"18mm Spanish Cross Dressing General?" Topic

I've been painting a couple of the officers from the AB pack S24: link

I'm referring to the figure in the bottom left of the photo. You can't see it in the picture but he is wearing something I've never seen before. He appears to be wearing some socks under his riding boots, held up by suspenders.

I'm sure there is an innocent explanation for this – but now I've noticed it, I'm dying to paint him as though he has no breeches and is wearing ladies stockings and suspenders. I've a vision of a cross dressing Spanish general taken by surprise by the Frenchies being is such a rush to get dressed he neglected to cover his modesty….

Can anyone suggest how this chap should be painted?

Not sure I can help you there LA. One has full length knee boots, the other has half length hussar style boots. I have checked my equivalent figures and they are just boots IMHO

john

Being caught with your pants down appears to have been fairly common on the Napoleonic battlefield:

Long socks worn under riding boots were common then.

I have not seen socks held up by anthing suspender-like, but most lay flat against the leg.

Tall heavy cavalry boots came in a couple of versions. There were the very stiff, hard ones that were worn for battle and 'boot to boot' charges. There was also a softer version for foot duty. These were more comfortable but could slip down and look a bit sloppy. There was a habit of holding them up with a short strap which buttoned on to the buttons at the knee of a pair of breeches. That might be what is being seen.

Almost every French heavy cavalry unit in 28mm shows some sort of gaiter worn underneath the high boots. The top is slightly higher. Generally show as a paler cloth than the overalls. They were to stop the boots rubbing against the knees, were they not? Because, indeed, the boots were very stiff and, to ride, you needed to bend the knees.

That picture is, at best, "disturbing". I know they have always suggested Froehlich's Syndrome for Boney, but he did produce off spring……..

Ok, a coupe of thoughts. When I wear boots, my socks have an annoying tendency to fall down and bunch up. So, keeping them up is a goood idea. On that, there are little straps (ir garters, I suppose, which wrap around the lower leg and have straps which clip onto your socks thus holding them up. They've been around for ages.

link

Elasticized hosiery is a fairly recent invention.
They would be stocking garters and nothing kinky about them at all.
Although I can't see what you're talking about on the figure.

a photo would help – otherwise the results are pure and often poor speculations.

What Dave said was my first thought – suspenders/garters to keep legwear up has a history of 100's of years.

@ von W – sorry my photography skills aren't good enough to catch the detail. It's quite subtle (and is more distinct on the other leg), I didn't notice it until I'd painted the jacket and was thinking about the saddlery.

Thanks for all the suggestions – I'll obviously paint them as socks, but the image of the cross dressing Spanish general won't leave my head!

Paint them as fishnet stockings!

As referred to by Beachcomber (Spike Milligan)

link

Just to clarify what they are showing;

These superb figures I found somewhere on the internet….somewhere! See the white "long socks" basically to protect the knees from the stiff boots;

For the French heavy cavalry, mounted officers, and those adopting French style …

The things at the knees were more to protect the culottes de peau (expensive government issue deerskin breeches) than the troopers knees (less precious). They are called "manchettes de bottes" – 16 cm tall, white cotton (or linen).

In the Russian service, the deerskin pants and high boots were for parade or ceremony only. For daily wear and on campaign they wore short boots and gray clothe riding trousers.

For French "socks", they were called "bas de laine à trois fils" – stockings of woven/knit wool made with three-strand (or three-ply) yarns – and they came up over the knee. The culottes closed at the knee with buttons and buckled strap under the knee, hopefully holding up the socks. The "socks" might be replaced on campaign, when in need, with footwraps (standard in the Russian service) or by pouring warm wax into the boot and making a sort of "custom insert".

- Sasha

Now that surely is the definitive answer on this…well researched!

Sasha, you do know your stuff……….

Thanks everyone for your replies – Sasha, that is exactly what I can see on the figure. Although I am a bit disappointed that I'm not going to paint a guy in stockings…

I'm a Spanish General and I'm okay
I sleep all night and I work all day
I lead my brigade, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavat'ry
On Wednesdays I go shopping
And have buttered scones for tea

I lead my brigade, I skip and jump
I love to press wild flow'rs
I put on women's clothing
And hang around in bars

I lead my brigade, I wear high heels
Suspenders and a bra
I wish I'd been a girlie
Just like my dear papa

Please oh please paint them as stockings.