Mess dress?

[mmb5]

Son has received an invitation to a white-tie event over Christmas break, almost all civilian [men in white tie and tails, women in ball dresses]. Will he have mess dress, or do we go the civilian route?

Nice to be able to worry about something this frivolous for a change right before R-Day - we leave for NY tomorrow.

 

[Just_A_Mom]

He will have mess dress, they get if for Christmas dinner.

 

[scoutpilot]

Male cadets do not receive a dress mess uniform (or mess dress, as it is also called). Male cadets receive only the Full Dress uniform, which is worn to events where officers would wear dress mess. Only female cadets receive dress mess. Males are stuck with full dress.

In reality, it is very unusual for anyone below field grade to even own dress mess. Even at WP events you will see that most of the captains wear the dress blues (now ASU) with bow tie. Usually dress mess is owned by majors and above. It's not regulation, but just one of those cultural things.