On August 19, Russia celebrates the birthday of the Russian vest. It was on this day in 1874, on the initiative of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich Romanov Emperor Alexander II signed a decree on the introduction of a new uniform, by which a vest (a special “underwear” shirt) was introduced as part of the mandatory uniform of a Russian sailor.
Mine professional holiday workers of the sea and river fleet annually on the first Sunday of July.
How the vest used to look, what the stripes are like and what their color means, see the infographics from AiF.ru.
History of the vest
The vest appeared during the heyday of the sailing fleet in Brittany (France), presumably in the 17th century.
The vests had a boat neckline and three-quarter sleeves and were white with dark blue stripes. In Europe at that time, striped clothes were worn by social outcasts and professional executioners. But for Breton sailors, according to one version, a vest was considered lucky clothing for sea voyages.
In Russia, the tradition of wearing vests began to take shape, according to some sources, in 1862, according to others, in 1866. Instead of narrow jackets with uncomfortable stand-up collars, Russian sailors began to wear comfortable flannel Dutch shirts with a cutout on the chest. Under the shirt, an undershirt was worn - a vest.
At first, vests were issued only to participants of long-distance hikes and were a source of special pride. As one of the reports of that time says: “lower ranks... mainly wore them on Sundays and holidays during shore leave... and in all cases when it was necessary to be smartly dressed...". The vest was finally established as part of the uniform by an order signed on August 19, 1874 Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich. This day can be considered the birthday of the Russian vest.
The vest has a great advantage over other body shirts. Fitting the body tightly, it does not interfere with free movement during work, retains heat well, is convenient to wash, and dries quickly in the wind.
This type of light sea clothing has not lost its importance today, although sailors now rarely have to climb the shrouds. Over time, the vest came into use in other branches of the military, although in few places it is an official part of the uniform. However, this item of clothing is used both in the ground forces and even in the police.
Why is the vest striped and what does the color of the stripes mean?
The blue and white transverse stripes of the vests corresponded to the colors of the Russian naval St. Andrew's flag. In addition, sailors dressed in such shirts were clearly visible from the deck against the background of the sky, sea and sails.
The tradition of making stripes multi-colored was strengthened in the 19th century - the color determined whether a sailor belonged to a particular flotilla. After the collapse of the USSR, the colors of the vest stripes were “distributed” among the various branches of the military.
What does the color of the stripes on the vest mean:
- black: submarine forces and marines;
- cornflower blue: presidential regiment and FSB special forces;
- light green: border troops;
- light blue: Airborne Forces;
- maroon: Ministry of Internal Affairs;
- orange: Ministry of Emergency Situations.
What is guy?
In the navy, a guy is called a collar that is tied over the uniform. The real meaning of the word "guys" (from the Dutch geus - "flag") is a naval flag. The flag is raised daily on the bow of ships of the 1st and 2nd ranks during anchorage from 8 a.m. to sunset.
The history of the appearance of the guy is quite prosaic. In the Middle Ages in Europe, men wore long hair or wigs, sailors braided their hair in ponytails and braids. To protect against lice, hair was smeared with tar. To prevent tar from staining their clothes, the sailors covered their shoulders and back with a protective leather collar, which could be easily wiped clean from dirt.
Over time, the leather collar was replaced with a fabric one. Long hairstyles are a thing of the past, but the tradition of wearing a collar remains. In addition, after the abolition of wigs, a square cloth collar was used for insulation - in cold windy weather it was tucked under clothes.
Why are there three stripes on the butt?
There are several versions of the origin of the three stripes on the butt. According to one of them, three stripes symbolize three major victories of the Russian fleet:
- at Gangut in 1714;
- at Chesma in 1770;
- at Sinop in 1853.
It should be noted that sailors from other countries also have stripes on their butts, the origin of which is explained in a similar way. Most likely, this repetition occurred as a result of borrowing the form and legend. It is not known for certain who first invented stripes.
According to another legend, the founder of the Russian fleet Peter I there were three squadrons. The first squadron had one white stripe on its collars. The second has two stripes, and the third, especially close to Peter, has three stripes. Thus, the three stripes began to mean that the naval guard was especially close to Peter.
Story
Shirt
The shirt of the naval suit (introduced by order of the RVSR No. 2443 of October 27, 1921. The cut of the shirt was confirmed by the orders of the RVS of the USSR No. 006 of January 5, 1925 and by the Red Army Navy No. 52 of April 16, 1934) was originally sewn from gray canvas or bleached canvas. Consisted of one-piece front and back without seams with straight stand-up collar with button and loop fastening, and straight sleeves without cuffs or cuffs. The front slit of the shirt was closed with straps fastened with two buttons and loops. On the left side of the chest there was an adjustment pocket without a flap.
