The U.S. Army wants soldiers to return to a more conservative look with newly implemented grooming standards.
The U.S. Army is implementing stricter grooming standards for soldiers through new rules on hairstyles, jewelry, nail length, and makeup.
“What sets the U.S. Army apart is our professionalism, and that’s a direct reflection of committed Soldiers who adhere to and enforce the standards,” Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer said in a statement. “This definitive guidance gives leaders the tools they need to do just that. You don’t have to memorize it, but you should know what right looks like.”
However, under the new rules, men can no longer wear clear nail polish, and lipstick is prohibited; only natural hair colors are allowed. Women will still be able to wear clear nail polish, with restrictions on “extreme” colors.
A variety of restrictions were placed on hair, including prohibiting women from wearing ponytails when in dress uniform, while they remain allowed for Army combat uniforms and physical fitness uniforms. There are also stricter taper and fade requirements for men’s hairstyles. Braids, twists, and locs are prohibited for men, as are designs in their hair, among others.
Makeup may only be applied to create an even skin tone and must match a soldier’s natural complexion, with a “conservative” approach. It cannot be used to cover tattoos, and lipstick is banned, with only skin-toned lip gloss being permitted.
Eyelash extensions are also banned, unless medically authorized for soldiers who have lost their natural lashes. When it comes to new standards on jewelry, women may wear only gold, silver, diamond, or pearl studs, one per earlobe, no larger than six millimeters. Men, on the other hand, are not permitted to wear any jewelry.
However, when announcing the newly implemented standards, the Army said, “There was an overwhelming consensus on the need to realign all Army standards with warfighting priorities.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
