{{Short description|Ceremonial headdress worn by female military officers}} [[File:USMC_Tiara.png|thumb|right|A red United States Marine Corps tiara archived in the collections of the National Museum of American History]] A '''military tiara''' is a type of ceremonial headdress worn by female military officers during formal occasions. It is authorized for indoor wear by some senior, female officers of the United States' uniformed services while in mess dress. Beginning with the Marine Corps in 1973, individual service branches have gradually abolished use of the tiara. The United States Air Force does not wear tiaras and has never authorized wear of a military tiara.
==NOAA Corps== The NOAA Corps authorizes the optional wear of a black tiara by female commanders and higher-ranked officers with mess dress while indoors.<ref>{{cite web|title=NOAA Corps Directives|url=http://www.corpscpc.noaa.gov/procedures/corps_directives/chapter_12/ncd_ch12part1th3.pdf|website=corpscpc.noaa.gov|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=July 19, 2017}}</ref>
==Public Health Service== The PHS Commissioned Corps abolished use of the tiara as an optional uniform accessory effective August 1, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) Uniforms|url=https://dcp.psc.gov/ccbulletin/articles/USPHS_Uniforms_08_2009.aspx|website=psc.gov|publisher=Public Health Service|accessdate=July 19, 2017}}</ref>
==United States Air Force== The United States Air Force has not adopted a tiara as a uniform component.<ref name="si">{{cite web|title=Found in our military history collections: A Marine Corps tiara|url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/2011/04/a-marine-corps-tiara.html|website=si.edu|publisher=Smithsonian Institution|accessdate=July 19, 2017}}</ref>
==United States Army== The United States Army tiara was blue with gold oak leaves and was authorized for optional wear by female colonels and higher-ranked officers with mess dress while indoors.<ref name="si"/>
==United States Coast Guard== In 2011 the United States Coast Guard deauthorized use of the Coast Guard tiara as an optional uniform item.<ref>{{cite web|title=COMDTNOTE 1020|url= http://d11s.org/documents/MJA-UNIFORM/ALCOAST_291-11.pdf|website=d11s.org|publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary|accessdate=February 19, 2024}}</ref> At this time the tiara was also deauthorized for use by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.<ref>{{cite web|title=Coast Guard Auxiliary Uniform Policy Changes|url=http://wow.uscgaux.info/Uploads_wowII/130-02-01/ALAUX_UNIFORMS_21JUN11.pdf|website=uscgaux.info|publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary|accessdate=July 19, 2017}}</ref>
==United States Marine Corps== The United States Marine Corps (USMC) tiara was originally patterned in red with gold embellishments.<ref name="si"/> It was designed by Mainbocher for Colonel Katherine Amelia Towle and debuted by her, along with Mainbocher's prototype of the first Marine Corps women's evening dress uniform, at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball in November 1950.<ref name="hist">{{cite book|last1=Stremlow|first1=Mary|title=A History of the Women Marines, 1946–1977|date=1986|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|pages=159–160|url=https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED280948}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/26/magazine/military-roots.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm|title=Military Roots|date=26 August 1990|accessdate=29 July 2017|work=The New York Times}}</ref> Following the promotion of Colonel Margaret Henderson to Director of Women Marines, the tiara was refashioned in black; Henderson reportedly found the red tiara unflattering to her as she had red hair.<ref name="hist"/> Always an optional uniform item, in 1973 it was abolished altogether.<ref name="hist"/>
==United States Navy==
The United States Navy tiara was a crescent shaped hat made of black velvet and authorized for optional wear by female commanders and higher-ranked officers with mess dress while indoors.<ref name="ut">{{cite news|last1=Bacon|first1=Lance|title=Out-of-date tiara, cloak shed from Navy uniform racks|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/military/2015/08/13/out-date-tiara-cloak-shed-navy-uniform-racks/31638363/|accessdate=19 July 2017|work=USA Today|date=13 August 2015}}</ref> By 2015 the Navy reported very few sales of tiaras and the item was discontinued as an optional uniform accessory effective October 1, 2016. As of 14 Feb 2024 the United States Navy has reauthorized the tiara.<ref>{{cite web|title=NAVADMIN 031/24|url=https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/NAVADMIN/NAV2024/NAV24031.txt|accessdate=14 November 2015|date=14 February 2024}}</ref><ref name="ut"/><ref name="hr">{{cite web|title=In Memorium: The Navy Tiara|url=http://hamptonroadsnavalmuseum.blogspot.com/2016/10/in-memorium-navy-tiara.html|website=Hampton Roads Naval Museum blog|publisher=Hampton Roads Naval Museum|accessdate=July 19, 2017}}</ref>
==See also== * Tiara
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
Category:Military uniforms Category:Hats Category:Women in the United States military