Navy Dress Whites

Service Dress White: the summer dress uniform, who wears the jumper and who wears the coat, and why the shoes are a different color depending on your paygrade.

Reviewed August 2026 against NAVPERS 15665J, Chapter 3 (Uniform Components)
Unofficial reference — verify against the instruction before acting on it.

The short version

Three versions, not two

Dress blues splits two ways at Chief. Dress whites splits three ways, because officers and Chief Petty Officers wear the same coat with different rank insignia.

E-6 and belowChief Petty OfficersOfficers
UpperJumper, White DressCoat, Service Dress White — standing collar, no shirt or tie
NeckNeckerchiefNothing — the coat closes at the collar
CoverHat, WhiteCombination cover, white
Shoes and socksBlackWhiteWhite
Rank insigniaRating badge and service stripes, 4221Collar insignia, 4212Hard shoulder boards, 4103.2
Belt hardwareSilver clip and buckleGold clip and buckleGold clip and buckle

The shoe color catches people out, because the instinct is that a white uniform takes white shoes. With the jumper it does not. NAVPERS 15665J Ch. 3

Full component list

Pick your category. Every item carries its article number.

Service Dress White — Male, E-6 and below

Basic uniform components

ItemArticle
Jumper, White Dress3501.33
Trousers, White Jumper3501.97
Hat, White3501.27
Shoes, Dress, Black3501.54
Socks, Black3501.78
Undershirt, White Crew Neck3501.101
Undershorts3501.102
Belt, White, w/Silver Clip3501.2
Neckerchief3501.38
Buckle, Silver3501.7
Rating Badge/Service Stripes4221
Ribbons5305-5312

Prescribable items

ItemArticle
All Weather Parka3501.1b

Optional items

ItemArticle
All-Weather Coat, Double Breasted3501.1a
Earmuffs (w/outer garment only)3501.22
Gloves, White3501.24
Scarf (w/outer garment only)3501.43
Umbrella, Black3501.99
Name/Identification Tag55201.4

Superscript numbers refer to Chapter 3 Footnotes.

When it is worn

Service Dress White may be prescribed for summer wear when Dinner Dress or Full Dress uniforms are not prescribed and the civilian equivalent dress would be coat and tie. For officers the regulation adds Formal Dress to the uniforms that would displace it. NAVPERS 15665J Ch. 3

Your command's prescribing authority sets the uniform of the day and the seasonal shift, and can be more restrictive than the regulation.

Versus dress blues

Common questions

What are Navy dress whites?
Service Dress White, the summer counterpart to dress blues. E-6 and below wear the white jumper with a neckerchief and the white hat. Chief Petty Officers and officers wear the standing-collar Service Dress White coat with white trousers or slacks.
Do you wear white shoes with dress whites?
It depends on your paygrade, and this is the detail people get wrong. Chief Petty Officers and officers wear white dress shoes and white socks. E-6 and below wear black shoes and black socks with the white jumper.
What rank insignia goes on dress whites?
Three different things depending on paygrade. Officers wear hard shoulder boards, article 4103.2. Chief Petty Officers wear collar insignia, article 4212. E-6 and below wear the rating badge and service stripes, article 4221.
Is there a shirt and tie with Service Dress White?
No. Unlike Service Dress Blue, the component list for the Service Dress White coat contains no separate dress shirt and no necktie — the standing-collar coat is worn on its own over an undershirt.
When do you wear dress whites?
Service Dress White may be prescribed for summer wear when Dinner Dress or Full Dress is not prescribed and the civilian equivalent dress would be coat and tie. For officers the regulation adds Formal Dress to that list.

Source & how to verify

Navy Eval Writer is not affiliated with the U.S. Navy or the Department of Defense. Where anything here conflicts with the current instruction, the instruction governs. See our disclaimer.

Related

Navy dress bluesThe year-round counterpart All Navy uniformsEvery uniform and when it is worn Ribbons chartOrder of precedence and criteria