National Army Museum visit

Influence of 18th-century military fashion on contemporary fashion design

 18th-century military fashion has had considerable effect on contemporary fashion design. 
18th-century military fashion was made with functionality and convenience paramount in thinking. In detail, Many kinds of military uniforms and accessories which have different colors and styles were produced based on position and honor. Specifically, color of military coat was unified depending on each country. For instance, British forces were red, French forces were blue, Austrian forces were white, and Russian forces were olive green.

  Over 200 years later, now people can recognize a significant amount of impact of 18th-century military fashion in many aspects. One of the representative examples of what is influenced by 18th-century military fashion is contemporary military fashion as the latest fashion design by luxury brands. The contemporary military fashion concentrates on design, novelty and external beauty rather than functionality and convenience  that traditional military fashion focused on. 'while fashion trends tend to burn out within a few years, the women’s military fashion trend isn’t going anywhere, though like all true fashion trends, in 2010 the military trend will evolve.'( Daniel P Dykes, 2008)

  Another example of what is influenced by traditional 18th-century military fashion is  school uniform in Japan. In general, there are uniforms in junior high school and high school in Japan. Japanese school uniform has received a great amount of influence from British 18th-century military fashion. Japanese school uniform was made for creating collectivity and uniformity. However, nowadays, school uniform has been gradually disappearing year after year, because of the liberation of dress.

  In consequence, most of present military fashion which was affected by 18th-century military fashion has been designed for external beauty, novelty, and vogue, not for functionality,  convenience, and uniformity 18th-century military fashion had. Now military fashion is extremely popular, but in my opinion, I think that people should know original essential function of military fashion and historical background that military fashion was born, not only external beauty.

  
  
  

  

Coatee, Wiltshire Yeomanrt Cavalry, c1800

 This object is a traditional short red coat of Wiltshire Yeomanrt Cavalry around 1800. One of the characteristics of this short coat is big gold metal buttons which was stitched on the front side and around the wrists.The other feature is that there is a slightly thick white belt across its shoulder. This object shows origin of contemporary military fashion design like the double breasted gold buttons.

 

Officer's Full Dress Jacket, c1814

 This object is officer's full dress jacket which was worn by Lieutenant William Polhill around 1800. This jacket is embroidered with gold threads around the neck, wrists, and the hem. Other characteristic is that this jacket has a lot of small round gold buttons on the front side as decoration. And red stand collar is also feature of this jacket. Compared with the above red jacket, this is more decorative and luxurious than that.This jacket exert a significant degree of influence on present fashion design.

   

  

SPRING 2009 READY-TO-WEAR 'Tao Comme des Garçons'

  These are the Tao Comme des Garçons clothes from spring 2009 collection. The theme of this collection　is ' love uniform'. This collection is inspired from traditional military fashion. We can see many round gold buttons and stand collar which are feature of traditional military jackets. However, silhouette and details of these clothe are arranged more modern and lovely than traditional military fashion.

Uniform of junior high school in Japan

 These are general uniform of junior high school in Japan. In general, there are uniforms in junior high school and high school in Japan. Japanese school uniform has received a great amount of influence from British 18th-century military fashion. The left above picture of school uniform has double breasted gold buttons which are feature of traditional red coat. Japanese school uniform was made for creating collectivity and uniformity. 

Indian General Service Medal 1908-35, with clasp: north-west frontier 1935;1939-45 star, pacific star 1941-45, defense medal 1939-45; british war medal1939-45

 These are medals for war service.The shape and ribbon of medals differ depending on rank or distinction.

These medals influence current accessories design. Each medals express each rank or title.

School badges in Japan

These are school badges in Japan to classify classes, club, grade and so on. There are different kinds of badges in each school. These badges seem to get influence of above war medals.