Officer's Mess Dress

Mess dress was thought to have originated in India where the hot climate encouraged the wearing of the stable jacket open with just a shirt underneath. In cooler weather a waistcoat was needed and it was thought that the plain jacket needed something ornate. The colour of the cloth of the waistcoat usually followed the facing colour but most of the heavy cavalry regiments chose red. Each regiment had its own pattern of gold gimp frogging and Russia braid. A photo of 1871 shows an officer of the 7th DG in mess dress of this pattern so the design had been in use at least since then. This mess dress has embroidered badges of Ligonier's crest on the collar which were not officially sanctioned until 1899 so this may date after that. The gold lace around the edges of the jacket is of regimental pattern and was one inch wide, but for field officers it was an inch and a half. The rank badges on the shoulder cords are a crown and star so this is the mess kit of a lieutenant-colonel. The medal ribbons include the Indian General Service medal, the Egypt medal and the Khedive's Star. The ribbon with pale blue and white edges could be the Order of the Crown of India but it looks too narrow.

Regiment | Uniforms | Mess Dress