Hair & Appearance Guidelines

Women’s haircuts & hairstyles

Side view of a female Soldier smiling with landscaping and trees in the background

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, but it cannot be longer than six inches from the top of the collar while in a braid or ponytail. 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)

Ponytails while in dress or service uniform, or any longer than six inches from the top of the collar

Men’s haircuts & facial hair

Male Soldier sitting down in uniform with his hands on a computer keyboard

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

A female Soldier does push-ups while wearing a hair-covering garment

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

Male Soldier in combat gear smiling and pointing in a forest

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

Male Soldier in an Army tee shirt lifting weights in a gym

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.

Women’s Nails & lipstick

Group of Soldiers in uniform standing next to each other

Permitted

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 clear nail polish.

Lipstick

Women may wear clear or skin-toned lip gloss.

Not Permitted

Nail shape

You cannot have pointed or exaggerate nail shapes such as ballerina, stiletto, arrow, or coffin.

Lipstick

You cannot wear lipstick, lip liner, or unnatural shades of lip gloss.

Men’s Nails

Male Soldier in uniform reaching across his own body with other Soldiers surrounding him

Permitted

Nails

Men must keep nails trimmed so they’re not longer than the fingertip.

Not Permitted

Nail shape and color

You cannot have pointed or exaggerated nail shapes such as ballerina, stiletto, arrow, or coffin. Men cannot wear nail polish of any color or shade.

Hair & Appearance Guidelines

The look of a Soldier.

Appearance guidelines for the modern Soldier

Women’s haircuts & hairstyles

Permitted

Hair length

Hairstyle

Hair accessories

Highlights and coloring

Wigs and extensions

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)

Ponytails while in dress or service uniform, or any longer than six inches from the top of the collar

Men’s haircuts & facial hair

Permitted

Hair length and style

Highlights and coloring

Wigs and hairpieces

Facial hair

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

Hijabs and turbans

Hair placement

Glasses & jewelry

Permitted

Contact lenses and eyewear

Sunglasses worn for medical reasons

Eyeglass restraints and bands

Jewelry

Not Permitted

Eyeglasses or sunglasses with distracting initials or designs

Tinted or colored contact lenses

Excessive or distracting jewelry

Tattoos

Permitted

Entire body tattoos

Hand tattoos

Neck tattoos

Tattoos behind the ear

Not Permitted

Offensive tattoos

Facial tattoos

Women’s Nails & lipstick

Permitted

Nails

Lipstick

Not Permitted

Nail shape

Lipstick

Men’s Nails

Permitted

Nails

Not Permitted

Nail shape and color

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