# Mess Dress



## Gunnar (18 Mar 2022)

Curious as to what is required to obtain mess dress.  I am CIC branch.  Is my tailor likely to know what is required in terms of buttons, rank insignia and the like?  Is there a choice of materials, or is it all pretty much status quo?  Any suggestions or things I should think about?

Figured I could just go to Andrei Tailor, but would like to know a bit before I go...


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## dimsum (18 Mar 2022)

Gunnar said:


> Curious as to what is required to obtain mess dress.  I am CIC branch.  Is my tailor likely to know what is required in terms of buttons, rank insignia and the like?  Is there a choice of materials, or is it all pretty much status quo?  Any suggestions or things I should think about?
> 
> Figured I could just go to Andrei Tailor, but would like to know a bit before I go...


Where are you located?  Andrei isn't the only tailor around.


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## rmc_wannabe (18 Mar 2022)

Gunnar said:


> Curious as to what is required to obtain mess dress.  I am CIC branch.  Is my tailor likely to know what is required in terms of buttons, rank insignia and the like?  Is there a choice of materials, or is it all pretty much status quo?  Any suggestions or things I should think about?
> 
> Figured I could just go to Andrei Tailor, but would like to know a bit before I go...


Andrei is good and will source all accoutrement required. You will pay for this convenience though.

Also, they have been doing mess kit since Christ was trained on the Bren gun. They know every regulation and nuance imaginable. Some tailors won't.

Honestly, it's a 2K investment that your mileage will vary on. Depends what you want to get out of it.


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## Gunnar (18 Mar 2022)

GTA Region.  I know a tailor is a tailor, but figure one who does volume would know a lot of stuff - but I’m entirely open to ideas and suggestions.  This is the recce portion of this exercise.


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## dimsum (18 Mar 2022)

rmc_wannabe said:


> Honestly, it's a 2K investment that your mileage will vary on. Depends what you want to get out of it.


$2k?!  Prices have really gone up since I got mine.  Obviously each element's mess kit is different though.

@Gunnar  - in your case Andrei might be the way to go, but maybe ask the folks at CFC?  They might know some GTA tailors.


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## Gunplumber (19 Mar 2022)

Make sure you know what pattern to get. CIC will have special conditions as they have no trade so you cant get go for an Infantry one as there are differences in types of mess dress. You might want to see if its actually worth if as the cadet system doesn't have many times  where they wear it. Ive been working with COATS for 4 years and there was only one time where I wore Mess Dress.


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## quadrapiper (20 Mar 2022)

Gunplumber said:


> Make sure you know what pattern to get. CIC will have special conditions as they have no trade so you cant get go for an Infantry one as there are differences in types of mess dress. You might want to see if its actually worth if as the cadet system doesn't have many times  where they wear it. Ive been working with COATS for 4 years and there was only one time where I wore Mess Dress.


There's a CIC Army mess dress pattern; very "Army Generic." Agreed on being sure it'll be worth it; I'd never buy new as CIC (scavenged an RCN set secondhand - Navy and Air have it much easier on that front). On that note, always worth reaching out within the branch and seeing if anyone's releasing who might be close enough in size for alterations.


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