Historically referred to as the Redcoats of the New Model Army, these British soldiers in bright red uniforms originated back in 1645 as the outfits for your average infantryman, but now are worn exclusively for celebrations and ceremonies. The continued use of the color red after 1660 was not out of tradition, but because of how inexpensive red dyes were. The red coat was routinely combined with a variety of different colored “facings” such as cuffs and collars. The last soldiers to wear the red coats in battle were during the Battle of Gennis in 1885. In 1902 khaki service dress was adopted and officially in 1914 scarlet tunics stopped being worn by British soldiers.

Today, only the Life Guards, Foot Guards and drummers in regimental bands don the red coat. The term “redcoats” has had a negative connotation for many years, in part because of the British soldiers in red who fought during the American Revolution.

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