A Description of U.S. Postal Service Uniforms

In the United States, postal employees wear uniforms to identify them as representatives of the U.S. Postal Service. While the postal uniform for each postal job/craft is the same nationwide, each postal job/craft uniform has its own unique identifying mark, be it color, stripe, style, etc…

The components of every postal clothing are manufactured by postal authorized and license businesses according to U.S. Postal Service specifications. Only authorized, licensed vendors can sell postal uniforms. Below are descriptions for three of the most identifiable postal uniforms:

For city letter carriers and motor vehicle operators who transport mail, men’s and women’s postal pants, walking shorts, skirts and culottes are made of the same material – 100% polyester – and color – postal bluish grey. In addition, letter carriers have a dark blue stripe running down the outside of each leg. The men’s pants have five pockets: two front, two back and one coin pocket located near the right front pocket.

Only one of the back pockets has a button. The women’s pants and walking shorts have four pockets: two front and two back. Both back pockets have button down flaps. In addition to pants and shorts, women also have the option of wearing a skirt or culottes.

Men’s and women’s shirts come in three styles and are light blue in color with a postal emblem sewn on the left front chest. The first style is the button shirt with collar, available in short and long sleeves. It has two chest pockets, one on each side, and should be worn tucked into pants. The second style is the knit polo shirt with collar. It is available in short sleeves, has one pocket on the left chest and should also be worn tucked into pants.

The third style is the shirt jac with collar. It is available in short sleeves, has three pockets, one on the left chest and two at the waist (one on each side) and can be worn untucked.

Employees must wear a necktie when wearing a long sleeve shirt. Additionally, all employees finish their USPS uniforms with a black leather belt and black leather shoes, which are designed specially with slip resistant soles.

Men’s and women’s outerwear varies depending on the weather. These items include: parkas, jackets, sweaters and raingear. Outerwear items are dark blue with a postal emblem sewn onto the left chest. Raingear is bluish grey. All outerwear items have reflective safety stripes.

There are five styles of headwear available: baseball hat, sun visor, fur hat with ear flaps, plastic sun helmet and a sun hat. The baseball hat is available in mesh back for summer and full cloth for winter. It is bluish grey in color. The fur hat is also bluish grey and has two fur ear flaps for cold winter days. The sun helmet comes in solid or mesh plastic. Finally, the sun hat is specially designed to protect employees from the sun and provide a cooling effect.