The uniform shirt is worn with a fastened uniform blue collar.
Since about the mid-70s of the 20th century, the appearance of the shirt has changed slightly. The front and back are solid. The front has a top patch pocket on the left side and an inside pocket on the reverse side. In the upper part of the front, in the middle, there is a slit fastened with one button loop. At the end of the cut, with inside, two buttons, and on the back, near the neck, there is a loop for fastening a uniform collar. Wide turn-down collar. Sleeves are set-in, straight.
Uniform collar is also called with a guy.
Trousers
The trousers of the naval suit have a non-standard tailoring. Consist of front and rear halves and belts. Front halves with side pockets and a lapel fastened to the waistband of the back halves of the trousers with two buttons, or with a fastening with a metal hook and loop and buttons located on the codpiece. Belt with belt loops.
Initially they were made of gray canvas or bleached matting. Currently sewn from cotton fabric blue color.
Headdress
Capless cap
Peak cap for sailors and petty officers of the Russian Navy
Cap
The blue cotton cap consists of a bottom, walls and sides.
The bottom, walls and sides are made of cotton fabric. On the sides of the cap, in the upper part of the walls, there are three ventilation holes (blocks).
Inside the cap there is a lining gray and a leather forehead protector.
In front, in the middle of the connecting seam of the sides, a cockade is placed golden color with an anchor.
In the “Soviet” fleet it was the headdress of personnel of submarine crews, it was black in color, there were differences for enlisted personnel and officers. Recently it has been used throughout the fleet.
Combat number
In accordance with the combat organization of the ship, midshipmen, foremen and sailors are assigned combat numbers, which are entered in the Personnel Numbering Table. The combat number consists of three parts:
Decoding the combat number
The first part (number or letter) indicates in which combat unit (service) the midshipman, petty officer or sailor is located according to the combat alert schedule;
The second part (one, two or three digits) indicates the number of the combat post where the midshipman, petty officer or sailor is located according to the “Combat Alert Schedule”;
The third part (two digits) determines whether the midshipman, petty officer or sailor belongs to the combat shift; the first digit indicates the number of the combat shift, the second digit is the serial number of the midshipman, sergeant major or sailor in the shift.
Combat shifts are assigned the following numbers:
First combat shift - 1, 5, 7;
Second combat shift - 2, 4, 8;
Third combat shift - 3, 6, 9.
If there are up to 9 people at a combat post in each combat shift, the numbers 1, 2, 3 are used to designate them, up to 18 people - 1 and 5, 2 and 4, 3 and 6, up to 27 people - 1, 5 and 7; 2, 4 and 8; 3, 6 and 9.
The combat number for wearing on the work clothes of petty officers and sailors is indicated on the soldier’s chest identification card (fabric tag white sewn to the breast pocket of a work dress).
Journalist, founder of the Light On Mars brand
Sailor collars have been neglected for quite some time. We wore English ones (those with lapels) with pleasure, turn-down ones are always welcome, stand-up collars were not forgotten even for a minute, the “shawl” and “apache” models were also included in the category of eternal classics, but the sailor ones... So cute , romantic and simple in execution - they remained on the periphery of design thought and were associated either with deep retro or with young cosplay lovers.
Where did they come from
The history of the sailor collar as an element of the naval uniform is not precise. Some sources claim that large rectangular collars appeared in the era of powdered wigs, which, according to the fashion of that time, were worn not only by civilians, but also by midshipmen: to prevent the uniform from getting dirty with cosmetics, the sailors attached a fabric cape to it. According to another version, the sailor's collar was a simplified version of the hood (the traditional hood is dangerous on the deck - it is easy for them to get caught). In rain and storms, the collar was raised onto the head and secured with a cap. You can believe this when looking at vintage sailor suits, on which the collar is made of thick wool - that is, in fact, it is not a nominally decorative detail, but a completely practical one.
Popular
Designer Christian Dior wore a classic sailor suit as a child
However, let’s leave these considerations to costume historians and return to fashion trends - retrospective and modern. It is interesting that the sailor collar, which by all rights can be called an element of the military style, never really fit into this style - rather, it gravitated towards a romantic and sometimes infantile direction. Judge for yourself.
Sailor suits from the Sears catalog, 1924
At European flea markets you can find many photographs dating back to the beginning of the 20th century and depicting children in sailor suits. But in the 1920s and 1930s, sailor collars existed well in adult clothing. Modern costume designers, citing the style of those years, often add this charming detail to make the era more convincing.
