Clothing of the Russian army since the time of Empress Catherine II has not been deprived of the attention of the rulers of the state. But the military uniform became a special symbol of national dignity and military honor during the wars with Napoleon and subsequent overseas campaigns.
During the period of the wars with the French, Russian officers and infantry soldiers wore shortened uniforms of a tailcoat of a tailcoat with dummies. The guards uniform differed from the army pattern of sewing on the cuffs of the sleeves and the collar. The everyday hat of the soldiers was a shako - a cylindrical shape, a cloth or leather hat with a special chin strap and a small visor expanding slightly toward the top. A cockade was attached over the shako, which had its own coloring for each company. A colorful or white feather sultan was inserted behind it. Etiquette was put on the hat - special woven suspensions with tassels. On the guards' headdresses there was an emblem in the form of an eagle, on the artillery - in the form of crossed cannon trunks, and on the army - in the form of grenada. Instead of trousers, soldiers wore knickers: in winter - cloth with hemmed leggings, in summer - linen. Light cavalry, hussars, fought in a short doloman jacket, embroidered with cords, with a low standing collar. In winter, the military put on a warm mentic jacket, similar to a doloman, and in summer they wore it with a cap on their left shoulder. The uniform was complemented by chakchira leggings embroidered with colored cords and low boots. Instead of epaulettes and epaulettes, hussars wore special harnesses. In the rain they put on a raincoat, and in winter a short fur coat. Lancers - light cavalry, armed with lances, wore dark blue jackets with red lapels. They were distinguished by long tight pants with stripes worn over boots. The headdress was a square-top hat with a height of 22 cm, with a feather sultan and two tassels. Instead of shoulder straps, soldiers and officers wore epaulettes. Heavy cavalry - cuirassiers wore blackened iron cuirass. The cuirassier's tunic included a suede vest, a laid on black tie, tight-fitting trousers or leggings and high over the knee boots. Hiking boots were worn with short boots and gray leggings. Dragoons, who are riders of the middle cavalry, wore a uniform that was close in cut to the infantry, namely: a double-breasted jacket and white knickers. The horsemen went hiking in gray, leather-wrapped leggings over their boots. As a headdress, high helmets made of leather with a hair comb were used.
