Uniforms of the Royal Army (Great Nortend)

The Royal Army of Great Nortend, formally known as His Majesty's Men and Officers at Arms, are well known for their distinctive uniforms and dress in Great Nortend and beyond. The uniforms of the Royal Army exist in seven dress orders, from the most elaborate full dress to the most informal field dress.

Facing colours

Each regiment and corps of the Royal Army has its own facing colour, which is used on fabric for the linings and trim of uniform tunics, coats and head-dress. Some regiments have two or even three facing colours, resulting usually in a striped pattern.

• Scarlet: 2nd (Royal Enley), 3rd (and White) (King's Royal Teyshire), 13th (and Yellow) (Queen Catherine's), 22nd (and Black) (Prince of Leaton's), 41st (and Orange and White) (Queen's Own)
• Crimson: 9th (Norsax Fusiliers), 29th (Red of Gortland), 47th (Duke of Essingford's)
• Red: 15th (Prince of Rhise's Own), 28th (and Orange) (East Aceshire), 49th (Northern Light), Hambrian Guards
• Deep purple: 19th (Harvickshire)
• Maroon: 50th (North Essingford and PLumey)
• Orange: 21st (Margrave of Bine's), 28th (and Red) (East Aceshire)
• Pale orange: 24th (Earl of Roseham's)
• Amber yellow: 7th (Faunslaughter),
• Yellow: 6th (and White) (Queen's Bentshire), 25th (and Black) (Northannering), 38th (with Green) (Prince of Gervis's), King's Own Guards
• Green yellow: 27th (Eamshire)
• Buff: 5th (Cranshire), 26th (Murish Fusiliers)
• Brown: 31st (and White) (Chessboards), 46th (New North Barminstershire)
• Pale green: 17th (Monmorians), 43rd (and White) (Duke of Alvington's)
• Beech green: 18th (Plumwelders), City Guards
• Rhighton green: 36th (King's Rhighton)
• New green: 20th (King's Own Foresters), 42nd (and Light grey) (Igoddal)
• Dark green: 12th (North Larkshire), 37th (and White) (Poltland)
• Egg blue: 10th (Great Walecester), Royal Army Nursing Corps
• Blue: 11th (and White) (Duke of Towshire's), 39th (and Gold) (High Alpiners)
• Royal blue: 17th (Lasmere Marchers), 33rd (Earl of Barminster's), Queen's Own Guards
• Dark blue: 4th (Prince Andrew's South Aceshire), 24th (and White) (Duke of Fivewells's), 45th (Prince of Dunricia's)
• Purple: Royal Army Chaplains' Corps
• Light Grey: 34th (East Gortland), 42nd (and New green) (Igoddal)
• Middle Grey: 14th (Gardolian)
• Black: 8th (Barard), 22nd (and Scarlet) (Prince of Leaton's), 25th (and Yellow) (Northannering)
• White: 1st (Royal Narland), 3rd (and Scarlet) (King's Royal Teyshire), 6th (and Yellow) (Queen's Bentshire), 11th (and Blue) (Duke of Towshire's), 24th (and Dark blue) (Duke of Fivewells's), 31st (and Brown) (Chessboards), 32nd (Duke of Morney's), 35th (Duke of Limmes's), 37th (and Dark green) (Poltland), 41st (and Scarlet and Orange) (Suthrepourdeland), 43rd (and Pale green) (Duke of Alvington's)

Dress Order I: Full dress

Dress Order I: officers (left), men (right).

Full dress is the most ceremonial, elaborate and formal day dress available. It is in much of the same pattern as was used in the 19th century, when uniforms were standardised, and has changed very little since. Full dress is colloquially known as 'blues and whites', as the main colour for infantry regiments and most service corps is a dark , almost black, blue. Red is used in certain regiments, mostly cavalry regiments, as well as by some foot guards. Dark green is used by riflers. Dark grey is used by some service corps.

Full dress consists, it its most general form, a coloured woollen tunic (men) or coat (officers), coloured collars, polished belt (men) or sashes (officers), head-dress, trousers (men) or overalls (officers), and dress boots (men) or riding boots (officers). Officers also wear fringed epaulettes bearing their rank insignia. All regular serving soldiers are issued with full dress uniform tunics and boots; however, head-dress, collars, trousers and belts are only normally issued when needed, except for those with regular ceremonial duties. Officers are required to acquire their own items of dress.

Full dress is regularly worn by the foot guard regiments, horse guards regiments and army bands. It is also commonly worn at military weddings, funerals, ceremonial occasions, state occasions and public occasions. The dress order is distinctive for its white trousers or overalls, which are worn by most regiments. It is the only dress order wherein the crimson or crimson and gold waist sash, and silk shoulder sash is worn by officers, as well as the polished leather belt for men. Though the tunic is the same as that used in dress order II, the standing collars used are different. They are detachable, however, so that only one tunic is required.

Head-dress differs between men and officers, and between regiments. Most ordinary infantry regiments wear a standardised leather pointed helm as their full dress head-dress, in gold for officers and silver for men, though officers of colonel rank and above wear cocked bicornes. Some northern regiments wear what is known as a wool helm, which is a helmet trimmed with lambswool. Cuirassiers wear an open helm. Grenadiers wear a traditional grenadier's cap trimmed in black bear fur, colloquially known as a bearskin. Hunters and artillery regiments wear busbies whilst dragoon regiments wear silver and gold-plated helmets. Riflers wear either shako-style helmets or pointed helms. Lancer regiments usually wear czapki. Service corps without any other specialised head-dress wear a cloth-covered cork helmet, similar in design to the pointed helm without the point.

Dress Order II: Undress

Dress Order II: officers (left), men (right).

Undress originated in the late 19th century as a more informal version of full dress. It consists of the same tunic or coat and boots worn in full dress; however, it includes different trousers or overallds and accoutrements.

The main difference in appearance is the dark blue trousers (men) or overalls (officers), in lieu of the white of full dress. For officers, epaulettes are replaced with shoulder boards, and the shoulder and waist sashes replaced with a Sam Browne belt. For men, the polished leather belt is replaced with a plain leather belt, as worn in Dress Order III, duty dress. The coloured collar of full dress is replaced with a plain collar. Head-dress is also mostly standardised to a peaked cap, although some regiments retain their distinctive head-dress.

In winter, a greatcoat is worn over the tunic or coat. A frock coat may be worn by officers when not on parade, and riding boots exchanged for service boots worn with duty dress.

Undress is the normal formal dress of the Royal Army, and is generally worn on Sundays, formal occasions and as walking-out dress. All regular serving men are issued with undress items, the tunic whereof ought to be altered to fit. Officers are required to acquire their own items of dress.

Dress Order III: Duty dress

Dress Order III: officers (left), men (right).