Unauthorised Trousers and Flowery Drawers
Lord Cochrane and his
unauthorised trousersI've just started reading my Christmas present from nodbear, British Naval Dress by Dudley Jarrett, which is a wonderful new addition to my collection of uniform porn. How can you not love a book with the following introductory paragraph?
Both officers and ratings have frequently shown strong individual tastes in matters of dress. Even when regulations became clearer they were apt to be ignored. Captain Lord Cochrane wore bell-bottomed trousers; officer have been known to carry umbrellas when in uniform. Sailors have decorated the seams of their jackets with white tape and embroidered the only visible parts if their underwear with flowers.
This paragraph is illustrated by this lovely mezzotint of Cochrane accompanied by the stern caption:
The wearing of trousers in place of breeches was unauthorized.
Sadly there is no accompanying picture of a sailor in flowery unmentionables.