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R Signals No. 1 Dress Uniform - Help

signalsboy

Clanker
Ladies and Gents,

I am calling on the vast experiance i hope you have to offer.

Im a Cpl in the R Sigs and i am getting married later this year and would like to wear No.1 Dress but cant seem to find anywhere to buy it, I know that i could hire it from Blandford but would rather own it myself.
My two big questions are:

1. Does anyone know where No. 1 Dress can be bought? (preferably online as im no-where near any millitary towns)

2. Is all NCO No.1 Dress the same? i.e. R Sigs, RENE and RMP (not taking into account collar dogs and beading which i can always have the taylor change)
 
I take it you would rather own it for sentimental reasons, however its a hell of alot of money (similar to mess dress i would think). Your right, Blandford would be your port of call if you were to borrow a set.

If your rolling in it, and insist on buying a set, i would speak to any of the bespoke military tailors out there. Clicky Linkey. Thats just for starters, do some googles for mess dress/bespoke military tailors etc. Also, ask a few WO1's/Officers where they had their Service Dress made.
 
If you want to buy a set then the above link is THE place to go. Antoine is a great tailor and will be able to sort you out a treat. I can't give him enough credit.

You could also try 238 in London, they are all ceremonial. Also 30 has a few owned by the tailer there, that he rents out, again a good tailer and pretty cheap.
 
Yes owning it is down to both sentimental reasons and if i do want rid of it i can always put some 'SAS' buttons on it and flog it on ebay for a profit :D

I would ask one of my collegues/officers but im not at a millitary unit im attached to a civvy place and the only other millitary here are a RN WO1 and a RAF F/Sgt neither of which have a clue about these things, i'd appreaciate any other options if anyone out there has any ideas.
 
I actually still have the set of Royal Signals No 1 Dress that I signed out when best man at my mate's wedding about 13 years ago!!

You're welcome to them, but unless you are about 5'2'' and 9 stone then I am afraid the best you could do is probably give them to one of the page boys!!!!

(And yes I know I am a short arrse - I am also a Jock with a huge chip on both shoulders - can you say 'stereotype'?)
 
Speak to the Civvy tailor shop in Bulford, i tried London, Blandford, my unit, 3 Div, the works. I went into the Tailor in Bulford opposite the Kiwi Pub and they sorted me out there and then. It took a week to get the medal ribbons sewn on and then they couriered it to my house. Absolutely brilliant service. You might be able to buy a set from there too. I had my own white belt, gloves, bayonet frog, and bayonet, i think they might be able to provide them too. The number is 01980 632904. Good luck for the day, everyone who went to mine said i looked the absolute rocks in my full rig. So it'll be worth it
 
You wore a bayonet to your wedding?!!!! Why in gods name?

Don't know about this shop signals boy, but it seems to have a glowing report, and I know messdress.co.uk in the link is great too so you hae two options there.
 
mate - messdress.com is very good but very expensive - £395. i got mine this week from silvermans for £180 (£200 minus 10% squaddie discount).

arrived in two days and if you can ignore the rather gay buttons they come with (until you put your own on there) then it is a pretty good service.

i am now using messdress.com to provide ribbons and chevrons, my own corps association for buttons, and getting local tailor to stick it all together. looking at prob £250 all in.

good luck.
 
I have heard from one of my collegues that the set he ordered from Silvermans were somewhat thinner material and he wasn't convinced that they were genuine uniform.

I take it from your review that they are indeed thick and high quality material?
 
nope. its the issue stuff apparently - i was sceptical at first, because its lighter material. in fact i posted elsewhere in this forum to exactly that effect. but i spoke to them on friday and am now reassured that they are the real doobie. not least because they sell dozens every year to squaddies doing ceremonial duties (as well as getting married etc).

main thing that concerned me was the cheapo buttons - thought for a minute i had sov battledress or something! but they explained they put those on because they are supplied with no buttons at all (because obviously you get regimental buttons to put on).

anyway im now happy they are the issue stuff, and it is a lot more comfortable than the old style!
 
All,

Thankyou all for all your help/advice messdress.com wanted £495 for it with rank and buttons, but a big thankyou goes out to Soldier_Why for donating a set of Cpls No.1s he had lying around.
 
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