Although the United States Navy had introduced a system of sleeve stripes made of gold lace as rank insignia in 1852, nearly twenty years elapsed before the two base widths of ½-inch and ¼-inch were chosen for use (they had been used by the British Navy since 1856). Today, these two sizes of gold lacing are used in logical combinations to indicate the ranks of Navy and Coast Guard Junior Officers (O-4) and Senior Officers (Commander and Captain, or O-5 and O-6). Sleeve rank insignia are worn with the male and female Service Dress Blue, the Dinner Dress Blue, and Formal Dress Blue uniforms and the female Dinner Dress White Jackets; see them all in our
Navy Uniforms section.This strip of ½-inch gold lacing is 30 inches long, enough for one half-inch stripe on both sleeves of a uniform jackets, i.e., a Lieutenant (junior grade); Officers in higher grades should purchase an extra strip for each additional ½-inch stripe required for their rank. Alternatively, you can purchase lacing sets based upon your rank to ensure you receive any differently sized lacing required by your rank’s insignia (either ¼-inch or 2-inch). Ordering by rank also guarantees you will receive enough of each type of lacing for the requisite number of stripes.
Finally, those who are purchasing lacing for a uniform from us may wish to use our Lacings and Sleeve Device Sewing service. For $49.99, we will hem your uniform’s sleeves to the appropriate length and attach the gold lace sleeve-rank insignia and Navy Line/Staff Officer’s device or Coast Guard's Sleeve Device. This service guarantees perfect sleeve length and spot-on placement of rank insignia and other devices, providing you with a jacket you can wear the minute it arrives.
Related ItemsU.S. Navy Line Officer Star DeviceU.S. Coast Guard Shield Device