THE FOOT GUARDS 1881-1902
OFFICER'S FULL DRESS TUNICS
The tunic of all four Guard regiments was the same cut and dimensions as the regular Infantry of the Line. The collar and cuffs were blue cloth, as befits Royal Regiments. The collar in 1881 was to be no higher than two inches. Until 1896, the collar was rounded in front, but was cut square after that. Field officers had an extra bar of purl lace on the lower part of the collar and the cuffs had an additional bar of lace. The cuffs had blue flaps six inches high, which were different in the amount and placement of the gold lace. In the Foot Guards, officers with the rank of Captain were considered Field Officers and thus the embellishments on their uniforms conformed with that status.
The Foot Guards regiments were also distinguished by their button arrangement. The Grenadiers had nine buttons evenly spaced, the Coldstream had buttons in pairs, the Scots in threes and the Irish, upon formation, in fours.
A crimson silk sash was worn over the right shoulder and knotted on the left hip with tassels falling to the bottom of skirts. The Grenadier Major on the left of the plate below is wearing gold lace waistbelt and a State sash which was crimson with gold stripes. both worn on State occasions.
The Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major and the Adjutant were usually mounted on parade and wore blue pantaloons with 2" scarlet stripes down the side. Trousers were also blue with the 2" scarlet stripe. On State occasions or Levees, The stripes on the trousers were of gold regimental pattern lace.
NEXT:
Officer's Swords, Full Dress Belts & Accoutrements
UNIFORMS, ARMS & EQUIPMENT - FOOT GUARDS
