Well, what I tried to say was that Mess Kit is sort of civvies. That's not quite the same as saying that it is flat out civvies. Perhaps I didn't choose my words wisely and wasn't entirely clear. My apologies.

But, yes, private purchases for numerous uniform articles have been and are still common place. Generally, however, this is for "upgraded" or improved versions of the issued kit. Not for entire classes of uniform.

It's a conceptual thing, anyway. If you get right down to it, they're just drinking pyjamas anyway. You put it on, knowing full well that there's a good possibility of waking up in the woods somewhere the next morning, wondering how on earth you got there, and what did you get up to the night before to make your head hurt this badly?