Uniforms Worn During World Wars

Both World Wars I and II necessitated organising the entire country, not just on an ideological level but also in many facets of daily life, including what people wore. Fashion was significantly impacted by the wartime economy, the shift in population demographics, the growing domestic economy (with more people working), and the increase in female employment. The purpose that clothing must serve, economic factors, the availability of commodities, social expression and social aspiration, Hollywood, and what is worn by the military services all have an impact on fashion. These factors have an impact on fashion, which in turn has an impact on and reflects culture and society.

Besides, uniforms, as a part of culture and identity, also prevailed during the world wars. The preference for wearing uniforms arose as a result of the world wars. Uniforms were generally worn by military personnel. And due to the sense of patriotism it emits, it gained popularity between common people also. That’s why they also started wearing uniforms. The following are the most famous uniforms from different countries that played a significant role during World War I.

Types of Uniforms During World Wars

Following are some popular uniforms -

Knochensack

During World War II, the Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger used German parachute jump smocks that were meant to be worn over the equipment of the paratrooper. These smocks were known as “knochensacks.” They were constructed from sturdy cotton material and came in a variety of camouflage patterns. In 1938, a plain green pattern was produced for the German air force’s first pattern. The cotton fabric was made of mostly green fibres with some orange.

Field Jacket M-1941

The US Army’s M-1941 Field Jacket is a field jacket that was most famously worn at the start of World War II. It began to gradually replace the wool four-pocket service coat from World War I in 1941, but about 1943, the better M1943 model took its place. Due to its widespread use, the M1941 is frequently recognised as a representation of the American G.I. in World War II. O.D. number 2, a pale shade of olive drab, was used to create the jacket.

M42 jacket

The M42 Parachute Jumper uniform included a coat with four patch pockets up front, each with two button snaps, and a special dual-zippered pocket on the upper lapel that could hold a switchblade pocketknife. Instead of the conventional infantry’s low-quarter shoes and canvas tights, the outfit was worn with distinctive jump boots. However, the M42 was frequently reinforced with thicker, more durable canvas around the knees, crotch, and elbows due to the relatively brittle quality of the uniform.

Leggings

Leggings are a type of leg clothing that has evolved over time. Since the 1960s, the term “leg warmers” has been used to describe tights or leg warmers that are elastic, close-fitting, and high-rise. Men’s clothing made of cloth or leather that is wrapped around the leg and ends at the ankle is referred to in usage from the 18th century. Leggings were a type of clothing worn by males in Europe from the 13^th to the 16^th centuries (the Renaissance period), as were the trews worn in the Scottish Highlands.

Puttee

Other names for it include legwraps, leg bindings, winingas, and wickelbänder. It covers the lower leg from the ankle to the knee. They are made of a long, narrow piece of fabric that is spirally looped around the leg in order to give support and protection (much like a compression garment). Both mounted and dismounted soldiers wore them, usually replacing the leather or fabric gaiter.

Poncho

It is an outer layer created to maintain body warmth. A rain poncho is made of a water-resistant material with the goal of protecting the body from the rain. Since before the arrival of the Spanish, Native Americans from the Andes, the Valley of Mexico, and Patagonia—regions that are now part of Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina—have worn ponchos, which are today regarded as classic American clothing.

Senninbari

Senninbari, or “one thousand stitch,” is a belt or strip of cloth that has been 1000 times stitched and is given by Japanese women as a Shinto talisman to troops leaving for battle. Senninbari were embellished with 1,000 knots or stitches, and often, different women created each stitch.

The Sam Browne belt

Military and law enforcement personnel wear Sam Browne belts, which are made of leather and have an auxiliary strap that crosses over the right shoulder. It bears the name of Sir Samuel J. Browne (1824–1901), a British Indian Army general who created it.

Smock-frock

In some areas of England and Wales during the 18^th century, agricultural labourers, particularly shepherds and waggoners, would wear an outer garment called a smock-frock or smock. Today, a loose overgarment worn to cover one’s clothing, such as by a painter, is referred to as a “smock.”

Shoulder strap

An over-shoulder strap is a strap. They are frequently sewn onto women’s garments to maintain their weight or add to their aesthetic appeal. The phrase is often used to describe lugging bags.

The American Army’s M1943

The M1943 combat uniform for the U.S. Army was introduced in 1943 to replace a number of other specialised uniforms and some subpar clothing, such as the M1941 Field Jacket. It was made of windproof cotton sateen fabric. It was modified and worn for the rest of World War II and the Korean War before being replaced, starting in 1952, by the OG-107 uniform.

Trews

Trews (also spelled Truis or Triubhas) are a traditional style of tartan trousers worn by men in Scottish Highland attire. They cover the lower abdomen and legs. Trews may have leather trim, typically buckskin, especially on the inner leg, to protect against abrasion while horseback riding.

