The runways of New York Fashion Week have people talking about the boldest designs, but the National Park Service has been keeping it far more simple — yet arguably just as iconic — by posting videos to Instagram of park rangers from across the country showing off their uniforms with the hashtag #npsfashionweek.
The videos are a wholesome answer to couture, and the standout of the project, without question, is Peelee Clark, a ranger from Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. In a video that has gained quite a bit of traction, Mr. Clark dances to Meghan Trainor’s “Made You Look” while working his way through at least 17 pieces of official N.P.S. uniform options, including the agency’s signature wide-brimmed hat (officially made part of the standard uniform in 1920, but part of the N.P.S. since its founding in 1911).
While stiff dress pants, a buttoned-up shirt and, of course, that hat, might be what most people picture as the standard park ranger uniform, there are a host of other options, including a knit cap, a windbreaker and a long-sleeved T-shirt made of moisture-wicking fabric.
According to the N.P.S. Reference Manual 43: Uniforms, a 56-page document that outlines the rules and standards for everything from hats to commemorative pins, uniforms are broken down by function. There is the service uniform, which is to be worn when working with the public; a field uniform, which is for working with the public where, according to the manual, environmental conditions dictate “more practical” attire; and there are work uniforms reserved for work projects and backcountry use.
There are 66 officially sanctioned clothing and accessory items, including cowhide gloves and maternity pants. The N.P.S. provides up to $400 per year for each ranger to acquire uniform pieces, but the components cannot be mixed-and-matched willy-nilly. For example, turtlenecks or ties cannot be worn with the short-sleeved shirt (Mr. Clark is wearing his tie with the long-sleeved shirt), and shirts should always be tucked in and “bloused.”
Mr. Clark’s moves were definitely impressive (he did spot turns while wearing hiking boots on a carpet), but his status as an active ranger, rather than a social media influencer, was emphasized when an attempt was made to talk to him about his video. He was unavailable to talk because, per a person who answered the phone at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, he was “on a fire.”
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