MODE MILITAIRE: THE UNIFORM OF PANACHE

Officer of the Hussars 1814

                                              
Military uniforms have long been an influence on women's fashion, notably the v-line silhouette, the use of braiding and frogging, and the tailored details to pockets and lapels. More recently, khaki and camouflage colors, military fashioned jackets, and fatigue styled outfits are back.
In the early nineteenth century, military uniforms of the Napoleonic era reached the zenith of fashionable panache. As seen in this painting by Theodore Gericault of an officer of the French Hussars, the uniforms made a striking image.

Hussar uniforms in particular were resplendent with their rows of brass buttons, gold cording, and barrel-sashes on the dolman and fur-lined or gold-embroidered pelisse jackets. The pelisse jackets were usually worn with extra dash strapped over one shoulder. Caps and hats were meant to make the men look more impressive, with tall shakos or bear-skin (fur) hats. Close-fitting breeches and riding boots with piping and tassles added to the ensemble (the hussar above is wearing over-alls over his pants). Hussars even had their own hair styles - with pig-tails and the hair on the side of their head braided into long queues - the latter as added protection aginst saber-cuts to the cheeks. Hussar uniforms originated in Hungary but became popular throughout Europe. The uniform above depicts a uniform of a French regiment of Hussars circa 1810. An excellent movie and one that shows great uniforms of the period is Ridley Scott's The Duellists, starring Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel from 1977.

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The hussar's pelisse jacket was worn by Jimi Hendrix for some of his concerts in England when he lived there in the mid-1960s. The panache of the jacket fit perfectly with the persona of Jimi Hendrix. His hair even seemed to replace the bear-skin cap, his guitar or "ax" the weapon of choice.

By the final years of the 19th century, military uniforms were already becoming simplified. This costume sketch for Edward, Prince of Wales (for an unknown film), shows a more simple uniform for the 10th Hussars. The v-line takes on added importance, accented by the tailored waist, graduated braiding and frogging, and the epaulettes. While all of these devices served functions besides decoration, their origin was to emphasize the power of the male chest.

The costume sketch above was done by Gile Steele for Franchot Tone in Quality Street, 1937, co-starring Katharine Hepburn. The uniform has only one epaulette, which at the time denoted the rank of lieutenant.

This costume sketch was designed by Eduardo Lerchundi for Fernando Lamas in The Avengers (La Vengadora) in 1949. This is the classic costume of the swash-buckling film. The term panache derives from a French word that meant the feather in a hat, worn with panache by musketeers and 17th century gentlemen.

A colorful costume sketch for a colorful film, the classic The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938, starring Errol Flynn. The knight's costume above was designed by Lon Anthony for Austin Fairman playing Sir Nigel. Color and art combined into heraldic symbols that identified titles, families, and fighting units in the Middle Ages. Military unforms have a long history that can provide continuing fashion inspiration in our time. The functional aspects of the military uniform of today speaks for itself. But oh, how I loved the panache.