Skip to main content
Tags: marine corp | skirt | mandate | lifted

Marines Remove Last Skirt Mandate

By    |   Friday, 22 September 2023 01:41 PM EDT

The U.S. Marine Corps announced it will allow female staff noncommissioned officers and officers to wear slacks with their evening dress uniform, Military.com reported.

The Marines were the last service branch to have a skirt-only mandate for women.

The service on Wednesday published an update to its uniform regulations that allows female staff sergeants and above to wear high-waisted evening dress slacks as an alternative to long or knee-length skirts, Military.com reported.

Previously, junior enlisted and company-grade officers had been authorized the dress blue slack option.

The uniform change this week came after a core group of Marines pushed for it.

"Any time when you make a recommendation to the larger institution and you're heard, and your recommendation is accepted, it feels good," Col. Kelly Frushour, commander of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, told Military.com on Thursday.

Frushour, a 25-year veteran, was among the Marines instrumental in codifying the policy. Last year, she became the first person to officially request that the Marine Corps Uniform Board consider the change.

The change is practical, while also allowing women to choose.

"Last year, the [Marine Corps] ball was my first time participating in the actual ceremony," Frushour said. "And I can tell you that marching and doing basic movements on carpet in a long skirt and heels was a challenge. It was nothing I wasn't still able to do, but for me personally, it would be helpful to have a pants option.

"I think some people didn't like wearing a skirt, or they just wanted an option, because we have an option in every other uniform.”

Connected to other Marines through social media groups, Frushour first heard of the desire to add a slacks option to the female evening dress uniform in summer 2021.

She also told Military.com that she remembered seeing female sailors in their evening dress uniforms during a holiday concert the Navy put on in Washington, D.C. Some of the female sailors wore pants.

"I remember thinking, 'Oh, that looks great,'" Frushour said. "'We should definitely see if we can get this for the Marines, as well.'"

Charlie McCarthy

Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


Newsfront
The U.S. Marine Corps announced it will allow female staff noncommissioned officers and officers to wear slacks with their evening dress uniform, Military.com reported. The Marines were the last service branch to have a skirt-only mandate for women...
marine corp, skirt, mandate, lifted
350
2023-41-22
Friday, 22 September 2023 01:41 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved