Cover Page

Preface

Introduction

Breeches, Blouses, and Skirts

Photofile

Bibliography

Notes

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

National Park Service Uniforms Breeches, Blouses, and Skirts 1918-1991	Number 4
Breeches, Blouses, and Skirts (continued)

Optional woman's Centennial dress, 1972. Although not covered in the official correspondence, this uniform was instituted on March 20, 1972, for the Centennial of the Nation's parks. It served as a companion piece for the men's optional urban dress. There are several photographs showing women wearing this dress. It appears to match the scarf which would make it off-white with orange polka-dots. NPSHPC/HFC#96-1334

It didn't take the women of the Park Service long to realize that the new uniforms were more fluff than substance. If anything they added to the woes of the women, not being as serviceable as those previously worn. The new uniforms were very stylish and chic, for duty in the offices and visitor centers, but in the field they were useless. They didn't hold up very well, and it wasn't long before all the enthusiasm of their introduction turned to ridicule. The public did not always realize that the women wearing these new uniforms were even in the Park Service. They still envisioned the ranger wearing forest green.

Not only were these new uniforms not suited for the field, under the right circumstances, they could be downright hazardous. Mary Bradford relates the story of being called out in an emergency, to help fight a brush fire. After the fire was out, she discovered that the heat had melted the hem on her dress.

In addition to the garments, the hat came in for its share of criticism. Even though it resembled the standard ranger hat, it was made of lightweight felt, like that used in women's hats. Because of this lack of body, it did not hold up under normal service and the women required to use a hat, immediately switched to that worn by the men, either felt or straw.

The question of the badge also resurfaced. Now more than ever, with the women wearing a uniform foreign to anything the public was used to, they felt in need of a badge for recognition and to illustrate their authority. However, the same old issue of the fabric of the uniform not being able to support the heavy badge confronted them.

In 1972, some of the Western parks, notably Mesa Verde and Nez Perce, attempted to remedy this situation by contracting with the V.H. Blackinton Company, of Attleboro Falls, Massachusetts, to have small, one-inch high, light-weight versions of the regulation badge made. This solved the weight problem, only to have a new one arise.

Instead of providing the desired credibility, the public thought the new badges were "cute", some even asking where they could be purchased, thinking they were souvenirs for children. Washington also frowned upon the issuance of the new badgettes and requested their recall. The short-lived experiment ended with the badges being turned in and removed from park property books.

With 1972 being the Centennial year for the national parks [20], a new optional uniform was authorized on March 10, by Director George B. Hartzog for those employees of the Washington and Regional Offices, as well as those in the Service Centers who frequently represented the Service in external affairs, events and meetings. It was also to be used by Park employees in interpretation, administration or other positions which involved frequent contact with the public. [21]

Publicity photograph showing new "Urban" men's uniform as well as the women's 1970 uniform dress and new "Centennial" dress, 1972. Picture was taken in front of Main Interior Building. Left to right: Frances Reynolds (Director Hartzog's secretary); Associate Deputy Director Joseph C. Rumberg; Carole Scanlon; Procurement Analyst Ray O'Dell. NPSHPC - HFC#98-1

An article in the July 10, 1972 NPS Newsletter goes into great detail as to the color of each article of the new men's uniform, but fails to mention anything about the woman's attire other than it was called the "optional women's Centennial dress." From photographs showing women wearing this dress, the colors appear to match those of the standard scarf. If this is the case, then the dress would be white with orange polka dots.

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Last Modified: Wed, Dec 20 2000 11:30:00 pm PDT
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