Police in Victoria are set to wear new New York-style uniforms in the first major fashion overhaul of the force's threads in 30 years.

From next year, officers will swap the current sky blue shirt for a darker, navy blue variety designed to be more practical and comfortable for officers on the beat.

Inspired choice ... An NYPD officer in uniform.

Unveiling the new uniforms this afternoon, acting deputy commissioner Lucinda Nolan said police officers had complained that the current uniform was impractical, particularly female officers who said their shirts were too short and didn't contain pockets.

"The shirts aren't long enough so they come adrift at the back. Females don't have pockets on the shirt, so we find it hard to carry things around, needless to say," she said.