How has the debate got this far - talking about Roman Legionaires wearing skirts… without mention of our whisky drinking friends in the North? 
[quote=“tango_lima” post=6419] why:
- do female cadets rarely get issued trousers?
- do members of staff (usually male ones) have such a fit at the thought of them wearing them?
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to answer your direct questions
in my experience:
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Slacks although found in stores, are in the minority against the skirts for what reason i dont know. in my experience girls preer skirts and i guess the Stores officer orders uniform to suit. if any female request slacks they are found/ordered but this rarely happens. are females get the option to have slacks in addition to their skirt if they wish (not an automatic issue because of the above, ie lack of available stock)
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pass. i have no issues with females wearing slacks, many female Staff do and it doesnt bother me, and i must admit it is a rare sight to see a female Cadet in slacks but i have no issue with it as it is scaled for, approved and thus permitted.
as for the uniform in pubs/clubs after parade. this is a “no no” although i understand can be excused if informing your CO who will then determine if it is suitable. a club? certainly not. a local pub for a quiet one after parade, crack on ie providing the scenario will not present a risk to the individual or the image of the uniform then a CO can permit it.
i for example visit my local RBL after parade and am more than welcome (providing headress is removed) by all
Any lack of stock is an issue created by the unit itself, probably due to not issuing the things in the first place.
Seeing as every female cadet is entitled to a pair, there’s no reason why they can’t get a pair ordered from their parent station. I appreciate that people don’t go to their parent station every week, but there’s no reason why the slacks can’t be picked up eventually.
[quote=“MattB” post=6523]Any lack of stock is an issue created by the unit itself, probably due to not issuing the things in the first place.
Seeing as every female cadet is entitled to a pair, there’s no reason why they can’t get a pair ordered from their parent station. I appreciate that people don’t go to their parent station every week, but there’s no reason why the slacks can’t be picked up eventually.[/quote]
At my squadron we order slacks for all new female cadets, but the cadet has usually left before they arrive! This might be because of the large variety of sizes, but it’s common to wait over a year for a pair of slacks.
But then surely you’d have a huge collection of slacks available on the unit?
and i cant deny that, but with limited space it is hard to justify holding adequate stock of kit that no one wants. like i say if requested it is ordered if the Sqn stock doesnt fit.
in much the same vien how many CI Armbands to Sqn’s have in their store room?
Alternatively, issue it to the cadets whether they want it or not? That way it’s not taking up space in stores, and when a suitable occasion for it’s wear (e.g. slacks for flying) comes up it’s a simple case of the cadets wearing it - rather than having to order it in and then issue it out in time to fulfill that need.
Alternatively, issue it to the cadets whether they want it or not? That way it’s not taking up space in stores, and when a suitable occasion for it’s wear (e.g. slacks for flying) comes up it’s a simple case of the cadets wearing it - rather than having to order it in and then issue it out in time to fulfill that need.[/quote]
i see your point but hardly much point in issuing kit that doesnt fit though.
as for slacks for flying, our girls have always gone with tracksuit bottoms or similar and changed into them.
please note i am all for girls being issued both and wearing either, but it seems pointless supplying something that isnt in demand. i’ll repeat: we offer them to females when their uniform is issued, if a female wants them and we dont have any that fit they can be ordered in thus filling that demand but it so rarely happens is not a top priority
Surely, its a little silly having them change into tracksuit bottoms, when they can have perfectly suitable uniform trousers/slacks…? Might not be seen as fashionable by the girls… but its uniform.
As wdi says, issue them anyway and when occasions such as AEF comes up, the girls get told that the dress for the day is uniform trousers.
E voila! They all look the same and no p*ssing about getting changed and wasting time.
There’s too much of this: 'but I don’t want them ‘cos I don’t like them’ about. ‘Sign here - you’re having them anyway’ should be the response.
But the fact the dress regs are so vague is why I wouldn’t make an issue of it. There are far more important things in the world, IMO.
It’s not a matter of whether they look like women or not, it’s how they feel in themselves in certain circumstances. My wife wears trousers all the time, but when we go out, she puts on a dress. It’s like us chaps, sometimes a suit or at least jacket and tie, is the right thing to wear and to wear anything else doesn’t feel quite right, although that might just be a personal thing, due to the way I was dragged up.
No uniform should be worn in any pub/bar after a parade night on Sqn
- Occasions on which uniform is not to be worn:
a. Visits to licensed premises (including when not consuming alcohol), except when specifically approved through the OC Wg / Wg Ex O / Sqn Ldr
CCF HQAC.
If peole dont follow the dress regs might as well get rid of the uniform and become a youth club.
i would agree, and i am sure those girls who do have slacks chose that route…but why does our local AEF have a specific changing room if it didnt expect people to change? i myself change(d) into shorts before putting on the grow bag as i’d get too hot.
again i repeat i am not against females in slacks, however in my experience, when offered girls rarely take them at our Squadron despite being offered to try on a pair to check for size, and if not fitting we can order in.
I refer you to my last post. Tell them its non-negotiable and that they WILL take them.
fair point but doesnt mean they’ll ever wear them…
But the fact the dress regs are so vague is why I wouldn’t make an issue of it. There are far more important things in the world, IMO.
It’s not a matter of whether they look like women or not, it’s how they feel in themselves in certain circumstances. My wife wears trousers all the time, but when we go out, she puts on a dress. It’s like us chaps, sometimes a suit or at least jacket and tie, is the right thing to wear and to wear anything else doesn’t feel quite right, although that might just be a personal thing, due to the way I was dragged up.[/quote]
I don’t disagree with the above…but I get the feeling you’re missing the point. I suppose it makes more sense if you already know the FS in question.
[quote]
steve679 wrote:
[however in my experience, when offered girls rarely take them at our Squadron despite being offered to try on a pair to check for size
I refer you to my last post. Tell them its non-negotiable and that they WILL take them. [/quote]
I think I’ve worn blues (ie: no. 2) once in the last three years and I’m not likely to wear them again soon. Most blokes on the squadron have never worn them. We still have to store the things.
Although I would have been interested to see the look on the massive Scottish supply sergeant’s face if we’d turned around and gone “No thanks, don’t want them”
Edit to add: Who are these girls who want to wear skirts all the time? The only reason this thread ever got started was because of female cadets having to pretty much fight to get issued slacks where I am. I have never spoken to a female cadet who wouldn’t rather wear trousers for routine working dress. Seriously.
My sisters never wear the slacks. They both really dislike the cut. My youngest sister will wear male trousers when it’s cold, they fit her better because she’s so thin. The concensus on my unit is they prefer skirts, particularly the unpleated skirts.
If they’re ordered to for say, AEF, they will have to.
I’m not saying that they should be ordered to wear the damn things all the time but only on appropriate occasions.
No uniform in licensed premises.
Of course, this also applies to Tesco, Asda and any other place that sells alcohol. :S
That makes the milk run slightly more difficult.
And bag packing…