Still from the film “Cracks”
In the 1950s, the feminine “new look” ruled, in the 1960s, youthful sportiness and futurism reigned, but photographs and pictures from fashion magazines suggest that elements of the sailor style were also present then. Even later, in the 1980s, the charming Princess Diana demonstrated how to wear sailor collars - she did it wonderfully.
Triumphant return
We greeted the new century without sailor collars: this detail did not fit into either the bohemian-glossy outfits of the early 2000s or the emasculated minimalism that followed. However, the search for a new romance led the designers to the idea of taking and returning sailor suits to the everyday wardrobe - the first to pick up the trend, as always, were avant-garde artists Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada, and after them Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger, the French fashion house Chloé, Ukrainian designer Liliya Pustovit, Russian brands Inshade, A la Russe and Light on Mars.
All that remains is to decide how we will wear them, do you already have any ideas?..
Currently, flannel uniform shirts, which are used to support the modern fleet, are blue, and summer cotton uniforms are white (with a blue jacket edged with three white stripes).
The uniform collar is part of the ceremonial uniform of enlisted personnel of the Navy and is worn with a flannel or uniform.
How did guy appear?
The decoration of the naval suit shirt is a large blue collar with three white stripes along the edge. The history of its origin is very interesting. In the old days, sailors were required to wear powdered wigs and oiled horsehair braids. The braids stained the robe, and the sailors were punished for it, so they came up with the idea of hanging a piece of leather under the braid. Braids are no longer worn in the Navy, and the leather flap has turned into a blue collar, reminding us of the old days.
There is another version: the hood with which sailors protected themselves from splashes was transformed into a sailor’s collar.
A uniform collar is also called a collar.
Literary version
...It was a dark night... Our young cabin boy, after his rescue on the water, could not sleep. Jumping out onto the deck, he saw the boatswain smoking his pipe in the stern.
- Well, young man, can’t sleep? It’s been a long time since there was a command “All clear”?; The boatswain looked at him questioningly.
- No, I can’t sleep!; answered the cabin boy.
- I would like to thank you for saving me!; the cabin boy blurted out warmly and gratefully. You pulled me out of this sea!
- I didn’t pull you out of the sea, but from the other world!; answered the old sailor.
By the way, why are you not dressed in uniform? Where is your guy?
Hanging his head, our cabin boy found himself:
- I washed it this very minute!
After a while, he came running back, carrying his dick in his arms.
- Well, that’s commendable! Do you know what this is?; asked the boatswain.
- I just heard that this is a collar... But still, what is this, comrade boatswain?
He chuckled contentedly and invited the cabin boy into his cabin.
- Well, sit back and listen!
Young turned all out loud.
Here's what the boatswain said:
There are several stories and legends about the appearance of 3 stripes on sailors’ legs, or as you put it – collars.
At first, in the distant past, on ships, these were indeed collars that were used to protect the backs of rowers from the scorching rays of the Sun and splashes.
The collar also, much later, first appeared as a lining under the hair, protecting the uniform from “powder” falling off the wig, in foreign navies.
After the abolition of wigs, a square cloth collar was used for insulation - in cold windy weather it was tucked under the visor and replaced the cap.
Another legend tells that these three stripes appeared with the advent of three squadrons under Peter I. It was in honor of these squadrons that three stripes appeared on the guy.
Also, there was a story about three victories of our Fleet, in honor of the three stripes on modern jacks - at Gangut in 1714, Chesma in 1770 and Sinop in 1853.
That is, these victories really took place, but they relate to stripes as a method of patriotic education.
However, guy is, first of all, a FLAG, my friend!
From the Dutch, “guys” is a naval flag, as well as the flag of coastal fortresses. It is raised daily at the bow (on the flagpole on the bowsprit) of ships of the 1st and 2nd ranks, exclusively during anchorage, along with the stern flag, usually from 8 a.m. to sunset.”
- And then, my friend, that this flag designated the ship’s home port!; answered the boatswain.
Historical version
The collar was first introduced in the Russian Navy in 1843.
The origin of the collar has a very interesting history. In those days, sailors wore wigs and oiled horsehair braids. Braids stained clothes, and sailors were punished for this, so they came up with the idea of wearing a leather flap under the braid. Braids have not been worn in the navy for a long time, and the leather flap has turned into a blue collar. There is another version: to protect against sea spray and wind, sailors wore a hood, which then transformed into a collar.
The uniform collar is made of dark blue cotton fabric, with three white stripes along the edges. Blue lining. At the ends of the collar there is one loop, in the middle of the neckline there is a button for fastening the collar to the uniform and working naval jacket.
