Headed to the Navy Ball again

[EHCAlum]

Interestingly, U.S. Army regulations stipulate that the pleats of the cummerbund face down.

Didn't know the history of the cummerbund, except it had eastern origins. Of course the Army is different from standard form. Its the Army.

[thescot]

Of course the Army is different: it's the Army! (Just a little interservice rivalry joke!)

Just to be different, I would suggest wearing the belt and waist plate as I find them to be very sharp looking and comfortable as well. I don't much care for the waistcoat with the PC, even though I have one and wear it occassionally. I have just come to prefer the look of the belt and lots of white shirt, similar the look of a tux with cumberbund.

The minimedals on a PC look very distinguished to me, and do indeed distinguish the veterean from the non-veterans. It is, of course, the wearer's option, but especially at a military ball, one is well advised and properly dressed with one's mini medals in place. When the event is intended to be one in which the attendees are in their best finery, minimedlas are in order if the wearer chooses--not required, but certainly appropriate.

I also have no problems with the wearing of fraternal medals if desired. I wear both an EGA and/or a square-and-compass almost always, whether I am in a suit or ridng a Harley. There are very fine pieces of jewelry available from my fraternity, and I imagine others also have appropriate medals.

I don't think anyone was actually offended by Detroitpete's comments, but "garish" and "doorman" and "deposed dictoator" do tend to rankel the veteran who is quite rightly proud of his service. I rarely wear any kind of military medal anymore--maybe to the Marine Corps Ball if I go--but I applaud those who do. Besides, the real heroes make my paltry array look rather insignificant.

Finally, I agree that black hose are the lesser of the possible choices. A good navy blue with red garters or flashes always look nice for evening attire, but red or green work well, too. Just be sure to show us pictures.

[EHCAlum]

Of course the Army is different: it's the Army! (Just a little interservice rivalry joke!)

I also have no problems with the wearing of fraternal medals if desired. I wear both an EGA and/or a square-and-compass almost always, whether I am in a suit or ridng a Harley. There are very fine pieces of jewelry available from my fraternity, and I imagine others also have appropriate medals.

Same here, I almost always wear the 50 year old square and compass pin my coach present me when I was raised, or a roman eagle and triangle.

Navy is good, or perhaps a midnight blue or a dark purple?

[macwilkin]

Early on in the colonization of India British officers took to wearing cummerbunds as part of their uniform. Long worn by the native Indians, the cummerbund was useful for holding an extra brace of pistols back in the day when an officer carried two single shot pistols in holsters hung from the pommel of his saddle. To prevent the pistols from becoming snagged in the cummerbund the pleats faced up, allowing for a smooth and rapid draw.

As the Indian Army was the the first to adopt mess dress uniforms (with abbreviated coats in deference to the heat) it was only natural that the cummerbund-- a distinctive item of Indian army dress-- would replace the waistcoat. Officers returning home from India on leave would wear their mess dress uniforms on board ship, and the cummerbund soon caught on with civilians who had been "out East".

Interestingly, U.S. Army regulations stipulate that the pleats of the cummerbund face down.

And to further Rathdown's second paragraph, there is still "Red Sea Rig":

"The voyage was uneventful. I can recall the humid heat of the tropics and the Red sea and the discomfort of mess dress - Red Sea rig - white shirt with epaulettes and long blue trousers with a black scarf as a cummerbund - stifling!"

-- http://samilitaryhistory.org/diaries/nat5.html

http://www.royalmarinesbands.co.uk/r...nRedsearig.htm

T.

[MacLowlife]

I agree wholeheartedly about black hose being nearly as bad as white. Drac, if you are going to wear Lamont, why not invest in a pair of blue and black diced hose from the Scottish Tartans Museum? They are custom done so probably not available in time for this year's ball, but I think they'd be very sharp indeed.

[Drac]

I have a set of blue I got from Matt a little while ago but the have gotten a bit tight and I am hoping that the Mom-in-law gets the hand done ones finished soon.

Though my wife has put her foot down. When wearing a tartan I am forbiddion under the "Oh shot me now clause" of our marrage (it forbids things like going out of the house in curlers) of wearing another patterned item. There will be no hound's tooth jacket with a kilt and argyle hose.

Jim

[Drac]

Picked up the bow tie and a new tux shirt. Took about 15 trys to get it tied right but I got it.

So the gear looks to be the PC, waist coat, tux shirt, bow tie, Lamont kilt, dress hunter sporran, blue hose, red garters. gillies and mini medals. No covers to be brought to event, uniform or otherwise. All Navy Balls have been this way. You should see the expression of some of the senoir guys waking from their car to the venue without a cover .

Thanks for all the help.

Depends on the Burns Supper -- some are full formal affairs, others are more casual. Remember Burns himself was a soldier -- a member of the Dumfries Volunteers -- and spoke of soldiers regularly in his poems.

Since my g-g-grandfather carried a copy of Burns with him when he served with the 11th Iowa Infantry in the Civil War, I have no issue with wearing my SUV and MOLLUS minis -- some may think that garish, but horses for courses.

T.

The main reason I wouldn't wear medals to a Burn's Dinner is at a Military ball I am there representing the military but at a Burn's Dinner while sometimes may have a military air about it I wouldn't be representing the military. I do take a little bit of pride in my sevice I try not to turn it into a "HEY LOOK AT ME" sort of thing. Just my personal feeling but that seems to demean or cheapen what the medals mean.

Jim

[davidlpope]

Though my wife has put her foot down. When wearing a tartan I am forbiddion under the "Oh shot me now clause" of our marrage (it forbids things like going out of the house in curlers) of wearing another patterned item. There will be no hound's tooth jacket with a kilt and argyle hose.

That's really too bad. I find that traditional highland dress is chock full of mixing different patterns!

Here's a great photo of Maclean of Dochgarroch showing how well this works:

[macwilkin]

The main reason I wouldn't wear medals to a Burn's Dinner is at a Military ball I am there representing the military but at a Burn's Dinner while sometimes may have a military air about it I wouldn't be representing the military. I do take a little bit of pride in my sevice I try not to turn it into a "HEY LOOK AT ME" sort of thing. Just my personal feeling but that seems to demean or cheapen what the medals mean.

Jim

We'll agree to disagree then. As I mentioned, Burns himself was a soldier, and the traditions of the Burns Supper have followed Scottish soldiers to many a battlefield, the most recent being Iraq. I don't see where a function honouring the national poet of Scotland, who volunteered to defend his country from possible invasion "demeans or cheapens" the meaning of medals. My friends who are ex-servicemen, btw, do not wear their medals at our Burns Suppers as a "hey, look at me!" thing -- they wear them to honour Pte. Burns of the Dumfries Volunteers, and the many Jocks who have stood beside us in a common cause of freedom. Burns even honoured our first C-in-C, General Washington, with a poem.

Not to mention that one of the first Burns Suppers was held by NCOs and other ranks of the Argyll Militia in 1801, giving the Burns Supper tradition a military origin.

T.

[Drac]

We'll agree to disagree then.

Nothing wrong with that.

As I said it is a personal feeling. It may change over time time and it may have been a bad example. How about I would wear medals to a black tie corporate event?

Jim