New Zealand Army - Dress

Dress

New Zealand Army uniforms have historically followed the British pattern of the British Army Uniform with the high crowned "lemon squeezer" hat as the most visible national distinction. This was adopted by the Wellington Regiment about 1911 and became general issue for all New Zealand units during the latter stages of World War I. The different branches of service were distinguished by coloured puggarees or wide bands around the base of the crown (blue and red for artillery, green for mounted rifles, khaki and red for infantry etc.). The "lemon squeezer" was worn to a certain extent during World War II, although often replaced by more convenient forage caps or berets, or helmets. British-pattern Battledress was worn until the 1970s, with "Jungle Greens" being used as field wear. British DPM was adopted in 1980. Modern field wear is New Zealand disruptive pattern material camouflage, which closely resembles British DPM field uniforms. On overseas service, a New Zealand flag badge and a white Kiwi on a circular black field with the words "New Zealand" are worn. The DPM uniform, with the addition of a beret or sometimes the Mounted Rifles Hat, is the usual working uniform and according the one most commonly worn. On 27 July 2012, the New Zealand Army formally announced the new Multi Terrain Camouflage Uniform will replace the NZDPM and NZDDPM patterns. It is intended that the MCU will be issued to all branches of the NZDF, with preliminary issue starting around mid-2013.

In recent years a number of distinctive New Zealand features have appeared. The "lemon squeezer", after being in abeyance since the 1950s, was reintroduced for ceremonial wear in 1977 when it replaced the khaki "No 2" British Army service dress cap. Officer cadets and the New Zealand Army Band wear this headdress with a scarlet and blue full dress uniform. A wide brimmed khaki hat with green puggaree, of a pattern formerly worn by the New Zealand Mounted Rifle (cavalry) regiments, replaced the British style peaked cap as service dress headdress for all branches in 1998. The red or dark blue sashes worn by sergeants are now embroidered with a traditional Māori motif or 'mokowaewae' denoting speed and agility. On the infantry sash the mokowaewae appears in black, white and red diagonal 'steps' and on that of the New Zealand Scottish in green, black and white. Short Māori cloaks are sometimes worn by senior officers as a mark of distinction on occasions of special ceremony, though they are not part of the regulation uniform.

The British "infantry pattern" mess uniform is still worn by officers and senior NCOs for formal evening occasions. A universal pattern comprising scarlet mess jackets and blue-black trousers has replaced the various regimental and corps mess dress uniforms previously worn. The universal mess dress has also replaced the white jacket and black Barathea trousers previously worn in summer or tropical climates. The dark blue No 1 dress formerly worn by officers, before the general adoption of mess uniforms, was last worn in the early 1990s, although it was nominally retained for wear by the Chief of Army on appropriate State occasions.

Highland orders of dress (glengarry, kilt, sporrans etc.) are authorised for wear by the New Zealand Scottish Squadron of the RNZAC, at the discretion of the Squadron Commander. They are also authorised for the pipes and drums of the 5th (Wellington, West Coast and Taranaki) Battalion Group.