No.1 / Dress Uniforms

[Stevie_Nottm]

Kinda random, but searching generally for an answer to a friends question and google didn't pull up any results so thought i'd ask here.

In the Fire Service, both male and female FF's wear the same dress uniform for occasions. Trousers, Shirt, Jacket, Cap, etc, this isn't AFAIK, the case in other uniformed services where women still wear a skirt for such occasions and certainly I think the military, the uniform is gender specific - skirt or trousers.

Was this always the case in the Fire Service or did this change at some point. I've never known otherwise, but guess in the 80's, maybe 90's this must have changed to be as we are now where everyone would wear trousers?

[Dyson]

We call it undress, and females can and do wear skirts if they want to. 

[Carl]

Something I have never looked at before. However, I don't recall seeing any of our female firefighters wearing skirts as part of what we also call undress. I would imagine its available to them should they wish. I will ask and see if they do. 

Our female firefighters are on the increase, but we have very few compared to other services.

[Becile]

Ive only ever seen our control ladies with skirts on

[Messyshaw]

@Becile I believe you mate🙄

[Becile]

I probably could have worded that better 🤫

[Rory-495]

I've heard a rumour that LFB may be adjusting the uniform as an optional change to female undress (e.g. the same hats as those worn  by control ops for female FF)

[Aspire]

Dany Cotton always wore the same hat as female Control Room Officers.

Female firefighters in London can have trousers, skirt or one of each.

[Carl]

Thats interesting. Was their any particular reason why Dany did that, as opposed to wearing the CFO / Commissioner hat ?

Just curious more than anything. 

[Aspire]

I think it was literally preference as it is a woman’s hat. I only ever saw her in that even from before she was Chief.

[Healdav]

On 04/05/2021 at 01:32, Dyson said:

We call it undress, and females can and do wear skirts if they want to. 

Surely they would have taken them off?

[Messyshaw]

1 hour ago, Aspire said:

I only ever saw her in that even from before she was Chief.

First Becile and now you!!!😍

What are you guys having for breakfast......... and where can I buy some?🙄

[Percy]

Can I just point out she didn’t wear a hat! My OCD is crippling me tonight! 😂🥴

In Surrey we had individually made No 1s by RMA Sandhursts military tailors, Samuels Brothers. To say you looked ‘smart’ was a bit wide of the mark.

It was quite an experience standing there half naked on the very spot that some of the Country’s finest leaders had stood on, equally in their underpants too 😂

When I moved back home I got the GI from stores and was a bit underwhelmed and rang Samuels to see if I could come down and have a new pair made this time in the style of GMFRS but better material and obviously tailored to buy myself.

When they told me the cost I decided against selling a kidney to east European gangsters in order to pay for it 🥴😳😂

[Messyshaw]

I think the LFB tailors were the same people who make coverall chemical protection suits 

At least they must use the same patterns as my last made to measure suit had a bloody big Quasimodo size hump in the jacket

I could have worn a BA set and the sleeves would have still fitted. A bit embarrassing,  especially as I was in Fire Safety and included on my patch was....... Saville Row 😳😳

Needless to say, the jacket went to the charity shop 

[Dyson]

Messy, the tailors thing…. We are all having to get our uniforms tailored privately (you can claim the money back) now until they find a new tailor to look after us. Rumour has it that the old tailor did a bunk with the loot. Of course that’s probably a made up story  and aspire is gonna have to tell me off for saying it 😀❤️