A Marine staff sergeant, center, is seen wearing a boat cloak at the 238th Marine Corps birthday ball in Arlington, Va., Nov. 2, 2013. A recent change in uniform regulations makes the boat cloak authorized for wear by eligible female Marines, who previously were limited to the service's dress cape for women. (Tia Dufour/Marine Corps)
An eye-catching Marine Corps uniform accessory that was long reserved for male officers and senior enlisted leaders at the service’s birthday ball and formal evening dinners is no longer exclusively menswear.
The boat cloak, a niche evening dress accessory, is now authorized for eligible female Marines following a recent update to the service’s uniform regulations.
An administrative message dated Thursday announced the results of a uniform board process that began nearly two years ago.
The change was originally proposed in an early 2024 survey, which explored expanding authorization of the men’s boat cloak to female officers and senior enlisted Marines.
The special-order item, which can cost upward of $1,000, differs from the current women’s evening dress cape, which is also reserved for formal evening events.
The difference in format was a vestige of the fashion of the mid-20th century, military historian Charles W. McFarlane told Business Insider last month.
Shorter evening capes designed to show off the wearer’s gown were popular among civilian women at the time, and the military based the design of its dress capes on that model, McFarlane said. He noted that the Army and Navy have had some version of the boat cloak in their history as well.
The flamboyance of the garment has also proved alluring on social media. For example, a Marine master gunnery sergeant with the TikTok handle POG_ACTUAL_1169 has at least two videos highlighting the accessory.
The boat cloak was not the only Marine uniform item proposed for change in the initial survey.
An alternative pair of dress pumps with black smooth or synthetic leather for formal events also was authorized for women, according to the message. Previously, black suede and cloth were their only options, a limitation that didn’t apply to male Marines.
The survey had also recommended standardizing the women’s neck tab color for all khaki uniforms to match how men use only a single tie, but that proposal was not addressed and no changes were made.
In addition, all Marines will see a change regarding the gray tanker jacket, a cold-weather overgarment authorized with certain service and dress uniforms. It is now an optional seabag item that will be issued upon entry, so members of the service won’t have to pay for it out of pocket.
For recruiters, the update goes a step further, approving a cash allowance for the purchase of a tanker jacket as part of their uniform allowance, according to the message.
Marines on funeral support details will also be given a supplemental clothing allowance for similar uniform item purchases, it said.