Trench coat

Originally designed for British Army officers prior to World War One, a trench coat is a type of coat constructed of waterproof, heavy-duty fabric that gained popularity while being used in the trenches.

Telogreika

The Telogreika, or “vatnik,” is a type of padded, warm cotton-wool jacket from Russia. Additionally, it was a component of the first winter uniform worn by the Red Army in World War II. Telogreikas were still being printed into the late 1960s.

Telnyashka

The telnyashka is a sleeveless undershirt with white and blue horizontal stripes (sometimes black or green). Numerous Russian military groups have this easily recognisable uniform item.

Battle attire

In contrast to formal uniforms used at events and parades, “battle dress” is a casual kind of uniform worn by the military, police, fire, and other public uniformed services for everyday fieldwork and combat duty purposes. In contrast to more traditional uniforms, it typically comprises a jacket, pants, and shirt or T-shirt that are all cut more loosely and comfortably. The style may vary by regiment or service branch, such as the army, navy, air force, or marines.

Denison smock

During the Second World War, Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents, the Parachute Regiment, the Glider Pilot Regiment, the Air Landing Regiment, the Air Observation Post Squadrons, Commando units, and other Commonwealth airborne units were all issued Denison smocks, a coverall jacket to wear over their Battle Dress uniform. Additionally, line infantry battalions’ scout and sniper platoons received the uniform as regular equipment.

Breeches

Breeches are a type of garment that cover the entire body from the waist down, with distinct covers for each leg that typically end just below the knee but can occasionally extend all the way to the ankles. By the middle of the 19^th century, trousers had replaced what had once been a staple of Western men’s apparel.

Eisenhower jacket

The “Ike” jacket, also referred to as the Eisenhower jacket or “Ike,” is a style of waist-length jacket created for the U.S. Army in the closing months of World War II and named after Dwight D. Eisenhower. Its official name is “Jacket, Field, Wool, Olive Drab.” It had a pleated back, an adjustable waist band, fly-front buttons, bellows chest pockets, slash side pockets, and shoulder straps. It was designed to be worn on its own or as an insulating layer underneath the M-1943 Field Jacket and over the typical wool flannel shirt and wool sweater.

Epaulette

Epaulettes are a form of decorative shoulder piece or adornment worn by members of the armed forces and other organisations to signify their rank. Shoulder scales are epaulettes made of flexible metal, usually brass. Epaulettes are also worn by all ranks of elite or ceremonial forces when on display in the French and other armies.

Gymnastyorka

A gymnastyorka was a Russian military smock that looked like a pullover and had a standing collar with two buttons to close it. Additionally, one or two flapped or flapless upper breast pockets might have been worn. It had space for shoulder boards (also known as epaulettes or shoulder straps), and occasionally it included elbow and cuff reinforcements.

Greatcoat

A greatcoat, often called a watchcoat, is a huge overcoat that is normally made of wool and intended to provide warmth and weather protection. Greatcoats were made accessible to all socioeconomic levels during the Industrial Revolution and the 17^th and 18^th centuries. Many armed forces around the world still issue it for bad weather. It was popular in the 19^th century as a military uniform and casual wear for the wealthy.

Kilt

A kilt is an item of clothing that resembles a wraparound knee-length skirt made of worsted wool in a twill weave with thick pleats at the sides and back, typically in a tartan pattern. It was initially mentioned in the 16^th century as the “big kilt,” a full- length garment whose upper half could be worn as a cloak, and has its roots in the Scottish Highland clothing for males. The lower half of the large kilt is what is known as the “little kilt” or “contemporary kilt,” which first appeared in the 18^th century. It has come to be identified with the larger Scottish culture and, more broadly, with Gaelic or Celtic history since the 19th century.

Gaiters

Gaiters are clothing items worn over the shoe and the bottom of the pant or trouser leg that are primarily used as personal protective equipment. Spats are clothing items that are similar but are worn primarily for fashion. Gaiters were initially constructed of leather or canvas.

Gorget

In the Middle Ages, a gorget was a band of linen worn around a woman’s head and neck or the bottom half of a straightforward chaperon hood. Later, the phrase was used to refer to a collar made of steel or leather that covered the throat, a set of plate armour parts, or a single piece of plate armour that hung around the neck and covered the chest. Later, especially starting in the 18^th century, the gorget evolved into a primarily ornamental accessory that served as a symbolic addition to military uniforms. This use has persisted in some armies.

Conclusion

Due in part to the uniforms worn by the men who fought in the so-called “Great Wars,” national pride and the concept of the nation-state were strengthened. Standardized uniforms were employed to promote order and camaraderie on the battlefield, and modern technology had made it possible to improve the clothing’s mass manufacture, wearability, comfort, and adaptability to various climates.