Uniforms of Themiclesian armed forces

This page catalogues the uniforms of Themiclesian armed forces. Early Themiclesian military bodies rarely possessed distinctive clothing, as body armour was issued by the state and usually sufficed for identification. After body armour became obsolete, the state began to mandate certain emblems be used for this purpose, though most soldiers and sailors had to supply their own clothes. Casaterran-style uniforms were introduced in the early 19th century, and dress uniforms since have followed Casaterran social norms. In more recent times, efforts have been made to standardize battle equipment and clothing for effectiveness and economy, though dress uniforms tend to be peculiar to the unit, more so if it had a long history or distinct role.

Land forces

After a century of Liberal reform, the Themiclesian land forces started to assumed their modern structure under the Army Acts of 1921. While fiscal and operational unity was achieved by the start of the Pan-Septentrion War, Conservatives have generally opposed attempts to consolidate the army beyond the fiscal and operational aspect, preferring to allow each component to retain a measure of administrative independence. This is most clearly reflected in the dress uniforms of the Themiclesian Army, which still vary by region, regiment, and department. Today, the army can be divided into four parts—the Consolidated Army, the Reserve Army, the Territorial Forces, and the Militias. The Consolidated Army, the main standing army, and the Reserve Army are both administered by the central government in name and in substance, and they share the same set of uniforms for the most part, e.g. an infantryman in the Consolidated Army has the same dress uniforms as one in the Reserve Army. The Territorial Forces are units raised, with parliamentary approval, by ethnic minorities groups sharing in the defence of the nation, and these possess distinct uniforms, though their activities, some statutory exceptions aside, are also co-ordinated centrally. The Militias are nominally under prefectural administration, though modern administrative rules require central permission to most local action on them. Each prefecture establishes uniforms for its militias.

Naval forces

As with militias, Themiclesia's navy traditionally required its members to prepare their own clothing, with few regulations as what it might look like. In 1810, a Casaterran-style uniform was introduced for both officers and men, in the entire navy. Sailors and marines originally shared a very similar or identical uniform, but due to their different working environments and sartorial inclinations, the common uniform soon took on characteristics of its wearers and bifurcated.

Consolidated Fleet

The common uniform of 1810 was adopted by sailors, but to protect the overcoat and outer waistcoat, it become typical only to wear the shirt, necktie, and under-waistcoat on normal duty. While early portraits show sailors with closed collars and neatly-tied neckcloths, by 1830 this had become uncommon. Perhaps under Casaterran influence, sailors began to fasten their neckties rather loosely, which allowed the tall collars to open and flap down over their shoulders. Around 1840, public commentators remarked how much of a sailors could be seen unclothed, provoking the Admiralty to require sailors to fasten their neckties properly. This ordinance evidently had little effect, since neckcloths grew only looser through the decade. By 1850, the neckcloth was similar in function to a scarf, and the bow was abandoned for a four-in-hand knot. Alarmed by sailors' unkempt appearance, the Admiralty procured a frock coat for sailors exclusively in 1851; this was a double-breasted frock coat that was cut differently from the Marines' frock coat. Sailors still typically wore a four-in-hand knot as opposed to a bow, which became associated with marines by mid-century. It is not clear why sailors preferred this knot, but it is possible that loops on a bow was a hazard with hooks and ropes in the rigging.

The frock coat was required to be worn while asking to speak with commissioned officers during daytime.

Marines

For marines, the common uniform of 1810 evolved to become the full dress uniform that was the equivalent of civilian white tie, used for evening functions. The Marines have followed the 1810 structure very closely, providing two waistcoats in contrasting colours and a cutaway overcoat with tails. While cutting has varied through the ages, one waistcoat was worn with collars up, and the other with collars rolled. In 1825, a morning coat was introduced, with a fully-skirted frock coat, single waistcoat, and less ornate necktie; the morning coat was, as its name suggested, worn for formal morning functions and most drilling activity until 1915, when a drab uniform was introduced. But for certain ceremonies, it remains proper to wear the frock or tail coat, as the time of day may require. For reasons unclear, marines began to take their neckties quite seriously, imitating Casaterran fashions from about 1820. In 1824, the Captain-General awarded a contract for marines shirts to himself, owning a shirt factory. Since then, the wearing of clean linens became traditional with marines for the remainder of the 19th century. At the same time, they also developed a reputation for ostentatious necktie fashion, since there were no rules regulating its use.

See also

• Themiclesia