# Female Mess Dress Shirt



## exgunnertdo (21 Apr 2008)

Anyone out there ever find a source for a good quality Mess Dress Shirt (female)?   I have had 5 or 6 during my career and they never fit right, they're thin, cheap polyester, the buttons turn colours, the collar doesn't sit right, and so on...   It annoys me to no end to pay nearly a grand for mess kit and have to wear a piece of junk shirt under it.

I am considering taking my current one to a dressmaker to see if I can get a good one made.  Anyone ever done that?  My other option is to wear the men's tux shirt and bow tie, which I am considering now that I've had it with the Canex shirt.

Related question - to whom would I direct complaints about the shirt?  I've looked at the shirts I have (still have a few) and they're all made by different manufacturers.  Does Canex contract for these shirts or is there someone in the system that deals with this.  I'd be happy to pay more if it would just fit and look right!


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## scoutfinch (21 Apr 2008)

I hear ya, sister!

I am contemplating taking my old one in to a good tailor here in Ottawa and having one made from non-see-through silk with tailoring sufficient to support proper (read decent quality) buttons so that the neck does not collapse down on to itself.

The Canex version is absolute garbage.  Unbelievable.

Now for my question:  can anyone recommend a good tailor in the Ottawa area?


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## Yrys (21 Apr 2008)

Slight civilian tangent : is there a Female Mess Dress that is a dress (robe) ?


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## scoutfinch (21 Apr 2008)

Jacket and Skirt (sometimes with waistcoat)

Jacket and pants (sometimes with waistcoat or cumberband)

No dress.


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## exgunnertdo (21 Apr 2008)

Hey scoutfinch - if you find a tailor in the NCR that can do it, let me know!  That's where I am too.  Maybe we can get a discount!!

Yrys - I was on a course a couple of years ago with a British army logistics officer and her mess uniform had a "ball gown" kind of look to it.  The skirt part was fuller, compared to ours, and made of a dressier material (ours is wool and/or doeskin).  Don't remember if it was one piece or two. [/tangent]


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## scoutfinch (21 Apr 2008)

Will do.


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## Blackadder1916 (21 Apr 2008)

exgunnertdo said:
			
		

> Yrys - I was on a course a couple of years ago with a British army logistics officer and her mess uniform had a "ball gown" kind of look to it.  The skirt part was fuller, compared to ours, and made of a dressier material (ours is wool and/or doeskin).  Don't remember if it was one piece or two. [/tangent]


It's a one piece dress.  The first picture is of an officer of the RMP.  The other two are of a RLC woman's mess kit that was for sale on eBay.


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## armyvern (21 Apr 2008)

exgunnertdo said:
			
		

> Anyone out there ever find a source for a good quality Mess Dress Shirt (female)?   I have had 5 or 6 during my career and they never fit right, they're thin, cheap polyester, the buttons turn colours, the collar doesn't sit right, and so on...   It annoys me to no end to pay nearly a grand for mess kit and have to wear a piece of junk shirt under it.
> 
> I am considering taking my current one to a dressmaker to see if I can get a good one made.  Anyone ever done that?  My other option is to wear the men's tux shirt and bow tie, which I am considering now that I've had it with the Canex shirt.
> 
> Related question - to whom would I direct complaints about the shirt?  I've looked at the shirts I have (still have a few) and they're all made by different manufacturers.  Does Canex contract for these shirts or is there someone in the system that deals with this.  I'd be happy to pay more if it would just fit and look right!



I'm still looking for the same thing.

Do up a UCR. Send samples of the polycrap material from your old ones --- send the manufacturer's labels too, all as part of the UCR. Make sure you get a copy to your Mess Committee respresentative (usually Base RSMs have the contact for this) along with a write-up as to why they suck so badly. 

I have 4 of them --- 3 different manufacturers, and, they ALL suck. See through is not appropriate -- one might as well be friggin' naked.


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## Yrys (21 Apr 2008)

Thanks for the pictures, Blackadder1916 .


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## armyvern (21 Apr 2008)

Yrys said:
			
		

> Thanks for the pictures, Blackadder1916 .



No pics were taken of me in mine Saturday night -- thankfully.  :-X  :-\

I was a 'lil bit ill on Sunday.


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## Yrys (21 Apr 2008)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> No pics were taken of me in mine Saturday night -- thankfully.  :-X  :-\



Somebody could always pencil something    ...

(Come on people, it's not like you _don't_ want it  > )


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## Ecco (25 Apr 2008)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> Do up a UCR. Send samples of the polycrap material from your old ones --- send the manufacturer's labels too, all as part of the UCR. Make sure you get a copy to your Mess Committee respresentative (usually Base RSMs have the contact for this) along with a write-up as to why they suck so badly.



I talked to some of the CF textile ladies about this.  The authorized dress shirts, for male and female, were chosen about 20 years ago.  The Canadian Forces Dress Committee, under the supervision of the Director of History and Heritage (DHH), used a survey to ask preferences to the general population of the CF.  I am pretty sure that fashion, preferences and textiles have changed a lot since then.  Doing a UCR would probably force the CF Dress Committee to put out a new survey for new approved mess shirts on their agenda.


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## Gunner98 (25 Apr 2008)

Ladies, I suggest - Mario the Master Tailor in Ottawa as he designs all CF Mess dress 'patterns'.  His website offers "Custom made shirts are another specialty service"  

http://www.mariomastertailor.com/
Location
Mario Master Tailor
389 Gladstone Avenue
Ottawa Ontario Canada
K2P 0Y9

Telephone (613) 232-5922 eMail: Mario@MarioMasterTailor.com


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## 40below (26 Apr 2008)

My BIL had his mess dress made at Andrei's, which has one place in Kingston but other locations around the country. I would assume since they can do bespoke, they can do better than Canex:

http://www.andreitailors.com/military_contact-frame.html


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## cavalryman (26 Apr 2008)

Frostnipped Elf said:
			
		

> Ladies, I suggest - Mario the Master Tailor in Ottawa as he designs all CF Mess dress 'patterns'.  His website offers "Custom made shirts are another specialty service"
> 
> http://www.mariomastertailor.com/
> Location
> ...



I can vouch for his work.  He made my current mess kit, and funnily enough has my mess kit tunic right now for some alterations.  Excellent work - not cheap but you get what you pay for.  When I dropped my jacket off on Monday, he had half a dozen mess kits and navy whites on the go.


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## Oldgateboatdriver (22 Jan 2016)

cavalryman said:
			
		

> I can vouch for his work.  He made my current mess kit, and funnily enough has my mess kit tunic right now for some alterations.  Excellent work - not cheap but you get what you pay for.  When I dropped my jacket off on Monday, he had half a dozen mess kits and navy whites on the go.



Over indulged during the holidays, did you? [:-[


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