Officer's coat frock : Assistant Principal E Smith, Women's Royal Naval Service

Officer's loose-fitting dark blue wool gabardine coat frock, reaching to just below the calf. The frock is constructed in three panels, front and back. The central panels, lined with black cotton sateen, are folded down each long edge to form a loose pleat. There are self fabric belt loops on each side of each central panel to take a black patent leather belt (REL/00115.002). They are positioned slightly above the natural waistline. The back central panel only has been gathered to shape the waist. There are ten gilded brass Royal Navy buttons placed in pairs down the front panel. The top eight buttons are evenly spaced but there is a gap before the last pair to allow for the placement of the belt. The frock opens to hip level down the left of the front central panel, fastening with press studs. A pocket is set into the cotton sateen lining. Underneath this panel the frock has two small additional panels, extending as far as the waist only, that fasten at the centre front with hooks and eyes. The front central panel is cut to form a square neckline - the right side is fixed at the shoulder, the left side opens and is secured by press studs. A separate dark blue self fabric collar, lined with black cotton sateen, is attached to the neck, with curved ends placed either side of the square neckline at the front, and a curved shape at the back. The left side of the collar can be opened and fastens with press studs. Each side of the front and the deepest part of the collar at the back are embroidered in pale blue with a fouled anchor within a laurel wreath. The long sleeves bear pale blue cotton lace rank insignia (single half inch ring and diamond loop) for an assistant principal. There are three gold lace service chevrons on the lower right sleeve indicating three years of service, 1917-1919. Both the cuffs and neck have detachable white cotton liners (with press studs) which show above the line of the blue coat frock when it is worn.

This uniform coat frock was worn by Miss Elsie Smith, an Assistant Principal in the Women's Royal Naval Service during the First World War. The loose fitting coat dress with a slightly raised waistline followed contemporary fashion of the period. The WRNS was formed in November 1917.