"Least Favorite Napoleonic Uniform?" Topic

Please see comment on previous--and overlapping--poll.

Please see comment on white pants.

Basically, for any force for any genre that wore white uniforms, it was a horrible idea. And still is.

Ever wonder how many Napoleonic soldiers were wearing faded periwinkle or light pink pants? Probably way more shades of bleached khaki and grey, but, still …

Basically, for any force for any genre that wore white uniforms, it was a horrible idea. And still is.

Not really, even Napoleon noted that he wished the French has stuck with white uniforms as they were so much easier to maintain. Remember, washing was a luxury, if the white uniform got dirty, they often didn't wash it, they just rubbed white chalk on it, BAM, your uniform is now WHITER than WHITE. Also, no muss and fuss about matching dyes, white is white. They didn't have color fast dyes back then. With a blue, or red, or green uniform, the first rain storm, BAM, dingy grey. White uniform first rain storm, well still dingy grey/white.

Umm, why are there 2 polls on the same topic? This is the second poll regarding least favorite Napoleonic uniforms in as many days.

Any that I have to paint.

No question my least favourite Napoleonic uniforms are Prussian post 1807 but in fairness they are also among the easiest to paint

Umm, why are there 2 polls on the same topic?

That's how he proposed it. One for major powers, one for all powers.

Now that is ridiculous.

Remember, washing was a luxury, if the white uniform got dirty, they often didn't wash it, they just rubbed white chalk on it, BAM, your uniform is now WHITER than WHITE.

Did not know that. Chalk in the vicinity of blue (or any other dark colour) jackets, shoes, and hats doesn't seem like a good idea, either.

Also, I can't imagine this lasts for much longer than five minutes after morning inspection. In the USN, we had many people who thought some white paint, chalk, shoe polish, etc. would cover a mark on their white uniforms. Not really, and not for long.

It wasn't chalk, it was pipeclay.

And wargamers need to quit thinking of "white" in modern terms. First, white sheep aren't bright white. They are either very pale gray or cream colored. Second, no chemical bleaches were available. Third, standards of personal cleanliness were rather lower two centuries ago.

Picky picky picky!!!

Most uniforms, white, blue, gray, green, even red after a few rainstorms, marching all day on dusty roads, under the baking sun, would all fade to nice drab grey/beige/mud color in a short time. Remember, in addition to no bleach, no color fast dyes!

Almost anything from Scandinavia. Some of that headgear was a joke….unless the idea was to induce such mirth that no enemy could steady his aim