soldier in its time, which has continued to influence throughout history. The New Romanticism in the end of the 1970s is a perfect example of the influence of Victorian ideals. Such kind of iconographic notion of the military uniform originates further back to the distinctive uniforms of the sixteenth century. In this period, model armies wore a distinctive uniform which strategically unified and functionalized them. The soldiers were therefore categorized into different kinds of recognizable colours, which made a huge strategic difference in battles.17 Before the growth of the unified army the military uniform had been seen in various styles, e.g. this can be found on the Chinese terracotta worriers from around 200 BC and on the armies of the Roman Empire.18
In order to understand how a uniform can be understood as formal, quasi and informal it is necessary to examine the sumptuary laws in society from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century.19 These laws allowed certain groups in society to wear luxurious clothing and accessories. This was especially useful to appose the social mobility of appearance in the mercantile period. The change in the social mobility of appearance was first altered in the nineteenth century. As understood by Svendsen;
“…during the 19 century, it became more common that uniforms and garments that belonged to particular professions would replace ordinary wear, so one’s social class was reflected by their clothing.”20
A good example of this change can be found in the corporation of the suit in the upper classes. The suit was a middle class garment, which became popular and firmly used as formal wear.21 The military uniform is generally categorized as a formal uniform that is different from a quasi and informal uniform. The quasi uniform is signified by the business suit and the informal uniform is found in the subcultures, i.e. pop. It is important to notice that a formal uniform can be understood as a uniform used in the military and the police like wise as a uniform used in an ecclesiastical and medical purpose, i.e. by priests, doctors and nurses.22 The military and ecclesiastical uniform has strong iconographic connotations which symbolize the distinctiveness and conformity of these garments throughout history. Innovations of the military uniform are categorized by a slow change that contrasts the rapid indistinctiveness of the informal uniform (cf. Table 5.1 app. 3). A uniform is part of a discourse (norm) of fashion that adjusts its look. It is therefore important to be aware that the military uniform always has been used as fashion. This is signified 17
See Craik, 2005, p. 25 and appendix 4. Craik, 2005, p. 22 and p. 103. 19 Svendsen, 2005, p. 38 and Craik, 2005, p. 57. 20 Svendsen, 2005, p.49. Translation: “ …at det op gennem det 19. århundrede blev mere og mere normalt, at uniformer og klæder, der var knyttet til specifikke erhverv, erstattede almindeligt tøj, så ens sociale status var tydeligt markeret i beklædningen”. 21 Ibid., p. 44. 22 Craik, 2005, p. 17 and p. 127. Table 5.1 (appendix 3). 18
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