Friday 1 April 2011

Typical British Sailor c.1750



This is the typical Sunday-best dress of a British sailor of around 1750. In the days before any official uniform for ordinary sailors a sort of uniform was produced by each ship having clothing issued by the ship's purser - so-called "purser's slops". The blue jacket without tails has the classic three-button opening cuff. The mustard coloured waistcoat would often have the addition of gold or silver lace if the sailor had won some prize money and if that were so his black leather buckled shoes would also possibly acquire silver or gilt buckles. Breeches and stockings were often worn as an alternative to the loose trousers. The small flat tricorne was typical working class wear and it was sometimes aped by young men of the upper classes. When out walking in the town a sailor would often carry a cudgel or cudgel-like walking stick.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Not Quite SYW But - Napoleonic British Sailor in his Sunday best

Another commission from some time ago by Moshe, to whom again thanks for permission to upload it here, this is a template of the typical "full dress" Sunday best of a British Napoleonic sailor; there was no prescribed uniform until well into the 19th century but British sailors did tend to wear rather similar clothes, partly because many of them were "slop", acquired from the ship's purser.


I hope to get round to a template for a genuine 18th century sailor before too long but in the meantime someone may find a use for this.

Sunday 27 March 2011

Royal Navy Lieutenant, Full Dress

Another of the templates commissioned by Moshe, this is the full dress uniform of a British naval lieutenant from 1748 onwards.



Thanks to Moshe for letting me offer this for general use.