Uniform Items

[valjester]

KPMom, do you know if KP allows Bates Patent Leather shoes? I was thinking about sending a pair with my daughter. You never have to polish them.

 

[kpmom2013]

Sorry, not allowed for Plebes. Upperclassmen can get away with it, but shoe shining is considered one of those things that build character. Encourage your daughter to learn how to shine shoes, iron, and put her hair in an all-day tight bun in under 10 seconds. Those skills will serve her well plebe year. Dress shoes are issued, so do not send them with her. A real blessing would be to send her with some good inserts. They can be lifesavers during INDOC and after. Lots of time spent on their feet during INDOC, plus they will have to run from class to class until recognition in the spring.

 

[Capt MJ]

Time for my annual plug for Capezio Bunhead long bun pins, in dance supply stores and Amazon.

Showering fast. Brushing teeth in shower. Putting up hair damp, dry, whatever, combatting frizzies.
[emoji16]
I still shine my shoes on Sunday afternoon while watching sports.


Your DD will learn all the tricks from passdown knowledge, and she in turn will pass it down.

In my experience, patent leather shoes do not breathe as well as regular leather. As much running around as she will do during the course of a long day, that can make for sweaty, unhealthy feet. I personally preferred leathers and didn’t mind shining them, once I learned all the tricks. Cracks in patent leather are also harder to camouflage and repair. She will figure out what works for her after plebe year.

 

[KPEngineer]

In my experience, patent leather shoes do not breathe as well as regular leather. As much running around as she will do during the course of a long day, that can make for sweaty, unhealthy feet. I personally preferred leathers and didn’t mind shining them, once I learned all the tricks. Cracks in patent leather are also harder to camouflage and repair. She will figure out what works for her after plebe year.

^^^ THIS THIS THIS ^^^

I gave up coroframs within about two months of earning the privilege for this reason. Another trick to healthy feet is either sweat socks under your black socks, or black sweat socks in lieu of the all polyester dress socks. They didn't make black sweat socks back in my day so a large number of people would double up with a pair of white sweat socks under their dress socks. They looked at me strange at the ships store the first time I asked for leather instead of frams.

It really isn't hard to keep leather shoes shined well enough as an upper classman when your shoes don't have the attention they do plebe year. It is literally less than 5 minutes a day. Not just the cracks in the frams but the scuffs are a death sentence, no way to get them out.

 

[Capt MJ]

Same for me - couldn’t wait to get corofam/corfams, and went back to leathers after just a few months. Feet felt like they were boiling in their own sweat at first duty station in Rota, Spain. It’s supposed to be a breathable synthetic leather, but it sure didn’t feel that way. I managed to scuff and crack mine in two weeks. Whereas a black permanent marker was a handy fix for a leather scuff, no joy for those fake shiny shoes!
My dad taught me to shine shoes the way he learned at Navy boot camp, and my OCS roommate was prior enlisted. I was well-tutored.

There are actually dozens of videos and articles online about how to get a professional military shine fast. I recommend against the old-school method of setting the shoe polish on fire...there is usually a reg about open flames in govt buildings.

I’ve run off with the original thread’s topic, sorry, but these little departures can occasionally have value for newbies to military shoes, their care and feeding.

 

[valjester]

Thanks all for the advice. I worn the super shinys with my Army class A and B’s. I never ran in them however. Great point. I will have to give her some instruction before July 5.

 

[Capt MJ]

People who have worn/wear uniforms can always have lengthy exchanges about uniforms, uniform changes and footwear, including shine methodology, best boots, and foot care. The eternal topics!

Great tip on insoles a few posts above, though. For these shoes, even though they have a supportive interior, I like the Dr. Scholl’s 3/4 length inserts. Cush at the heel, arch support, thin support under ball, room for toes to breathe. Full gel inserts in those shoes always made my foot feel squeezed. I steer our USNA sponsor mids toward them, especially those doing Plebe Summer detail duty. They are surprised at the difference it makes.

 

[valjester]

Why does USMMA not wear the Navy NWU Type 1 uniform? Since they are in the navy reserve it would seem appropriate and much more comforatble than the khakis.

 

[KPEngineer]

Why does USMMA not wear the Navy NWU Type 1 uniform? Since they are in the navy reserve it would seem appropriate and much more comforatble than the khakis.

M/N at KP are in an inactive standby reserve status and so do not officially wear the Navy Uniform although it is of the same style.

 

[OldRetSWO]

Why does USMMA not wear the Navy NWU Type 1 uniform? Since they are in the navy reserve it would seem appropriate and much more comforatble than the khakis.

Just about every single Navy Officer that I know who wore NWU said it was much hotter than Khakis. In any case, the NWU type 1 uniform is now dead. . . no more blueberries.