Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also civies, civs) civilian clothing, i.e. neither a uniform nor one’s working clothes.

1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant I 253/1: Civvies (army), a suit of civvies, i.e. civilian’s clothes.
1908		C. Fowler letter 21 Mar. in Tomlinson Rocky Mountain Sailor (1998) 301: Warrant officers usually wear ‘civs’ when going ashore .
1914		E. Wittmann ‘Clipped Words’ in DN IV:ii 144: civvies, from civilian clothes, as opposed to regimentals.
1917		Hall & Niles One Man’s War (1929) 223: My new suit of civies is finished.
1919		Watch on the Rhine [Cologne] 3 July 2/1: When I put on my ‘civvies’, / How happy I shall be.
1924		(con. WWI) A.G. Pretty Gloss. of Sl. [...] in the A.I.F. 1921–1924 (rev. t/s) n.p.: civvy-ies. Civilian people or clothes.
1925		R. McAlmon Distinguished Air (1963) 27: Sailors in civvies.
1929		(con. 1916) F. Manning Her Privates We (1986) 151: If a were once out o’ these togs an’ in civvies again, a wouldn’t mind all the shame in the world.
1930		J. Lait Put on the Spot 111: The Chief of Police entered. He wore civvies.
1932		(con. 1917–19) Dos Passos Nineteen Nineteen in USA (1966) 602: Lord, I’ll be glad to get into civvies for keeps.
1936		(ref. to 1920s) L. Duncan Over the Wall 147: He could gold-brick around with [...] a Stetson felt, and regulation ‘civies’.
1939		Army and Navy Register (US) 18 Nov. 3/2: ‘Civvies,’ civilian clothing.
1943		‘Henry Green’ Caught (2001) 147: He was dressed in civvies.
1946		F. Eikel Jr ‘An Aggie Vocab. of Sl.’ in AS XXI:1 31: civies, n. ‘A senior’s comfort, under classmen’s envy: civilian clothes.’.
1946		Newsweek 18 Mar. 34/1: The bunco artists start literally from the skin out, trading on the clothing shortage and the soldier’s natural desire to get into civvies [DA].
1953		L. Uris Battle Cry (1964) 37: Two minutes to dress and a minute to weep over your civvies.
1958		(con. 1940s) B. Behan Borstal Boy 206: Ran to [...] get bathed and changed into our civvies.
1960		C. MacInnes Mr Love and Justice (1964) 9: Would he make plain-clothes – would he? Think of it! In civvies yet unlike the other millions.
1973		B.S. Johnson All Bull 28: When a siren blew we moved off [...] still in our civvies.
1981		J. Ellroy Brown’s Requiem 150: Servicemen in civvies beginning an evening of barhopping.
1988		D. Woodrell Muscle for the Wing 46: He [i.e. a policeman] was in civvies.
1990		J. Wambaugh Golden Orange (1991) 187: Buster and Hadley [...] were in the locker room changing to civvies.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 362: James, just in case he should not be recognised in his civvies, had kept on his fool’s hat.
2001		I. Welsh Glue 13: Duncan had negotiated with the management to provide lockers, so that workers could travel in ‘civvies’ and change into their working gear.
2003		Bug (Aus.) June 🌐 He also insisted we change out of our civvies in the room next to his office.
2010		J. Ellroy Hilliker Curse 21: The girls [...] wore pastel uniform dresses by day and prepped-out civvies in the evenings.
2013		D. Whish-Wilson Zero at the Bone [ebook] Swann was in his civvies, in case it got ugly.
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 76: [I]t was during the school day, and Ryan was in civvies.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 68: [LAPD boss] Parker wore civvies.
2020		D. Whish-Wilson Shore Leave 40: [H]e’d changed into his civvies of polo shirt, khaki Dickies trousers and Converse high-tops.

2. (US gay) badly designed clothing.

1972

B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 47: civvies men’s clothing without that special flair.