Royal Corps of Signals Mess Dress - Female
Female Signals Mess Dress with prescribed jacket and gown, three-pleat black dress-material cummerbund and branch-specific rank; no male vest, bow tie or separate stiff collar.
Composition
Description
Specification
Gender
Female
Pattern
Female Signals Mess Dress with prescribed jacket and gown, three-pleat black dress-material cummerbund and branch-specific rank; no male vest, bow tie or separate stiff collar.
Legwear options
Choose the existing skirt, dress or female-cut trouser outfit, or Mess Dress Trousers. These are alternative outfits, not additional garments to wear together. Retain any rank, appointment, occasion and pattern conditions; select footwear and fittings to match the chosen legwear.
Fittings & Lead Times
Measurements are taken and fittings overseen by Geoffrey Golding at the St Albans workroom, with each garment checked throughout the making process for fit, balance, finish and correct detail. Lead time is typically 8-12 weeks, depending on workshop capacity, fitting requirements and the date required.
Dress specification
Uniform composition
The articles that make up this order of dress. Separately listed pieces are available below; included pieces form part of the uniform itself. Where alternatives are shown, select the authorised combination for the wearer, rank and occasion—they are not all worn together.
Jacket or tunic
- Royal Corps of Signals Mess Kit Dress
Included in the WordPress uniform parent: Royal Corps of Signals Mess Kit Dress.
Dress rule
RequiredGoldings listing
Not separately listedTrousers, overalls, skirt or equivalent
Choose one authorised option
- Mess Dress Trousers
Choose one lower-garment outfit. The existing skirt/dress or female-cut trousers remain available, with the matching male-pattern trousers or overalls offered as alternatives by Goldings. Rank, appointment, occasion and mounted-duty conditions remain specific to each option.
Dress rule
RequiredGoldings listing
Some options listedShirt
The female local No. 10 pattern is a one-piece dress and has no separate shirt product.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableTie, bow tie or collar
Remove separate stiff-wing-collar relationships from this Signals outfit; retain optional attached winged-collar Marcella shirt for men, with no female link.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Not separately listedShoes or boots
- Women’s Black Court Shoes
Supplied as a separately displayed Goldings product.
Dress rule
RequiredGoldings listing
Listed separatelySocks, stockings or tights
- Authorised stockings or tights
Hosiery follows the selected lower garment and footwear under the cited dress rule; no separate Goldings product is asserted.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Not separately listedGloves
Not part of the standard composition for this role and order of dress.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableHeaddress
- Royal Corps of Signals Female No. 1 Hat
Forage cap only if necessary; blue and khaki caps remain distinct.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Listed separatelyRank
Select the authorised insignia for the wearer’s rank
- Black Metal Crowns — No. 1 and Mess Patterns
- Black Metal Bath Stars — No. 1 and Mess Patterns
- Gold Embroidered Stars — Scarlet Backing
- 3/8 Inch Gold Embroidered Stars
- 5/8 Inch Gold Embroidered Crowns — Scarlet Backing
Main Signals only; garment-specific gold embroidered rank according to substantive rank. QGS uses small black metal rank. Queen’s Gurkha Signals only; small black-metal Mess pattern. Crown selected by substantive rank. Numerical size unspecified; do not substitute the separate 5/8-inch Service standard. Queen’s Gurkha Signals only; small black-metal Mess pattern. Star selected by substantive rank. Numerical size unspecified; do not substitute the separate 5/8-inch Service standard. Main Royal Signals female Mess jacket only: gold embroidered stars on scarlet shoulder straps, according to substantive rank. Excludes the gown and QGS. Main Royal Signals female gown only: nominal 3/8-inch gold embroidered stars with coloured detail on navy/black silk-crepe gown epaulettes, selected by substantive rank. Excludes jacket and QGS. Main Signals female Mess jacket only: gold crown on scarlet for crown-bearing ranks; excludes gown and QGS.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Listed separatelyRank carrier
- Authorised rank carrier for the wearer and garment
The rank carrier depends on the wearer and authorised garment construction under the cited rule.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Not separately listedBadges and insignia
- Royal Corps of Signals Officer Collar Badges
Main Royal Signals only; QGS collar device is separate.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Listed separatelyButtons
Choose one authorised option
