Proud in Uniform

Few outfits contain such a wealth of meaning and symbolism as State uniforms. Strict rules governing the choice of style, colour, and accessories are meant to represent the country’s values and traditions and to inspire the men and women serving their country. Illustrator Tereza Otáhalíková depicts some of the more interesting uniforms being worn by soldiers guarding castle battlements and country borders as well as protecting kings and spiritual leaders.

South Korea

The Evzones, Greece

When the Greek army was first assembled in the early 19 th century, it also incorporated mountain-guard battalions to protect the country’s borders. The Evzones were famous for being the bravest and strongest of the Greek soldiers, distinguishing themselves in the Balkan Wars. After World War II, however, they became a solely ceremonial unit that stands guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and at the Presidential Palace, and raise and lower the flag at the Acropolis every Sunday. Their formal uniform includes a white silk shirt with wide sleeves, a hand-embroidered waistcoat that indicates the soldier’s rank, a white pleated skirt, known as a fustanella, decorated with a fringe of blue and white braids (the 400 pleats represent the liberation of Greece from the years of Ottoman occupation and the fringe relates to the colours of the flag), a belt, two pairs of cream-coloured woollen stockings, red clogs that weigh nearly three kilograms, and a red cap bearing the Greek coat-of-arms and featuring a very long black tassel. The regular-duty uniform consists of a tunic, khaki (Cretan) in summer and blue (Macedonian) in winter. The Evzones are elite members of the Hellenic Army infantry, who have to meet specific physical and mental criteria, as well as a minimum height requirement of 1.87 metres. Evzones serve on a voluntary basis, but the position is highly prestigious.

Royal Guard, South Korea

The contingent attached to Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in Seoul in 1395 by the Joseon Dynasty, now serves a purely ceremonial function. Gyeongbokgung used to be the largest of the Five Grand Palaces built by the dynasty over its five centuries of rule. In 1910, when Japan invaded Korea and dethroned the current emperor, the Royal Guard was disbanded. The palace suffered considerable damage during the Imjin War and the Japanese occupation. It primarily functions as a museum, and is currently being restored. In 1996, the Changing of the Guard ceremony was reinstated and instantly became one of Seoul’s most popular attractions. The Guards, with their colourful uniforms and hats adorned with feathers, sporting a wide assortment of weapons, remind visitors of Korea’s rich history. Accompanied by music, the ceremony takes place every day. Tourists are also offered the opportunity to try on the Guards’ costumes.

Norway

Vatican City

King’s Guard, Norway

Nicknamed ‘the black devils’, both for their legendary bravery and their dark attire, the Hans Majestet Kongens Garde have worn the same uniform almost since the beginning. Fairly minimalist in style, it includes navy blue trousers with two white side-stripes, a navy blue jacket with burgundy trim, and emerald-green epaulettes with a braided fringe. Commanders wear an insignia representing their rank and a wide burgundy belt. However, the most interesting member of the King’s Guard does not wear a uniform at all; in fact, he doesn’t wear any clothing whatsoever. That’s because the regiment’s official mascot is a king penguin named Nils Olav that hails from Edinburgh Zoo. The tradition of the penguin mascot dates back to the famous Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen, who donated a penguin to the Edinburgh Zoo when it first opened. The penguin mascot was then adopted by the Norwegian King’s Guard during its participation in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1961, and has since been considered a regular member of the Guard. The current penguin, Brigadier Sir Nils Olav III, was promoted to Colonel-in-Chief in 2016. As for the qualifications needed for a penguin to become a Guard member, we are not exactly sure…

Pontifical Swiss Guard, Vatican City

The uniforms worn by the smallest and oldest official army in the world date back to the 16 th century. Initially these were yellow and blue – the colours of Pope Julius II, who first hired Swiss mercenaries for his protection. His successor, Leo X, added the colour red to represent the Medici coat-of-arms. The current version of the uniform, inspired by the frescoes of Raphael, was created by Jules Répond in 1914. For normal events, the guards wear a black beret, white collar and white gloves. On ceremonial occasions, the uniform includes a white pleated ruff and a helmet inscribed with Julius II’s coat-of-arms, topped with a flourish of ostrich feathers – their colour denoting the guard’s rank. Recently, those metal helmets were replaced by 3D-printed ones made of UV-resistant PVC, which are lighter in weight and stay cool. A breastplate features in the formal version of the uniform. There’s also a more modern, regular-duty costume, which is solid blue with a wide white collar. Some components of the Swiss Guard’s uniform are made in the Moravian town of Třešť. Recruits to the Guard must be male, unmarried, Swiss Roman Catholic, between 19 and 30 years of age, and at least 1.74 metres tall. Guard membership is often passed down through the family.

Czech Republic

Castle Guard, Czech Republic

After the establishment of Czechoslovakia as an independent country, the role of the ceremonial Castle Guard was entrusted to members of the Sokol Movement, a Czech gymnastics organisation founded in 1862. In December 1918, an infantry affiliated with the 28 th Prague Infantry Regiment was established at Prague Castle to provide military protection. This consisted mostly of legionnaires who had fought in France, Italy, and Russia and who still donned their original uniforms. In the 1930s, the Castle Guard was fitted with ordinary military uniforms. Under the Communist regime, the uniforms were standard but had golden buttons. A major turnaround happened once Václav Havel became president in 1990, as costume designer Theodor Pištěk was asked to create new uniforms for the Castle Guard, and these have remained more-orless the same to the present day. A dark blue coat or jacket is paired with grey trousers or a grey skirt (women), while the service cap is inspired by those of the U.S. Air Force. VZ 52/57 semi-automatic rifles from the 1950s complete the attire. Members of the Castle Guard Band wear red and white uniforms, which are much more cheery. The Castle Guard comprises of 715 personnel who have had to meet strict criteria in order to qualify: they are between 1.78 and 1.88 metres tall, without facial hair or cosmetic defects, and have no tattoos or piercings.

Border Guards, India and Pakistan

Ever since 1959, the village of Wagah, the key border crossing between India and Pakistan, has accommodated a military drill that includes the lowering of the flag of each of the two nations, along with an assortment of shouting, high leg-kicks, and other dancelike manoeuvres. Members of the Indian Border Security Force, in their beige uniforms with redand-yellow accessories and their white knee-high socks, march against Pakistan Rangers dressed in black uniforms with red details. Both sides wear tall, fanned hats which, quite aptly, have the appearance of coxcombs. The soldiers themselves look a lot like posturing roosters. As soon as the sun sets and the flags are taken down, the soldiers briskly shake hands and the gates close. If the entire undertaking seems slightly grotesque, it is worth remembering that the border zone is still highly militarised and relations between the two countries remain tense. Soldiers chosen for the ceremony have to meet severe beard and moustache requirements.

If you’d like to explore the world of uniforms even further, we recommend researching these: Queen’s Grenadier Guards (Great Britain), Circassian Royal Guard (Jordan), and the long-lost women warriors of Dahomey (West Africa).

Pakistan; India

text: Patrik Florián

illustrations: Tereza Otáhalíková