Appearance guidelines for the modern Soldier
Requires a well-groomed and professional appearance
Strives to be as inclusive as possible
Respectful of religious beliefs and cultural expression
GUIDELINES:
Women’s haircuts & hairstyles
Permitted
Hair length
Women in the Army don’t have to cut their hair. You can have any hair length if it is worn up. If worn down, your hair should not extend beyond the lower edge of your collar when standing up straight in uniform.
Hairstyle
Hair may be worn in multiple styles, such as ponytail, braid, twists, bun, or locs with a side twist to secure hair. Long hair should be worn neatly pinned above the lower edge of the collar. Your hair must be neat in appearance and not interfere with the ability to wear authorized headgear.
Hair accessories
Hair accessories used to secure your hair must not be distracting or decorative. You can use black rubber bands, rubber bands that match your hair color, and plain accessories used to secure your hair that aren’t distracting or decorative.
Highlights and coloring
Hair dyes, tints, highlights, or bleaches must have the same general appearance as natural hair and should blend together in a subtle and natural way.
Wigs and extensions
Wigs and extensions must look natural and may not be used to cover unauthorized hairstyles. Hair should be neat in appearance without impacting proper wear of headgear.
Not Permitted
Hair that interferes with the ability to wear headgear or protective equipment
Dyes, tints, or bleaches that do not match a natural hair color
Steel hair picks
Trendy and exaggerated hairstyles, including shaved portions of the scalp or designs cut into your hair
Loose hair (while in uniform)
Extreme or dramatic updo styles (while in uniform)
Men’s haircuts & facial hair
Permitted
Hair length and style
Men can have closely-trimmed or completely shaved hair. If closely trimmed hair does not part naturally, you may cut a straight part into the hair or style the hair with one part. Sideburns should not extend below the bottom opening of the ear.
Highlights and coloring
Hair dyes, highlights, tints, or bleaches must be colors that blend together in a subtle and natural way.
Wigs and hairpieces
Wigs or hairpieces may be used to cover disfiguration or natural baldness.
Facial hair
Facial hair must be clean-shaven while in uniform or on duty. Mustaches must be neatly trimmed, tapered, and tidy. Well-groomed beards may be worn for religious reasons.
Not Permitted
Braids, cornrows, twists, or locs (while in uniform or in civilian clothes on duty)
Shaved designs cut into hair or scalp
Styled sideburns that taper, flare, or come to a point
Religious garments
Permitted
Religious headgear
You can wear religious headgear in solid, subdued colors that closely resemble your assigned uniform (generally black, brown, green, tan, or navy blue).
Hijabs and turbans
Soldiers wearing a combat uniform may wear a hijab, turban, or under-turban in a matching camouflage pattern.
Hair placement
Hair worn under the turban is not subject to general standards, but may not fall over the ears or eyebrows or touch the collar while in uniform.
Glasses & jewelry
Permitted
Contact lenses and eyewear
You may wear prescription contact lenses (except when there are health or safety implications). Conservative prescription and non-prescription sunglasses are allowed while working in a garrison (non-field) environment, except while indoors.
Sunglasses worn for medical reasons
You may wear sunglasses for medical reasons, except for refractive error or when health or safety considerations apply.
Eyeglass restraints and bands
You may wear eyeglass restraints when required for safety purposes, as well as ballistic spectacle eye protection issued by the Army.
Jewelry
Jewelry, accessories, and religious apparel may be worn with the uniform, including the physical fitness uniform. One item is allowed on each wrist (like a watch, activity tracker, pedometer, heart rate monitor, or medical or religious bracelet). No more than two rings can be worn, and conservative stud earrings may be worn by women in all uniforms.
Not Permitted
Eyeglasses or sunglasses with distracting initials or designs
Sunglasses with lenses in distracting colors such as red, yellow, blue, purple, or orange. Sunglasses that are so large or so small that they detract from the head while in uniform. Chains or ribbons attached to eyeglasses. Eyeglasses or sunglasses worn on top of the head while in uniform.
Tinted or colored contact lenses
Tinted or colored contact lenses, or clear contact lenses with designs that change the contour of the iris (unless prescribed for eye injuries).
Excessive or distracting jewelry
Earrings while on duty (for men). Attaching or displaying objects, jewelry, or ornamentation under the skin, tongue, or any other body part.
Tattoos
Permitted
Entire body tattoos
You can have as many tattoos as you like, as long as they follow the appearance and tattoo policies.
Hand tattoos
You can have one visible tattoo on each hand (including the palm), no bigger than one inch long in any direction. Additionally, you can have any number of tattoos between the fingers as long as they’re not visible when the fingers are closed, as well as one ring tattoo on each hand.
Neck tattoos
You can have one tattoo on the back of the neck, no bigger than two inches long in any direction.
Tattoos behind the ear
You can have one tattoo behind each ear, no bigger than one inch long in any direction and not extending in front of the ear lobe.
Not Permitted
Offensive tattoos
You can’t have any tattoos that are extremist, racist, sexist, or indecent anywhere on the body without exception.
Facial tattoos
You can’t have tattoos on the head or face (except for approved permanent makeup) including those inside or outside the eyelids, mouth, and ears.
Nails & lipstick
Permitted
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Men
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Women
Nails
Men must keep nails trimmed so they’re not longer than the fingertip. They may also wear clear nail polish.
Nails
Women must keep nails no longer than 1/4 inch as measured from the tip of the finger. Your nails can be square or rounded, and you can wear natural nail polish shades, such as nude and light pink.
Lipstick
Women may wear natural shades of solid lipstick, tinted lip gloss, and lip liner with a matching shade of lipstick.
Not Permitted
Nail shape
You cannot have pointed or exaggerated nail shapes such as ballerina, stiletto, arrow, or coffin.
