RMMM:Formal Dress Uniform Class A/C-21 through C-23

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Formal Dress Uniform, Class A: Royal Manticoran Merchant Marine

The formal dress uniform, Class A, is reserved exclusively for personnel in the grades of C-21 through C-23, and is the service equivalent to civilian formal wear or court attire. It is the most luxerious of uniforms afforded the upper leadership of the Royal Manticoran Merchant Marine and offers personnel two tiers of formality. The first, Class A, is the most formal, civilian equivalent of "white tie," and is worn with the RMMM naval sword and gold tassel shoulder boards.

Uniform

Tunic

Personnel in the grades of C-21 through C-23 will wear a long, American Civil War style, frock coat in navy blue. The frock coat should be hemmed so as to fall right above the wearers knees when standing at military attention with arms at their sides. The frock coat styling is in the same manner as all other RMMM uniform tunics, with the main difference being the length. The collar is mandarin, in the same styling as those found on the uniform tunics of the Star Empires' armed forces, and is trimmed, top and bottom, with 1/4" perm-gold piping. The tunic also features a plastron (bib), which is trimmed on each side, and top, with continuous 1/4" perma-gold piping. The tunic will zip up the front, with the zipper being hidden from view by the plastron (bib). While the plastron (bib) should extend to meet the bottom hem, as with a standard tunic, the zipper should start at the waist.

The rear of the tunic features stylized tails, and two gold standard RMN buttons should be placed at the tip of the points, one on each point, directly below the waist so that they may be visible when the sash is worn. Standard gold belt keepers may also be installed at the waist of the tunic to assist with holding up the sword belt and sash.

The wearer may elect one of two choices when it comes to shoulder board attachments. The first is to install the hardware that comes with the gold shoulder boards. This effectively renders the tunic permanently regulated to being Class A, but will provide the most secure mounting system for the gold shoulder boards. If the wearer desires the ability to switch between Class A and Class B, then shoulder loops should be installed.

Plastron

The plastron is held in place on the front of the uniform tunic by snaps, however the plastron will feature a double row of 22 gold standard RMN buttons, 11 buttons on each side. The buttons are decorative in nature and may be sewn directly the to face of the fabric.

The button placement is completed in the same manner as on the shorter, standard tunic. To place the buttons, first measure in from one side of the plastron 1/2" and make a mark with a fabric pencil. Then measure in from the top of the plastron 1/2" and cross your first mark, forming a cross "+." The center of the button shank should be sewn to the mark. To place the bottom button, first measure in from the side of the plastron 1/2" and make a mark as before. Then measure up from the bottom of the plastron 5" and cross your mark, forming a cross "+." The center of the button shank should be sewn to the mark. Place the remaining buttons evenly between your top and bottom buttons, and repeat for the opposite side. For a visual representation of proper placement, please see the measurement guide graphics at the bottom of this page.

Undershirt

Personnel in the grades of C-21 through C-23 may wear a white, close fitting, mock turtleneck or a white, mandarin collar, dress shirt. The dress shirt should be worn closed at the neck.

Trousers

Personnel in the grades of C-21 through C-23 will wear navy blue uniform trousers and a navy blue uniform belt with a gold military friction buckle. The trousers are worn unbloused with shined, black, military style, low quarters or black, low-topped boots.

Formal Dress Uniform Example C-21 through C-23 This image shows the Trade Minister

Headgear

All ranks will wear a navy blue RMMM beret with the RMMM flash positioned over the left eye

Standard RMMM Beret

Branch Patch

All ranks will wear the RMMM patch affixed to the upper right sleeve.

RMMM Branch Patch

Assignment and Company Patches

Personnel in the grades of C-21 through C-23 do not display any patches on the upper left sleeve.

Name Badge

All ranks will wear a gold, metal, name badge with black lettering. The name badge should be affixed to the right breast of the uniform tunic with clutch pins or magnets. The name badge features the wearers LAST NAME, FIRST INITIAL. Those personnel honored with a Peerage in The Royal Manticoran Navy, The Official Honor Harrington Fan Association, may elect to display their Peerage name instead. For example: CALABASAS. For proper placement, please see the measurement guide graphics at the bottom of this page.

RMMM Name Badge

Rank Insignia

Personnel in the grades of C-21 through C-23 will display rank insignia on each collar. Class A shoulder boards are worn on each shoulder, a description of which may be found below. Additionally, they will display the appropriate number of stripes for their current rank on the cuff of each sleeve. The rank insignia and stripes will be gold. As Crown appointees, independent of the Royal Manticoran Merchant Marine hierarchy, these personnel, when wearing RMMM uniforms, will display a crown, embroidered in a gold metallic that matches the rank stripes, rather than any of the normal departmental insignia. The crown should be 1" across and 1" in height. For proper placement, please see the measurement guide graphics at the bottom of this page.