Starting with Peter I
Peter I had three squadrons in his fleet. The first squadron had one white stripe on its collars. The second has two stripes, and the third, who is especially close to Peter, has three stripes. Thus, the three stripes began to mean that the naval guard was especially close to Peter. At the same time, the first squadron wore white flannel uniform shirts, the second squadron had blue shirts, and the third - red.
First the guard
In 1881, three white stripes were introduced on the collars for sailors of the Guards Fleet Crew. And the next year, 1882, this collar was extended to the entire fleet.
The stripes on it signified organizational affiliation. The Russian Baltic Fleet at that time was divided into three divisions. At the same time, the sailors of the first division wore one white stripe on the collar, the sailors of the second division - respectively, two stripes, and the sailors of the third - three.
Fleet victories have nothing to do with it
It is widely believed that they were introduced in memory of three victories of the Russian fleet:
- at Gangut in 1714;
- Chesmy in 1770;
- Sinope in 1853.
But it turns out that this is nothing more than a beautiful and highly patriotic legend.
There is no doubt that the number of stripes has nothing to do with the victories of the Russian navy. It’s just that when choosing a design, the purely aesthetic side of the matter prevailed: the collar with three stripes turned out to be the most beautiful and has a simple, finished shape. In the summer, sailors in our navy wear a white linen uniform shirt with the same attractive blue collar, edged with three white stripes. The same three stripes are on the blue cuffs of these shirts.
A little about the ribbons on visor caps
The first ribbons in the Russian Navy appeared on oilskin hats of sailors in 1857 and no later than 1872 on caps. Until then, only slotted letters and numbers were placed on the bands of sailors’ caps, which were painted over or lined with yellow cloth. The exact size and shape of the letters on the ribbons, as well as the ribbons themselves, were approved for the entire rank and file of the Russian fleet on August 19, 1874. In the Soviet Navy, the font on Red Navy ribbons was approved in 1923.
A special ribbon on the caps of Soviet sailors is the ribbon of the Guards ships, approved together with the Guards badge in 1943. The ribbon of the Guards ships has the color of the Order of Glory ribbon of alternating stripes of orange and black.
Some researchers suggest that the Russian navy is black and orange St. George's ribbon repeats the former dynastic colors of the Russian monarchy. This is fundamentally wrong. The old heraldic colors of the Russian monarchy are gold and black or yellow and black. There is a definite indication of the approval of the black and orange stripes of the St. George ribbon in 1769, where it is said that the colors are purely “military”: orange is the color of flame and black is the color of cannon and rifle powder smoke.
Quotes
- But, comrade boatswain, why hang a flag, or jack, on the bowsprit? the cabin boy was perplexed.
- And then, my friend, that this flag designated the ship’s home port!; answered the boatswain.
Jack
GUYS, a flag raised to the noses. military units of ships of the first two ranks, when they are at anchor, along with the stern. flag i.e. from 8 p.m. before sunset. (Shapes and drawings
G. diff. powers, see colorful flag tables in descriptions
states).
Jack- m.
1. A flag hoisted on the bow of military ships of the first two ranks during anchorage.
2. A large blue collar on a sailor’s uniform outer cloth or linen shirt (in the speech of sailors).
Ephraim's explanatory dictionary. T. F. Efremova. 2000 ... Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language by Efremova
Overall material rating: 5
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Traditionally, on Saturdays, we publish for you the answers to the quiz in the “Question - Answer” format. We have a variety of questions, both simple and quite complex. The quiz is very interesting and quite popular, we are simply helping you test your knowledge and make sure that you have chosen correct option answer, out of four proposed. And we have another question in the quiz - What detail of a sailor's costume appeared thanks to pigtail wigs?
- collar-guys
- vest
- pompom on a hat
- visor ribbons
The correct answer is A. COLLAR-GUYS
Uniform collar(Guys): a large blue collar with three white stripes along the edge. The history of its origin is very interesting. Previously, sailors were required to wear powdered wigs and oiled horsehair braids. The braids stained the robe, and the sailors were punished for it, so they came up with the idea of hanging a piece of leather under the braid. Braids are no longer worn in the Navy, and the leather flap has turned into a blue collar, reminding us of the old days.
The widespread version that the three white stripes on the collar mark three victories of the Russian fleet (Gangut, Chesma, Sinop) is clearly erroneous, if only because the Sinop victory was won in 1853 (three years after the introduction of the collar). At first, only rowers wore them to determine their division. And the story is this. Peter I had three squadrons in his fleet. The first squadron had one white stripe on its collars. The second has two stripes, and the third, who is especially close to Peter, has three stripes. Thus, the three stripes began to mean that the naval guard was especially close to Peter and passed into modern times.
