The uniforms of the Royal Navy have evolved gradually since the first uniform regulations for officers were issued in 1748. The predominant colours of Royal Navy uniforms are navy blue and white. Since reforms in 1997 male and female ratings have worn the same ceremonial uniform.National Archive page for naval uniforms
Royal Naval uniforms have served as the template for many maritime uniforms throughout the world, especially in the British Empire and Commonwealth. The uniforms of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the Maritime Volunteer Service, the Sea Cadet Corps, the Navy branch of the Combined Cadet Force and the Volunteer Cadet Corps, as well as modern uniforms of Trinity House, the Royal Australian Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Indian Navy are virtually identical to Royal Naval uniforms, with the exception of flashes at shoulder height and on rank slides. The Royal Canadian Navy on the other hand, does not wear dress uniforms similar to the Royal Navy anymore. In addition to the dress uniforms that is more similar to the U.S. Navy, the traditional sailor suit is no longer worn and some distinctly Canadian rank insignia and titles are used; e.g., master sailor.
History
Officers
Uniform regulations for officers were first issued by Lord Anson in 1748, and remained unchanged for nearly twenty years. Reportedly, the officers themselves advocated its adoption, as they "wished to be recognised as being in the service of the Crown."Rank and Style, National Maritime Museum The "best uniform", consisting of an embroidered blue coat with white facings, worn unbuttoned with white breeches and stockings, was worn for ceremonial occasions; the "working rig" was a simpler, less embroidered uniform for day-to-day use. In 1767 the best uniform was abolished and replaced by the working rig, with a simpler "undress" uniform for day-to-day use. By 1795, as a result of the French Revolutionary Wars, a plain blue "undress" coat had been introduced for everyday use, and epaulettes were officially introduced. By 1846, all officers wore epaulettes. The white facings came and went over the years, briefly becoming scarlet (1830-1843). Though stripes of lace on the cuffs had been used to distinguish the different ranks of admiral since 1795, the first version of current rank insignia, consisting of stripes with a "curl" in the top one, was introduced for all officers in 1856."The Dress of Naval Officers", National Maritime Museum, 1966
In 1825, the white breeches were replaced by trousers for officers serving in the United Kingdom, although the practice of wearing white trousers with naval uniforms (popularly known as "Wei-Wei Rig") continued for officers serving overseas (e.g. in the West Indies and China) until 1939. Throughout the nineteenth century, there was great variation; officers paid for their own uniforms, and often adapted it to fit civilian fashion of the time, as the Admiralty regulations were not highly prescriptive.
For service in tropical climates, a white tunic and trousers were introduced in 1877. During World War II, a blue working dress on the lines of battledress was approved. Until 1956, caps were worn with white covers in summer months, and a thicker black cover in the winter, before the white cap became standard all year round. This was partially reversed in 2021 for Royal Navy submarine officers only who, along with submarine qualified ratings, were authorised to wear caps with a black cover rather than white, year-round.
The distinctive white collar patch of the midshipman first appeared in 1758.
Ratings Uniform for ratings was first established in 1857. Prior to this, most seamen wore "slops", or ready-made clothing sold to the ship's crew by a contractor; many captains established general standards of appearance for the seamen on their vessel, but there was little or no uniformity between ships. On one occasion in 1853, the commanding officer of paid for his boat crews to dress as harlequins, an incident which may have contributed to the Admiralty's decision to adopt a standard uniform.
A number of changes have been introduced since the introduction of the first rating uniform, notably the removal of the blue jacket in 1890, and the replacement of bell-bottoms by flared trousers in 1977. In 1997 there was a major standardisation programme, meaning that all ratings now wear the same ceremonial uniform for the first time in history.
Present-day uniforms Present-day Royal Navy officers and ratings have several different uniforms; some are blue, others are white.
Officers
Ceremonial Day Dress
This is worn only by a few senior Officers (Admirals and Admirals of the Fleet, members of the Royal Family or Royal Household of Flag Rank, and the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom).RN dress regulations 2014, annex 39b In addition, in the past several members of the Royal Family below flag rank, most notably King Charles III and Andrew, the then Duke of York, wore this uniform whilst holding the ranks of commander and captain. It consists of a navy blue double-breasted tailcoat with standing collar faced white with gold edging, worn with gold shoulder boards, and gold laced blue trousers. Officers of the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, and also officers holding the appointments of First Sea Lord, Chief of the Defence Staff or the Defence Services Secretary (if a naval officer) wear a full dress sword belt embroidered with oak leaves; others wear a full dress sword belt with three stripes. It is worn at parades such as Lord High Admiral's Divisions (BRNC) or at state occasions. Introduced in 1960, it is essentially the same Full Dress uniform worn for ceremonial occasions before that date only with the cocked hat replaced by the peaked hat and the epaulettes replaced by shoulder boards, and without the cuff slash and gold lace on the rear pockets. The ceremonial day coats worn by women button up the opposite way, and the tricorn hat is worn instead of the peaked cap (as worn by Anne, Princess Royal).
