Uniforms: the History

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Uniforms are garments of a similar ("uniform") pattern worn by a group of individuals to indicate their identity and function. Uniform clothing was used in ancient times and has been especially popular with the military since the emergence of standing armies in western Europe during the 17th century. Colonels of REGIMENTS found it convenient to require their troops to wear uniforms on which they could realize a profit from pay deductions, a system that lasted into the 1850s in the British army. Uniform colours varied greatly at first. In Canada, the first large body of uniformed men appeared in 1665 with the CARIGNAN-SALIÈRES REGIMENT dressed in brown coats lined with white and grey, black hats and buff and black ribbons. Nations soon standardized the basic coat colours, though there were many exceptions. The colonial infantry companies that garrisoned New France from 1683 to 1760 had grey-white coats, the French infantry colour, with blue linings and cuffs. From 1716, the buttons were brass, the vest, breeches and stockings were blue, and a gold-laced tricorn was worn. The army regiments sent to Canada from 1755 until the Conquest of 1760 had the same dress with differences in colours, eg, the La Sarre Regiment had a red vest, with grey-white coat linings and grey-white breeches. The distinctively coloured cuffs, collars, linings and lapels became known as "facings" in the red-coated British infantry; most units also had lace patterns peculiar to each regiment. Shades of yellow, green, blue or buff were the usual facing colours. The impression that the whole British army was in red coats should be dismissed: artillery wore blue with red facings, as did some support services. Green was also adopted by some light infantry and rifle corps from the end of the 18th century, notably Queen's Rangers (1791-1802) who served in Upper Canada. The militia of New France
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