Uniforms
- Types of uniforms
- Mindset possibilities
- Assembling a uniform
- Ranks
- Resources for learning more
- Legal concerns in the U.S.
- "Respect" concerns
- Credits
- Types of uniforms
- FYI, boots are an important aspect of many uniform fetishists
- Military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard Reserves, and non-U.S.)
- Law enforcement (police officer, sheriff or sheriff's deputy, detective)
- Fire
- Trades (construction, plumber)
- Delivery (postman, UPS, FedEx)
- Historical (Nazi, frontiersman, cowboy/Indian, etc.)
- Medical (doctor, nurse)
- Servant (butler, maid)
- Sports uniforms / gear / equipment (football, wrestling, baseball; pads, jocks, mouthguards)
- Business suits
- Mindset possibilities
- Drill sergeant / inductee
- Police officer / offender
- Police officer / "rookie" (and Sheriff / deputy)
- Coach / athlete
- Prison / jail (prisoner / trustee / warden / guard)
- Non-U.S. military uniforms
- Psych ward / hospital for the criminally insane
- Partner/Teammate scene:
"Mutual action between uniformed participants as equals. Patrol partners returning from a day's duty or teammates returning to the locker room after a game/practice. This type of scene can involve as many different forms of gear and BDSM applications as the participants can dream up."- Assembling a uniform
California Highway Patrol
For those wanting that handsome California Highway Patrol (CHP) look made popular by the TV show "CHiPs", check out the "CHiPs" Online: FAQ: Fans: Costumes at www.chips-tv.com/FAQ/costumes.shtmlHow a U.S. military uniform should look
- Information about uniforms for Marines is available at www.usmc-mccs.org/uniforms
- For the Army it's available at www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r670_1.pdf
- For the Navy it is buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup_updt/508/unireg/uregMenu.html
- The Air Force Manual is at www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfiles/af/36/afi36-2903/afi36-2903.pdf
- One of the things that is important when wearing a military uniform is to wear the ribbons in the correct order of precedence. There are a number of sites from which one can get that information. For example, for the Navy it's at buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup_updt/508/unireg/Awards/index.htm
Vendors of military and police uniforms and accessories
- FYI, badges are the most difficult part to find when collecting a police uniform (See also Legal concerns in the U.S.)
- If you're just doing a one-time fantasy scene with a partner, try renting a uniform from a local costume shop. You'll save money.
- Galls, "The Authority in Public Safety Equipment and Apparel" is at www.galls.com. Mainly you'll find accessories -- vs. uniforms -- here
- Bootsplus at www.bootsplus.com sells new and used police uniforms and gear
- The Marine Shop at www.marineshop.com is an online and bricks-and-mortar store for all USMC uniforms and related items
- ebay at www.ebay.com is truly the largest and best resource for virtually any uniform and uniform item. So many fetish sellers and buyers online using this site, you are bound to find something of interest. It may take a while to get your size, but be patient. It is my understanding that ebay does not list police badges and uniforms.
- auctions.yahoo.com is another auction site for uniforms and uniform items. When I first compiled this in 2000, Yahoo sold police badges and uniforms, but I do not know if that is still true.
- www.hollywoodmotorscorp.com sells used police bikes. WOOF!
- Ranks Ranks can often be found by going to the Web site for the organization one is interested in, for example:
- Air Force www.af.mil
- Army www.army.mil
- Marines www.marines.mil
- Navy www.navy.mil
- Resources for learning more
- GMSMA's NewsLink Summer 1998 article How to Love a Man in Uniform (And Not Make It an Arresting Experience) at www.gmsma.org/newslink/uniform.html
- In Uniform magazine at www.inuniform.net
- Uniform groups at Yahoo! at groups.yahoo.com
- Legal concerns in the U.S.
- Public law #106-547, the Enhanced Federal Security Act of 2000 amends title 18 of the United States Code and became effective 12/19/2000. In short, it restricts badges more and creates Federal penalties for impersonating an officer. The amendment can be read at the Library of Congress' Law Library's Global Legal Information Network database at www.glin.gov by searching on U.S. laws enacted 12/19/2000 and looking for the Enhanced Federal Security Act of 2000 or by clicking here.
- In general, "collectors" are exempted from measures aimed at reducing the availability of police-like gear. For example, here is the exception wording from the summary for the above law:
Makes it a defense to a prosecution under this Act that the badge is used, or intended to be used, exclusively
- as a memento or in a collection or exhibit,
- for decorative purposes, or
- for a dramatic presentation, or
- for any other recreational purpose.
- Impersonating an officer
- Sometimes an offense is committed just by taking on the appearance of a local officer.
- Sometimes there is the additional requirement that an officer-looking person perform an official duty.
- To avoid the above
- Do not wear uniforms of local police, at least in public. (I have noted more tolerant attitudes, however, during Halloween and at Folsom Street Fair. That was before 9/11/2001, however.)
- Do not hold oneself out as a police officer.
- Different statutes (Federal, state, county, city) may apply depending on where you are. For example,
- In the state of Texas, there is Section 37.12 of the Texas Penal Code, "False Identification as Peace Officer..."
(a) A person commits an offense if:(1) the person makes, provides to another person, or possesses a card, document, badge, insignia, shoulder emblem, or other item bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency that identifies a person as a peace officer or a reserve law enforcement officer; and
(2) the person who makes, provides, or possesses the item bearing the insignia knows that the person so identified by the item is not commissioned as a peace officer or reserve law enforcement officer as indicated on the item.