Tunic Collar and Class A Shoulder Boards C-21	Tunic Collar and Class A Shoulder Boards C-22	Tunic Collar and Class A Shoulder Boards C-23

Trade Minister C-21 Crown Appointee	Transport Minister C-22 Crown Appointee	Home Secretary C-23 Crown Appointee

Class A Shoulder Boards

The RMMM formal dress, class A, shoulder boards are a reproduction of US Army, American Civil War era, gold epaulets. Personnel in the grades of C-20 through C-23 wear the version with 1/2" gold fringe.

This item is perhaps, aside from the cost associated with assembling a uniform frock coat and purchasing the RMMM naval sword, the most expensive piece of cosplay associated with The Royal Manticoran Navy, The Official Honor Harrington Fan Association. That being said, a cheaper alternative has not been found that delivers the same quality and a look consistant with BuNine's vision and design. If you have made the commitment to assembling the most formal of the service's uniforms, as a senior officer in the Royal Manticoran Merchant Marine, these epaulets will transform your costume into a uniform.

RMMM Naval Sword

The Royal Manticoran Merchant Marine has adopted the Royal Manticoran Navy's mess dress sword for inclusion with its formal dress uniform. The naval sword is modeled on one which belonged to Admiral Horatio Nelson, RN (pre-diaspora United Kingdom), and is commonly identified as a "fighting spadroon." Due to the unique nature of the sword, personal substitutions are NOT authorized per Admiralty House and BuNine.

RMMM Naval Sword Belt

Personnel will wear the United States Navy standard sword belt with the RMMM naval sword. The belt is worn about the natural waist, near the belly button, with the sword hanging on the left. A tutorial on how to properly wear the sword belt is forthcoming.

Formal Dress Uniform Sash

Personnel in the grades of C-20 through C-23 will wear a yellow gold sash, tied on the left, with its two tassels hanging to just above the hem of the frock coat. The sash is worn over the sword belt, near the belly button, at the wearers natural waist. A video tutorial on how to wear this type of sash may be viewed [here].

The video details the manner of wear on an American Civil War uniform, as the RMMM sash is a reproduction from that era. Slight modifications may be necessary to achieve a proper look with the RMMM uniform, as our manual dictates wearing the sash over the sword belt rather than beneath it, but this video should provide a firm starting point.

Awards

Medals

All ranks may display medals, if earned, on the left breast of the uniform tunic. For proper placement, please see the measurement guide graphics at the bottom of this page.

If medals are unavailable, members may wear a standard ribbon rack, utilizing the same placement as indicated by the measurement guide graphics at the bottom of the page.

For proper display of medals please consult Uniform FAQ 014

Aerospace Wings and Space Warfare Pin

All ranks are authorized to wear aerospace wings, if earned, directly above the ribbons of the left breast of the uniform tunic. Additionally, personnel are authorized to display a space warfare pin, if earned, directly below the ribbons on the left breast of the uniform tunic. The wings and space warfare pins are metal and should be gold or silver, as appropriate. For proper placement, please see the measurement guide graphics at the bottom of this page.

Officer Aerospace Wings Example May be worn by C-18 through C-20 if earned.	Officer Space Warfare Pin May be worn by C-18 through C-20 if earned.

For more information on the Aerospace Wings, the different varieties, and how to earn them, please click here.
For more information on the Space Warfare Pins, including how to earn them, please click here.

Award Stripes

All ranks may display award stripes, if earned, on the upper right sleeve of the uniform tunic, below the RMMM patch. The stripes are worn on the outer part of the sleeve and run from the back sleeve seam to the front sleeve seam at an angle. The ends of the stripes should be folded over, or ideally, tucked into the seams. For proper placement, please see the measurement guide graphics at the bottom of this page.

Chivalrous Orders

Members may display any earned chivalrous awards that are represented by an award ribbon or a chest star. The wearing of awards that hang about the neck and those represented by a sash are also authorized with the Dress Uniform. For more information on this topic please consult TRMN-05, "Proper Wear and Display of the Knightly Orders and Chivalrous Awards."

Measurement Guide

Right Arm Example All Ranks	Left Arm Example C-21 through C-23	Both Arms Cuff Example C-21 through C-23

Tunic Detail C-21 through C-23	Collar Detail C-21 through C-23	Tunic Plastron Button Placement C-12 through C-23

Wearing of Arms

Due to the formal nature of this uniform, the wearing, or display, of arms (with the exception of the RMMM naval sword) is not authorized while wearing the formal dress uniform.

Necessaries

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