Uniform Tips

When blousing your trousers, blouse them from the inside. This keeps the trousers from riding up or becoming unbloused.

1. Put on trousers
2. put on boots
3. Lower the trousers, create an inside cuff and wrap the blousing band* around your cuff and boot.
4. Raise trousers, buckle belt.
 The trousers will be taut when pulled up.

*Use the Velcro 1 inch blousing bands.

This is when goons from Cotton Incorporated showed up at my front door, attempted to smother me with a bag of cotton, and told me that I had to replace it with their "Cotton - the fabric of our lives" song.

Well, if they send Zooey Deschanel.........{wondering how many times I can type no cotton}

When blousing your trousers, blouse them from the inside. This keeps the trousers from riding up or becoming unbloused.

1. Put on trousers
2. put on boots
3. Lower the trousers, create an inside cuff and wrap the blousing band* around your cuff and boot.
4. Raise trousers, buckle belt.
 The trousers will be taut when pulled up.

*Use the Velcro 1 inch blousing bands.

Or you can place the issue GI bands into the cuff and crimp together.  Instant blousing and last for awhile. 
I agree velcro bands work wonders for blousing.

When blousing your trousers, blouse them from the inside. This keeps the trousers from riding up or becoming unbloused.

1. Put on trousers
2. put on boots
3. Lower the trousers, create an inside cuff and wrap the blousing band* around your cuff and boot.
4. Raise trousers, buckle belt.
 The trousers will be taut when pulled up.

*Use the Velcro 1 inch blousing bands.

Or you can place the issue GI bands into the cuff and crimp together.  Instant blousing and last for awhile. 
I agree velcro bands work wonders for blousing.

This trick is also quite helpful for those who are in the awful habit of wrapping their extra long boot laces around the tops of their boots. Instead, after lowering your trousers per these instructions, draw the laces as tight as you like and tie your first bow. Take the long ears and pull them up your leg. When you blouse the trousers with the band, also wrap them around the surplus boot lace.

It will take a little getting used to, but looks so much more squared away.

I use the 2 inch Velcro elastic bands and fold them in half.

I'm pretty sure my Infantry Combat Boots came with instructions that said to wrap the laces around.  But it would be faaaaaaaar from the first time I ignored an instruction booklet.

There are many, many ways to blouse boots. Take ten people and you will find ten different ways to do it.
And every one of them is the "right" way....     As long as the results meet the requirements of CAPM 39-1, who cares how you did it?

There are many, many ways to blouse boots. Take ten people and you will find ten different ways to do it.
And every one of them is the "right" way....     As long as the results meet the requirements of CAPM 39-1, who cares how you did it?

+1

AAFES is unloading their woodland color blousing bands for half the price of Vanguard.  We should stock up.

I've been doing a BUNCH of edits to the master list of tips above.  Additions are welcome.  I'd like to make a printable packet that can be shared.

39-1 should not exist in a vacuum.  People who don't have a military or cadet background are easily overwhelmed and confused by 39-1.  Having tutorial-type information provides context and fills the gaps.

I'm leery of a "list of uniform tips" because "good ideas" and "short cuts that worked for me" slowly become "this is the only acceptable way of doing XYZ".

Thanks for sharing!  These are great.

I'm leery of a "list of uniform tips" because "good ideas" and "short cuts that worked for me" slowly become "this is the only acceptable way of doing XYZ".

CAP Urban Legends.

Have ran across this with cadets in my squadron, especially when it comes to utilizing cargo pockets and pockets on the bdu top.  Somehow It went from "It looks better when they are empty" to "the regs prohibit you from using those pockets."   

Awesome list guys!

One thing I always wear are my shirt stays. It's a habit from the Marines. Of course I have had my trousers and shirts tailored first, and then I still use the stays because it keeps the shirt pulled taught. Looks better than when it starts backing out of your belt line because you get up and down or bend over and stand back up. I think this is more the extra mile though than what I think most people would do.

When blousing your trousers, blouse them from the inside. This keeps the trousers from riding up or becoming unbloused.

1. Put on trousers
2. put on boots
3. Lower the trousers, create an inside cuff and wrap the blousing band* around your cuff and boot.
4. Raise trousers, buckle belt.
 The trousers will be taut when pulled up.

*Use the Velcro 1 inch blousing bands.

You know, I do it the way I was taught in the Marines. Has served me well so far.

Wrap the laces around the top of your boot and then tie the bow. Place the blousing band between 2nd and 3rd eyelets. Don't pull your trousers all the way yet where they would normally sit on your waist. Blouse the trouser legs. Pull up trousers and button them. This gets you a tight blouse and one that is neat versus having a bunch of material hanging down and over the blousing point. Of course you're going to get some material hanging down as you work throughout the day.

When blousing your trousers, blouse them from the inside. This keeps the trousers from riding up or becoming unbloused.

1. Put on trousers
2. put on boots
3. Lower the trousers, create an inside cuff and wrap the blousing band* around your cuff and boot.
4. Raise trousers, buckle belt.
 The trousers will be taut when pulled up.

*Use the Velcro 1 inch blousing bands.

You know, I do it the way I was taught in the Marines. Has served me well so far.

Wrap the laces around the top of your boot and then tie the bow. Place the blousing band between 2nd and 3rd eyelets. Don't pull your trousers all the way yet where they would normally sit on your waist. Blouse the trouser legs. Pull up trousers and button them. This gets you a tight blouse and one that is neat versus having a bunch of material hanging down and over the blousing point. Of course you're going to get some material hanging down as you work throughout the day.

Won't that mean the pants are draped down on the top portion of the boot though?

I like to look good in what I'm wearing as much as the next guy, but if we spent half the time we spend jawjacking about uniforms on our actual missions, we would be a force to be reckoned with.

I like to look good in what I'm wearing as much as the next guy, but if we spent half the time we spend jawjacking about uniforms on our actual missions, we would be a force to be reckoned with.

That is so true.

Our uniforms should look good. But if you're spending more time on your uniform than on the mission, you're doing it wrong.

I snagged on of these measuring devices last year:


It works a treat for quickly and easily doing shoulder-sleeve insignia and collar insignia.

I snagged on of these measuring devices last year:


It works a treat for quickly and easily doing shoulder-sleeve insignia and collar insignia.

I use one of these: http://www.rangerjoes.com/Ruler-Uniform-P727.aspx


Comes in really handy for ribbons and nametags... especially when they need to be spaced 1/4" above the pocket... Unlike CAP.

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HERE IS A CHRISTMAS DISCOUNT CODE FOR VANGUARD  IT IS FOR 15% OFF AND[ FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $25.  IF THE WEBSITE WON'T TAKE THE CODE CALL THEM AND ASK FOR A SUPERVISOR OR EMAIL CUSTOMER SERVICE  http://www.goodsearch.com/vanguard-industries/coupons?open=11813915#filter-promo-code

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