As someone pointed out, mufti was not allowed for enlisted. Further, the standard sailor locker measured just large enought to properly stow a full seabag, notthing more and nothing less (good old days of seabag inspections). Some erudite SH sailors learned to stow civies elsewhere aboard ship and some of us got caught doing so.
Decoration of the dress blue uniform (never saw white uniform decorated) was a statement of individuality, but it was also had a practical side. The old wool uniforms were the nastiest material one could ever chose to put on a human body. Some of us were alergic to wool. Solution: cellulouse acetate material would be sewn inside the jumper, sometimes decoraated, sometimes not. And of course the aforementioned cuffs, as I remember usually merimaids or dragons which added a nice touch. I always though a WESTPAC tradition.
It was also encouraged as an alternative to tattoos. We had a 6'5" seaman duece, about 250 pounds contracted some 17 different types of infection from tattoos that he had done in HK, covering his entire back and chest, not a square millimeter left to tattoo. Pulled through but we thought he would not. That incident tamped down tattos in the Ticonderoga CVA/S-14 CARDIV for a good while.
Related: Are folks still sewing maps into the lining of the G-1's? That was also a big deal in WESPAC yesteryear. I also saw merimaids and dragons sew in the G-1.
Decoration of the dress blue uniform (never saw white uniform decorated) was a statement of individuality, but it was also had a practical side. The old wool uniforms were the nastiest material one could ever chose to put on a human body. Some of us were alergic to wool. Solution: cellulouse acetate material would be sewn inside the jumper, sometimes decoraated, sometimes not. And of course the aforementioned cuffs, as I remember usually merimaids or dragons which added a nice touch. I always though a WESTPAC tradition.
It was also encouraged as an alternative to tattoos. We had a 6'5" seaman duece, about 250 pounds contracted some 17 different types of infection from tattoos that he had done in HK, covering his entire back and chest, not a square millimeter left to tattoo. Pulled through but we thought he would not. That incident tamped down tattos in the Ticonderoga CVA/S-14 CARDIV for a good while.
Related: Are folks still sewing maps into the lining of the G-1's? That was also a big deal in WESPAC yesteryear. I also saw merimaids and dragons sew in the G-1.