirtwaist of the dress had a fly front, set-in belt and short
sleeves. The rounded collar was worn closed at the neck and with the black
tie. The skirt had a front kick pleat.
Enlisted personnel wore a rating badge on the left sleeve (if qualified).
The matching jacket had a four button front, long sleeves, two upper and
two side pocket flaps.
The jacket had round lapels and the dress collar
was worn over the jacket. The jacket worn by officers was closed with four
blue plastic Navy buttons like the jackets for enlisted personnel.
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Working Uniform
with Jacket
(Enlisted Personnel)
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The working uniform was completed with the following items:
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a cap with matching seersucker cover (like shown on the left side)
or a matching seersucker garrison cap (like shown on the right side) |
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black tie |
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beige hose |
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black shoes |
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black gloves (optional) |
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Working Uniform with Jacket
(Officers)
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The jacket worn by officers was
closed with four blue plastic eagle buttons like the ones for enlisted
personnel |
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WAVES officers wore the same working uniform
but with the following distinctive items:
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officer's cap with matching seersucker cover |
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miniature pin-on ranks on the collar of the dress
(staff officers wore the corps device on the left collar) |
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sleeve markings (stripes) indicating the rank
of the wearer. Additionally, officers of designated corps wore a corps
device above their sleeve markings. |
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Detail showing officer's sleeve
stripe
of an Ensign with medical corps
insigne |
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Working Smock, Reserve Blue
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| The reserve blue working smock was made of plain cotton
or rayon material. It had a wrap front tied at the waist on the inside
at the right, and on the outside at the left. The short sleeved frock was
buttoned below the waist with a single row of navy blue plastic buttons.
The peaked lapels were overlaid by the ends of the rounded collar. The
working smock had one pocket below the waistline. |
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Another variant of smock was also permitted.
It was made of the same material and color, but had long set-in sleeves,
a full tie belt and a double-breasted front with a double row of three
navy blue plastic buttons. The collar had rounded ends and peaked lapels. |
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Qualified enlisted personnel wore a rating
badge on the left sleeve. In October 1944, officers were permited to wear
metal pin-on collar devices on working smocks. W-V(S) officers wore their
rank insignia on both sides of the collar, staff officers wore the corps
insignia on the left side of the working smock collar and the rank device
on the right side. The insignia had to be centered on the collar one inch
from the front edge.
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Aviation Coverall
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The one-piece aviation coverall was made of
cotton material in a medium blue color shade. It was similar to the coveralls
worn by all aviation mechanics.
The aviation coverall had long sleeves, a buttoned
front and a rounded Peter Pan collar. The coverall was equipped with a
self-fabric belt that was worn knotted at the center of the front.
The coverall had two plain upper pockets plus
a pencil pocket on the right side and two large patch pockets below the
waistband. The long trouser legs had tabs to adjust width at the bottom.
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The coverall should be worn with a turban-type
head covering and navy blue socks. However, on many pictures one can see
that white socks were used as well.
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Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class
Dorothy Wuestner who wears the turban-Type head covering applying a paint
brush to a magneto
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Denim Slacks and Blue Shirts
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| During 1944, navy blue denim slacks and blue
cotton chambray shirts eventually replaced the aviation coverall. Wearing
of the regulation men's dungaree trousers and chambray shirt was optional.
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WAVES aircraft mechanics working
on a North American SNJ training plane.
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Navy WAVE trainee wearing
the newly authorized denim slacks and blue shirt while cleaning her
barracks in 1944.
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For extra warmth, a black knitted men's sweater with turtleneck could
be worn. The picture on the right below shows the same sweater type with
turtleneck removed. Probably, it was removed for more comfort when the
sweater was worn with a shirt underneath.
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Exercise suit
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The exercise suit, authorized in late 1944,
was worn for gymnasium classes and could be worn for any physical exercise.
It consisted of light blue denim shorts and matching skirt, to be worn
with a long or short-sleeved shirt and blue or white ankle socks.
Other exercise suits which had been authorized
by local Commanding Officers could be worn until the present supply was
exhausted or those in possession were no longer serviceable. The exercise
suit was not available in the stores for several months after approvement
of this new garment.
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WAVES who are wearing exercise
suits taking a meal break in an Iowa seed corn field.
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WAVES in exercise suits training
archery.
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[
I. Development ]..[
II. Facts about the WAVES ]..[
III. Uniforms ]..[
IV. Sources ]
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