War Office Does Not Object to Lipstick With Uniforms

Southland Times, Issue 23782, 1 April 1939, Page 16

War Office Does Not Object to Lipstick With Uniforms

If women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service want to wear- lipstick with their uniform, the War Office will not object, says The Evening Standard, London. “Whether women _ territorials may use lipstick with their uniform, and if so to what extent, is left to the discretion of the local commandants, said a War Office spokesman. This will relieve the tension upon the local commandants who, since Mrs H. J. Neill, Company Commandant. in Sheffield, uttered her diatribe against lipstick on parade, have been awaiting a lead from headquarters. The local commandants, are now scrutinizing those sartorial instructions concerning themselves which are already laid down by the War Office. These touch on several delicate matters with characteristic War Office austerity. Stockings, for instance—the rule about them sounds very severe. They are “to be of drab material to match the skirt and jacket,” and ‘they should not be transparent” Drab and opaque stockings . are a strain on any woman’s patriotism, and there are uneasy suspicions that, as time has gone on, the stockings of some members have tended to snow pink glints.

There are War Office rules about shoes, too. They must be “of brown leather, with low heels, plain toecaps, and should be laced.” Gloves must be of brown leather.

The War Office is particularly determined that there shall be nothing coquettish about shirts, collars, and ties.