(b) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:
...
(3) the item was used or intended for use exclusively for decorative purposes or in an artistic or dramatic presentation.- The site for Travis County, Texas, is searchable, but I couldn't narrow the results sufficiently to comment.
- Meanwhile, on the city level, nothing is found in searches of the Austin Code of Ordinances Volume I for relevant terms:
- "false identification"
- "impersonating an officer"
- "impersonating"
- "impers"
- "badge" (except for an item related to airport security)
- My take on the above? I suspect a uniform afficionado wearing a non-local uniform would ultimately beat any charges by maintaining he/she was not wearing attire of a true "peace officer"; or alternatively could maintain the wearing was subject to the "dramatic presentation" exception. But, to avoid the hassle:
- Try to be discreet in public. (For example, wear an outer jacket when outside.)
- Especially do not wear uniforms of local police. And,
- Do not hold oneself out as a police officer.
- Carrying a deadly weapon
- "Deadly weapon" is a legal term whose definition can vary by jurisdiction. In essence, though, it can be distilled to an instrument likely to produce great bodily injury. Often there are permit requirements for carrying deadly weapons. To avoid problems, don't carry something that might fall under the definition unless you have a permit.
- Police gear that might be included in a local definition:
- guns
- PR24 nightsticks
- large flashlights
- There may well be local prohibitions on bringing deadly weapons into establishments that sell liquor. Be aware of this if you want to go to a convenience store or bar.
- In many jurisdictions handcuffs, leg irons, SAP gloves (leather gloves with lead lined along the knuckles of the gloves) and blackjacks are illegal for civilians to possess and use.
- "Respect" concerns
[When I first began working on this presentation, I turned to gl-asb at groups.queernet.org/cgi-bin/mj_wwwusr?user=&passw=&func=lists-long-full&extra=gl-asb for input and feedback. One of the members provided this viewpoint of which uniform afficionados should be aware. Robert's note is reprinted below with his kind permission.]
Dear Wes,
I used to to be somewhat of a stickler about uniforms. I did not believe anyone (with the exception of maybe Halloween) should wear a uniform that he or she had not earned. Law enforcement, soldier, fireman, sailor or Boy Scout. Each rank, each qualification, each medal and award on a uniform meant someone had to make the extraordinary effort-- in the case of medals of valor, perhaps even at great risk-- to earn the right to wear that emblem. I was quite adamant that a uniform was NOT to be considered costume, and to do so was to dilute and insult the very authority and authenticity that we find exciting about uniforms in the first place.
I have (not according to my friends) mellowed over the years. The dividing line: If one wants to put the research and the respect into wearing a uniform with authenticity. Don't "mix-n-match" whatever you want to. A uniform is the very opposite of free-form creative expression. Don't buy so many ribbons that you look like a double order of fruit salad. Wear only the appropriate awards for the service, the rank and the era of the uniform. If you want to wear a uniform, lose the ponytail and beard if they are not allowed by the authority issuing the uniform. To do less is the equivalent of skag drag, and don't be surprised if you deeply offend someone who actually earned those symbols. Do you really want to piss off people with hand-to-hand combat, artillery, weapons and demolitions skills? And that would just be the lesbians. . . .
Having spent six years in uniform, their sensual powers have somewhat waned for me. I find that most people who are excited by uniforms, like those who get off on prison fantasies, have never been in any service or in prison. As the Carthagian General Hanibal said, "No great expectation is to be place[d] on young soldier's eagerness for battle. War is agreeable only to those who are strangers to it."
I hope that you would present at least a few of these cautionary notes in your program.
Robert Davolt
[When TrooperKurt read the above, he understood. But he also wanted to make sure that I included fun in my presentation. His comments are reprinted with his kind permission.]
Robert Davolt is clearly passionate about his uniform collecting and wearing. I am as well. I enjoy all of my uniforms, but clearly feel differently about possibly widening the circle of prospective enthusiasts. A segment of the uniform fetish community seems bent on excluding someone who has an interest in collecting and wearing uniforms, but is intimidated by the thought of being scrutinized, inspected and criticized for mistakes in one's uniform appearance.
As uniform enthusiasts I feel we have a duty to assist those who come to us for help in assembling and collecting uniforms. We run the risk of closing off and killing a truly great and fulfilling hobby if we continue traveling down this path. I am someone who has done the research and has tried to assemble uniforms correct to form as they would be worn by someone who wears that uniform as part of daily life. But it is a long and expensive process. I am not in a position to criticize or judge someone who wears a police shirt and levis or someone in a dress blues blouse and leather breeches. That one article of uniform clothing might be that guy's first step into the world of uniforms and could lead to a deeper interest of collecting and researching aspects of the history and significance of the uniform and it's decorations. I for one do not want to kill that interest by pointing out flaws and inaccuracies in his appearance. If anything I want to encourage someone to dig deeper and expand on that piece of initial curiosity which lead him to this place so far.
My overwhelming message is that uniforms are fun. I love the look and thrill I get when looking at and wearing uniforms. Please keep fun in mind in everything you do in uniform.
- Credits My thanks to:
- paksen the boy for the wealth of resource tips (Army, Marines, Navy, ranks) he offered. (Attaboy!)
- TrooperKurt for his thoughtful feedback and extensive resource suggestions.
- chris for the Texas Penal Code help.
© 2000-2007 by Officer Wes