Russian Police Short Skirts Banned

Ah, man, this is terrible. Just when things started getting interesting, the Moscow Times reports that the Russian Interior Ministry has launched a crackdown on modifications to uniforms after concerns over female officers shortening their skirts. Russian authorities decided to ban short skirts and other uniform modifications, amid concerns over rising police hemlines. The new rules, which also prohibit officers from wearing wrinkled items, and combining their uniforms with civilian clothing, follow a decree from Sergei Gerasimov, the deputy interior minister.

According to the Izvestia newspaper, Gerasimov said: "When you meet people, the first thing you see is their clothing, and for a police officer fulfilling his duties, it is crucial to have a tidy and neat appearance. From time to time, we have seen instances of officers improperly wearing their uniforms. … Heads [of departments] must pay more attention to the appearance of their subordinates."

The striking image above purporting to show radical uniform modifications in the town of Yekaterinburg appeared on Twitter, but was met with claims it was fake as they appeared to show officers in high heels. (Who cares, I used it anyway!)

Mikhail Pashkin, chairman of the coordination council of the police officers' union, told the Moscow Times that he saw no reason to complain over the shortening of skirts. "Perhaps the girls want to get married, " he said.