I know there are quite some threads out there about this topic but none of the solutions suggested in them seems to work.
Setup:
I like toMy OCD forces me to do some micro-management to make sure that every dwarf has the right equipment. So I usually create a squad right away and put everyone in there. I create a "Civilian" uniform with all the stuff the dwarves wear at embark, so that they don't strip naked. And once I made some armour, I adjust the civilian uniform by adding/deleting certain items.
Problem:
I just finished to make a set of bone helmets/gauntlets for my civilians and want to equip them. Thus I changed the "Civilian" uniform slightly - white metal helms instead of caps and white metal gauntlets instead of gloves. But no matter what I do, they do not equip the &$/% stuff.
Failed Trials:
1. I know that equipping gear is low priority, so I disabled any other labour. Nothing happened...
2. I tried but "Partial Matches" and "Exact Matches". No difference...
3. I built a barracks. No idea if that is needed for it. Not assigning the squad to it for training did nothing and assigning them only made them train but not equip anything...
4. I changed the schedule to 1 soldier max to make sure that there are enough to trigger...I don't really know what that could possibly trigger but anyway...
5. Then I had the idea "Well, if they don't automatically pick up the bone stuff, I have to make them drop their caps/gloves first and then forbid them. That leaves them no choice but to pick up what's left, e.g. bone". Tried but forbidding their clothes and tell them to dump them...both to no avail...
I seriously don't know what to try anymore. Anyone with ideas how to get this mess sorted out?
EDIT:
Suggestions
1: Toggle "Replace Clothing" - No change
2: Change to different uniform and then back to modified one - No change
SOLUTION (thanks to all!)
It seems to work with the following adjustments:
1. always use "exact matches" if you want them to wear specific armor
2. uniform originally set to "replace clothing"...the dwarves will strip naked apart from the armor pieces offered
3. uniform then changed back to "over clothing" makes them pick up their other clothes from the floor/cabinet again. if you don't want them to re-equip certain items, forbid them before you toggle back
4. points 2 and 3 can be done under (e) for the whole squad or for individual dwarves
5. bone armor can be specified by choosing "white" and leather "brown" as color
as far as I can tell schedules and barracks don't influence this process