(**DESCRIPTION) I've come to the part in my WIP where my MC sees a soldier for the first time. I've tried to find the most simple looking uniform I could find in history and plan on building my own military uniform from that. The only thing is, I need help naming the elements.... Below is the uniform of a French Infantry soldier from 1780. The description of it says "The uniform for the lower ranks comprised a standardised form of the civilian dress, including tricorn hat, long-skirted coat, waistcoat and breeches."...... but what are the cross straps over the chest? What are those called and what do they do?
For military decryption you should call in @Wreybies Sorry, I got nothin'. Oh, except that I think the red things on his shoulders are called epaulettes. Yeah, apparently I even spelled it right:
The straps are called crossbelts; one held the cartridge box, the other the sabre. If a soldier is not issued a sabre they'd only have one crossbelt. Skirted coat is a rather awkward name that is more fitting for a frock coat than a military uniform. These were called coats or jackets at the time. The colour of their cuffs and decoration was the facing, the colour lining (framing) the decoration was the piping. The uniform shown is a white coat with red facing.
