Wire flash
OtherU.S. Navy works with 80 female sailors to evaluate future uniforms
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
The U.S. Navy collaborated with 80 female service members from August 17 to August 21, 2026, to collect feedback as it develops future uniforms better suited to the size and fit of modern sailors. Textile experts and scientists with Navy Exchange Service Command conducted the fit evaluations onboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story and at NEX Norfolk, Virginia. Service members tried on prototype slacks, shirts, and jumper tops, while experts took measurements and assessed a newer numeric sizing system. The Navy has been modernizing female uniforms, having already rolled out service khaki slacks with back pockets and new dress overblouses over the past year. The Navy Exchange Service Command's Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility leads these efforts under the Size Modernization Program, first announced in September 2024, which aims to address past issues female sailors have had with fit and comfort. Experts will use the collected data to make decisions on future sizing recommendations.
Source report
The U.S. Navy has partnered with 80 female service members to gather feedback as it develops future uniforms designed to better fit the size and shape of the modern sailor.
From August 17 to August 21, textile experts and scientists from the Navy Exchange Service Command conducted design evaluations aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story and at NEX Norfolk, Virginia, according to a Thursday release.
“We are committed to providing certified, high-quality Navy uniforms so that sailors are comfortable and professional looking so that they can focus on their mission,” said Brianna Plummer, Group Leader of Design & Testing Laboratories at the Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility.
During the fit clinic, service members tried on prototype slacks, shirts, and jumper tops to determine which sizes worked best for them. Experts took measurements and assessed how the new uniforms performed alongside a newer numeric sizing system.
The Navy stated that experts will now use the collected data to inform future sizing recommendations.
Recent Uniform Modernization Efforts
The service has prioritized modernizing its female uniforms, rolling out several updates over the past year:
- Service khaki slacks with back pockets, now available to female sailors
- Summer and dress female white overblouses, announced earlier this year
The Navy Exchange Service Command’s Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility has led these initiatives, announcing its first uniform updates in September 2024 as part of the Size Modernization Program. The program was designed to address past issues female sailors experienced with fit and comfort.
About the Author
Riley Ceder is a Navy reporter at Military Times, covering issues that directly affect service members and their families, as well as breaking news.
Source
Military TimesWestern
Part of this Story
U.S. Navy tests prototype uniforms with 80 female sailors to improve sizing and fit