Redcoats

National Army Museum

The soldier’s army, why was it red? Why did it change in style? And why has the army uniform changed altogether?

The classic redcoat has been used so many times in current trends with the warrior trend coming through in the designs of Vivien Westwood, John Galliano to Dior. Is it British style power dressing?? This iconic jacket has never really been seen as a fashion piece so where did this design come from and why has it become so stylish in today fashion industry

You could say that the redcoats started back in medieval times with the idea of family coats of arms and colours. Knights would fight in these chosen colours as a form of identity in case they where lost in battle. Then in 1337 Edward III order cloth to be made for 1000 men in battle all in the same colour was this the very first arm in some form of a redcoat.

In 1520 henry VIII had his own personal guards known as “beefeater” and this is when the idea of red was introduced even Tudor fashion was influenced by beefeaters

17^th century English civil war was another turning point towards the redcoat when Oliver Cromwell said, “With no uniform, there is no order and no army” so this idea of the new model army was suggested but what should this look like? The dying of the fabric began 2years before the war began and the colour red was nothing to do with blood but more to do with the cloth and availability. The fabric was produced in Stroud Gloucestershire on a broad loom, the cloth needed to be flexible and made of fabric that was hard to fray and worked well with water.

 The military style began to cross into the civilian style and it was hard to tell which was which. The military uniform was getting more stylish than practical with the shoulders becoming heavier and the looser cuffs and these weren’t the best for fighting. They where to wet for winter and to hot for summer with many soldiers getting sunstroke. This impractical uniform continued in the 19^th century but this time the uniform was becoming more seductive than practical. The jacket began to enhance the body shape with the chest being padded out to look more manly and it was a rather tight fit was this the first stages of what we no as power dressing.

The problem with the redcoat was its visibility and its impracticalities it wasn’t until 1865-91 when in India that white was used and due to the dust and dirty staining the fabric this was the first signs of khaki and then the traditional red coated army began staining the white uniform in anything from coffee, tea and tobacco. But khaki came at the right time with weapons becoming better and having better aim khaki saved lives with the idea of becoming a chameleon not a peacock.

 World War 1 was the first that had a whole arm dressed in khaki with 4/5 different shades/ shadows of khaki colours where used. They got artist to specialise in patterns could this of been the first stages of cubism. In 1918 Norman Wilkinson introduced dazzle onto to boats to confuse other ships and this idea began to be applied to khaki with its distinctive pattern. In 1972 the final design of khaki are what you see in todays arm, worldwide there is are 350 different camouflages. 

But the redcoat hasn’t gone altogether it is still used for ceremonial purposes such as Prince William on his wedding day. So will the red coat always remain in fashion? I believe it will always stand as an iconic and popular piece and will inspire generations to come.