No. 1 dress
This is the formal uniform worn on ceremonial occasions. For all commissioned officers it consists of a double-breasted, navy blue reefer jacket with four rows of two buttons, matching trousers, white shirt, black tie, peaked cap, black socks, and black leather shoes. It is divided into 1A (with medals and bearing arms), 1B (same as 1A, but without arms), and 1C (with medal ribbons). Female personnel may wear skirts except when carrying a sword or rifle. It was originally introduced in 1889 and was initially known as the "undress coat".
No. 2 dress This mess dress is worn in the evenings for dining. 2A is the formal evening dress for ceremonial dinners; it consists of a navy blue mess jacket with a white waistcoat (black cummerbund for female officers) with miniature medals. For officers of the rank of captain and above, a navy blue tailcoat (known as an "undress tailcoat") may optionally be worn in lieu of the mess jacket. For officers of these ranks, in addition, gold-laced trousers (known informally as "lightning conductors") may also be optionally worn either with the tailcoat or the mess jacket. 2B is "mess undress" for other mess functions, and is worn with either a black cummerbund or navy blue waistcoat and miniature medals. 2C, "red sea rig", is worn for informal evening wear on board ship; it consists of a white short sleeved shirt, worn with shoulder boards, without medals and with black trousers, black shoes and a black cummerbund.
No. 3 dress
This is worn all year round for general duties. It consists of a white shirt with rank insignia on the shoulders, and appropriate headgear. For officers 3A dress includes a long-sleeved shirt and tie, while 3B includes a short-sleeved shirt but without the tie. 3C is the same in all respects as 3A but with the addition of a navy blue thermal jacket, which replaced the woollen jersey (which may still be worn by personal choice). Shoulder boards may also be worn with 3B dress. The beret may be worn with this dress only on certain occasions or by certain organisations (for example, members of FOST).
No. 4 dress (RIG22 Dress)
The current Daily Working Rig and Action Working Dress (AWD) of the Royal Navy is RIG22, which was adopted Navy-wide in 2022, though roll-out and full issue was not complete in some areas until early 2026. The term "No. 4 Dress" is no longer used in Naval publications, or in day-to-day parlance.
RIG22 consists of a navy blue fire-retardant buttoned shirt, with a removable Velcro-backed name tape and rank insignia on the shoulders, (worn tucked in and with the sleeves rolled up or down depending on operational requirements and environmental conditions), navy blue beret, navy blue stable belt, navy blue fire-retardant trousers, black safety "steaming" boots (when at sea – combat boots may be worn ashore, or for boarding parties), and a black moisture-wicking T-shirt. Officers do not wear branch or specialisation badges. It also includes an optional inner thermal and a Gore-Tex outer jacket, which may be worn together or separately, and which retain the rank insignia placement on the centre chest from RNPCS.
RIG22 Relaxed is the optional relaxed version of RIG22 when at sea or in extremely hot conditions (>29 degrees Celsius), and consists of the RIG22 uniform but with the shirt either untucked or fully relaxed (removed). The peaked cap is worn with RIG22 for certain ceremonial occasions such as sunset ceremonies, guard duty, or entering and leaving harbour.
RIG22 was introduced as part of a £78 million programme to modernise Royal Navy uniforms and provide a uniform that was more comfortable in warmer climates, and is intended to be improved and iterated as requirements change. It replaced the Royal Navy Personal Clothing System (RNPCS) which was in service from 2015, which in turn replaced the old No. 4 (previously No. 8) Action Working Dress, which had been in service, with minor alterations, since the Second World War. Subsequent changes to the uniform (informally dubbed "RIG24") include a velcro-backed White Ensign on the sleeve as opposed to the previous sewn-on version, a broader name-tape, and narrower belt-loops on the trousers, with an accompanying thinner stable belt.
RIG22 is worn by all ranks and rates.
No. 5 dress No. 5 refers to the wide range of job-specific working kit worn by different personnel (e.g. medical, flight deck, boat crews, chefs, divers, etc.) for particular tasks. They are worn as required for duties. Included in this category is the Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP) PCS (personal clothing system) uniform.
White uniforms In the tropics on formal occasions officers wear a short sleeved white bush jacket with an open collar and shoulder boards, matching trousers, peaked cap and white leather shoes. Like temperate number 1 dress, it is divided into three categories: 1WA (with medals and when bearing arms), 1WB (with medals but when not bearing arms), and 1WC (with medal ribbons rather than medals and when not bearing arms.)
Officers above the rank of commander, and those holding certain appointments, may optionally wear instead a long-sleeved, high-necked white tunic, with five buttons down the front, worn with white trousers and white shoes. Other officers may be instructed to wear this uniform "when required to conform with accepted international standards of dress on state or major ceremonial occasions".
There is also a white version of No. 2 dress; gold-laced navy blue trousers may be optionally worn with white No. 2 dress by officers of the rank of captain and above.