For more than 70 years, the Royal New Zealand Navy has sailed the world's more exotic and tropical seas sporting white shorts.
The crisp, stark shorts, worn with polished white shoes and knee-high white socks, have had a mixed reception from service men and women over the decades. But now, they have been phased out in favour of more professional and practical long trousers.
"The white shorts had their place in the tropical environment but the navy needed to move on," said Warrant Officer Chef Steven Bourke, who has served in the navy for 36 years.
The official last day that navy staff could wear the shorts was last Friday. They were given an appropriate send-off, with many serving members wearing them throughout their day.
Personnel from the HMNZS Philomel base operations unit used "White Shorts Day" to collect donations for the Fallen Heroes Trust. Reaction to the loss of shorts was mixed with some lamenting while they loved them, it was difficult to keep them clean.
