RAF Graduation- Is it acceptable as a guest to have a tattoo showing?

Hi there,

My other half is potentially graduating basic training in Halton in October and I am just wondering, as a guest is it acceptable to have a tattoo showing?

I am looking at wearing a dress and a long coat etc. so will be dressed relatively smart for the occasion but I just wanted to know if it is acceptable to have a tattoo on my calf showing?

The reason I ask is the last thing I want to do is dress innappropriately for my other half's first formal parade! I have thought about wearing tights, but with some dresses (call me fussy) I think it just doesn't look quite right! Obviously if it came down to it, i'd wear them anyway but I just wanted to know if it was an option to not have to wear them without looking out of place!

Also:
As a girlfriend of someone who is now in the forces ( but who is not from a family with a forces background), is there anything I should know about ettiquette/conduct or the general forces lifestyle?

Hope that makes sense!

Thanks for your help :smile:

Reply 1

username158373

Original post by HarrietKJ

Harriet,

As a guest you can have a tattoo showing, a dress and a long coat is perfectly suitable.

You don't need to wear tights, just wear whatever is comfortable for you, though tights may be good for the october weather! The Halton graduation isn't very formal, it's not like a dining in/out night in the mess where there are specific etiquette and rules.

Just stick on a dress, watch the parade and get some photos done and enjoy the day don't worry about it!

Forces lifestyle not really anything you majorly need to be aware of, if you do attend mess functions your other half will have to give you the run down of some of the rules but thats quite far into the future most likely and civvis are pretty much exempt from everything you'd just end up getting him fined / given a lot of banter!

AT