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Dress instructions | Annex B Mess dress – No. 2

  1. Introduction
    1. This annex and Figures 5B1-1 to 5B1-8 describe mess dress. Tailoring specifications may be obtained through normal supply channels from NDHQ/DSSPM.
    2. Further details on universal Army No. 2 mess dress patterns and their authorized variations are in Appendix 1.
    3. No. 2A is an allowed option for summer/tropical wear unless restricted by branches/regiments. No. 2A order is as for No. 2 order, except the jacket, mess dress, white replaces the jacket, mess dress, navy blue, scarlet, rifle green, or air force blue. See also paragraph 2. and sub-sub-paragraph 8.d.(4). Men’s and women’s white jackets are single patterns (Navy, Army, Air Force), without facing colours or other variations. Universal shoulder boards are worn in the following colours:
      1. Navy – navy blue (i.e. black – flag officers covered in gold lace);
      2. Army – midnight blue with 12.7mm gold lace border (General Officer’s Only); and
      3. Air Force– air force blue.
  2. Cummerbunds and Waistcoats. Cummerbunds or waistcoats shall conform to the distinctive colours and design information in this annex, including Appendices 1 and 2. Waistcoats, where authorized, are worn with No. 2 order, and cummerbunds are worn otherwise, during the summer, in the tropics, and with No. 2A order.
  3. Accessories.See Annex E.
  4. Honours and Flying and Specialist Skill Insignia. Miniature orders, decorations and medals and a single miniature flying or specialist skill badge are worn on Nos. 2 and 2A mess dress jackets. MID and Commendation insignia are worn in accordance with Chapter 4 paragraph 18.
  5. Headdress. Headdress is not worn with orders of mess dress.
  6. No. 2B Order
    1. No. 2B mess service is an optional uniform for wear by the following personnel in preference to No. 3 service dress on occasions when mess dress is considered appropriate:
      1. newly commissioned Regular Force officers during the six months accorded them to obtain mess dress; and
      2. all other members.
    2. Air Force members may be ordered to wear heavyweight or lightweight uniform items with No. 2B Order. Heavy and lightweight uniform items shall not be mixed.
    3. Jacket is worn as for service dress order No. 3, including undress ribbons and flying and specialist skill badges. Name tag is not worn.
    4. Headdress is not worn.
  7. No. 2C Order. Worn on shipboard only. Army and Air Force members may modify Navy shoulder boards with their environmental cloth and double slip-on loops.
  8. No. 2D Order. May be worn by Air Force members as No. 2 order.
  9. Obsolete Mess Dress. Obsolete patterns of mess dress are not authorized for wear by CAF members.
  10. Outerwear. The following outerwear may be worn or carried with mess dress as appropriate:
    1. topcoat (gabardine) or:
      1. for Navy officers of the rank of captain(N) or above, the optional boat cloak, and
      2. for Army regiments possessing full dress outerwear, capes or greatcoats; raincoat, lightweight
    2. gloves, leather black ( worn with the topcoat (gabardine) during the period winter dress instructions are in effect), and otherwise:
      1. white gloves with the boat cloak,
      2. for Army members, gloves white/black in accordance with branch/regimental custom,
      3. for Air Force members, white gloves as ordered, and
      4. gloves (white or black) are not worn with No. 2A or 2C orders.
    3. overshoes, rain or snow (including low or toe rubbers);
    4. rain bonnet;
    5. scarf; and
    6. umbrella
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