12-05-2007, 04:47 AM
David and Derek have rather beaten me to it, but I don't think we are in much disagreement here, Jim. Certainly appearance was every bit as important, if not more so , then. Equally clothes were far more valuable in terms of monetary cost, and the work involved then, than now in the age of mass-production.
We do not need to look far to find analogies. The eighteenth century was immediately prior to the Industrial age. At that time the British soldier was issued with a new coat each year. With the old one he was expected to make/have made a new waistcoat and breeches.
An even better analogy arises in Highland Regiments of the time, when a new plaid was issued, and the old worn-out one was expected to be turned into new socks.....( i.e. made from old woven tartan plaid, rather than knitted). Highland Regiments to this day wear 'hose' of woven rather than knitted material in full dress....... ( and ironic indeed when you consider that Highland regiments pride themselves on wearing 'the Garb of Old Gaul' - plaids supposed to be based on the toga/Roman tunics, and the oldest scottish unit is nicknamed 'Pontius Pilate's bodyguard' !)
wink:
We do not need to look far to find analogies. The eighteenth century was immediately prior to the Industrial age. At that time the British soldier was issued with a new coat each year. With the old one he was expected to make/have made a new waistcoat and breeches.
An even better analogy arises in Highland Regiments of the time, when a new plaid was issued, and the old worn-out one was expected to be turned into new socks.....( i.e. made from old woven tartan plaid, rather than knitted). Highland Regiments to this day wear 'hose' of woven rather than knitted material in full dress....... ( and ironic indeed when you consider that Highland regiments pride themselves on wearing 'the Garb of Old Gaul' - plaids supposed to be based on the toga/Roman tunics, and the oldest scottish unit is nicknamed 'Pontius Pilate's bodyguard' !)
wink:
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
