Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
Full dress uniform is a special uniform reserved for parade or other ceremonial occasions. Prior to World War I most armies retained uniforms of this type, usually more colourful and elaborate than ordinary duty — undress — or the increasingly drab active service, or field, uniforms. Smart dress attracted recruits and improved morale in the volunteer British and United States armies, and the British regimental system fostered numerous distinctions between units. This page explains the full dress of 1913 and why most of it disappeared after the war.
Full dress uniform is a special uniform reserved for parade or other ceremonial occasions. Prior to World War I (1914-18) most armies of the world retained uniforms of this type that were usually more colorful and elaborate than the ordinary duty ("undress") or the increasingly drab active service ("field") uniforms. The British and United States armies were dependent upon voluntary recruiting and found that a smart dress served to attract recruits and improve morale amongst those already serving. The British regimental system fostered numerous distinctions amongst different units. Even the mainly conscript armies of continental Europe retained many of the colorful features that had evolved during the Nineteenth Century for reasons of national and unit pride. Thus, in 1913 most French soldiers wore red trousers and kepis as part of their full dress, the majority of British regiments retained scarlet tunics for parade and off duty ("walking out"), the German army was characterised by Prussian blue, the Russian by dark green etc. There were usually exceptions to each of these rules, often distinguishing elite units. Thus German cuirassiers wore white full dress, British rifle regiments a very dark green, French mountain troops large berets and light blue trousers and so on. The US Army with its smart but relatively sober "dress blues" was a exception, with cavalry, artillery and infantry being distinguished only by the different branch colors.
After World War I most full dress uniforms disappeared. Many of the Imperial or Royal regimes that had taken taken a particular pride in the retention of colorful traditional uniforms had been overthrown and their republican, fascist, or communist successors had little incentive to retain old glories. Elsewhere cost and disillusion with the "peacock" aspects of old fashioned soldiering had a similar effect, except for ceremonial guard units and such limited exceptions as officers' evening or off duty uniforms.
| The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/full_dress ). 1/26/06 |
Pre-1914 full dress was deliberate display. Armies depended on it: Britain and the United States recruited volunteers, and a smart uniform was an advertisement and a morale asset; regimental distinctions — facing colours, badges, headgear — turned units into identities a soldier could be proud of. Even the mainly conscript armies of continental Europe kept the colourful features evolved during the nineteenth century for national and unit pride. The American dress blues were the sober exception, cavalry, artillery and infantry distinguished only by branch colours where European regiments differed head to toe.
The disappearance after 1918 was as much political as practical. The imperial and royal regimes that had taken particular pride in colourful traditional uniforms were overthrown, and their republican, fascist or communist successors had little incentive to retain old glories. Elsewhere, cost and disillusion finished the work. What survives is the guarded remnant: ceremonial guard units, bands, and officers' evening and off-duty uniforms such as mess dress — full dress reduced to the occasions where display is itself the duty. The school uniform and other civilian uniforms borrow the same principle at smaller scale: a prescribed best dress for formal occasions, distinct from everyday wear.
Full dress uniform is a special uniform reserved for parade or other ceremonial occasions, usually more colorful and elaborate than the ordinary duty or field uniforms.
In 1913 most French soldiers wore red trousers and kepis, the majority of British regiments retained scarlet tunics, the German army was characterized by Prussian blue and the Russian by dark green, with elite exceptions such as German cuirassiers in white and British rifle regiments in very dark green.
After World War I most full dress uniforms disappeared: regimes that prized them were overthrown, and elsewhere cost and disillusion with the peacock aspects of old-fashioned soldiering had the same effect, except for ceremonial guard units and limited exceptions.