- QGS Black Mercury 30 Ligne Button
- Mounted Garment Button
- Royal Corps of Signals Officer Mess Dress 22-Ligne Mounted Epaulette Button
Add 24-ligne soldier-pattern variant to main Signals male NCO vest; retain mounted officer/WO1 version and avoid projecting vest fittings into female gown or QGS no-vest dress.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Some options listedSword
Not part of the standard composition for this role and order of dress.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableScabbard
Not part of the standard composition for this role and order of dress.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableSword knot
Not part of the standard composition for this role and order of dress.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableSword belt, slings or frog
Not part of the standard composition for this role and order of dress.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableWaistcoat or cummerbund
- Dress-Material Cummerbund
- QGS Grant Tartan Cummerbund
Black dress-material cummerbund, three downward pleats, in the prescribed female outfit; not the generic all-tartan substitution.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Not separately listedBelt or sash
Not part of the standard composition for this role and order of dress.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableShoulder cords, chains or other details
- Authorised shoulder cords, chains or details
Shoulder cords, chains or other details depend on the authorised local pattern.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Not separately listedBraces or trouser support
This exact composition is skirt-only, so braces or other trouser support are not used.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableSpurs
This exact composition is skirt-only, so spurs and spur-box footwear are not used.
Dress rule
Not wornGoldings listing
Not applicableMedals and decorations
- Orders, decorations and medals as entitled
Orders, decorations and medals are selected by individual entitlement and the occasion.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Not separately listedLanyard or aiguillette
- Authorised lanyard or aiguillette where entitled
A lanyard or aiguillette is worn only where local custom or individual entitlement requires it.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Not separately listedDress-specific accessories
- Additional authorised item for the occasion
Any additional accessory is controlled by the cited occasion or local dress rule.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Not separately listedaiguillettes
- No. 3 Staff Aiguillettes
Offer the same No.3 Staff pattern conditionally, only for an entitled ADC/Military Assistant/Flag Lieutenant appointment and official duty during that appointment; ordinary officer status alone confers no entitlement.
Dress rule
When applicableGoldings listing
Listed separatelyRelated accoutrements
Complete
the uniform
Garments and accoutrements supplied to complete this order of dress.
Badges & Insignia
Royal Corps of Signals Officer Collar Badges
Conditional · Main Royal Signals only; QGS collar device is separate.
Buttons
QGS Black Mercury 30 Ligne Button
Conditional · QGS officer epaulette fitting only.
Footwear
Women’s Black Court Shoes
Required · Female Mess Dress footwear
Hats
Royal Corps of Signals Female No. 1 Hat
Conditional · Forage cap only if necessary; blue and khaki caps remain distinct.
Rank
3/8 Inch Gold Embroidered Stars
Conditional · Main Royal Signals female gown only: nominal 3/8-inch gold embroidered stars with coloured detail on navy/black silk-crepe gown epaulettes, selected by substantive rank. Excludes jacket and QGS.
Rank
5/8 Inch Gold Embroidered Crowns — Scarlet Backing
Conditional · Main Signals female Mess jacket only: gold crown on scarlet for crown-bearing ranks; excludes gown and QGS.
Rank
Black Metal Bath Stars — No. 1 and Mess Patterns
Conditional · QGS only; ordinary No. 1, Service or Mess black-rank pattern, according to substantive rank. Ceremonial No. 1 uses gilt.
Rank
Black Metal Crowns — No. 1 and Mess Patterns
Conditional · QGS only; ordinary No. 1, Service or Mess black-rank pattern, according to substantive rank. Ceremonial No. 1 uses gilt.
Rank
Gold Embroidered Stars — Scarlet Backing
Conditional · Main Signals only; garment-specific gold embroidered rank according to substantive rank. QGS uses small black metal rank.
Shoulder Details
No. 3 Staff Aiguillettes
Conditional · Offer the same No.3 Staff pattern conditionally, only for an entitled ADC/Military Assistant/Flag Lieutenant appointment and official duty during that appointment; ordinary officer status alone confers no entitlement.
Trousers, Skirts & Dresses
Mess Dress Trousers
Conditional · Optional trouser/overall outfit in place of the skirt or dress outfit; retain the matching pattern, rank, appointment and wearing conditions.