okay going to the USMC Ball....

[GatorUK]

Agreed it is a great jacket. Very similar to the white one I have and they do work great with kilts.

However I am not sure that a USMC Ball is the right place to be using a uniform jacket in a way other than designed and a NAVY one at that! With the USMC tartan I think that would be a faux pas.

If there is no military insignia and the buttons have been replaced (which is very easily done with this jacket) it is no longer a uniform item and can be worn by anyone. The addition of square pewter buttons would make it almost indistinguishable from a PC. Marine SNCO's have a similar jacket for dinner dress. The problem with that is it has red bordered epaulettes and is a dark blue vice black and would stand out as a uniform item. As far as being a "Navy" item, remember, the USMC is part of the Department of the Navy.

[Chef]

As far as being a "Navy" item, remember, the USMC is part of the Department of the Navy.

Don't tell that to the marine Corps.

I agree if the jacket is "demilitarised" it is not a uniform and so may be worn by anyone. My point is while I think the jacket is a great idea (I own a white mess dress one myself) , I think it is better suited for a civillian gathering where most will not realise you are wearing a uniform jacket.

[Sir Robert]

The problem is that there is a lot of overlap between formal civillian wear and formal dress uniforms. There is a lot of incest here as uniforms follow civillian styles and civillians follow... you guessed it, military styles.

Take a good look at scottish men's jackets and you will see a link to military jackets.

The afore mentioned uniform company also makes "Ike" jackets for civilian police use. No if

[Sir Robert]

If you are a civillian the Navy Jacket would still be OK if you changed the buttons and removed all of the colored piping (gold trim) and shoulder boards. Oddly it is the buttons and trim that makes an otherwise civillian coat into a uniform anyway.

If you are reserves or active military you will have to wear the uniform as close to regulation as possable with a kilt. There are dozens of photographs of Sergeants Major wearing the kilt with their dress uniforms so it can be done. The Army Band has pipers in kilts but there is no regulation allowing them (SGMs & pipers) to wear the kilt, then again there isn't any prohibitation on the kilt in the regs either.

If you are a retiree wear what you want. Retirees fall into the grey area of being both civillians and military at the same time and neither. US Federal law allows veterians to wear the uniform. Not just today's uniform but the one that you wore historically even though that would be against regulations. So that effectively (by law) retirees are NOT subject to regulations.

[Riverkilt]

Aye GatorUK,

Just saw a bumper sticker that pointed out that the Marines were a department of the Navy....THE MEN'S DEPARTMENT....

Semper Fi,
Ron
E-1 '65-'66