India, its set in India!
So we are working on As You Like It in costume design class this term. And I've chosen to set my version of it in India...British colonial India circa 1810-20ish, to be specific. The Dukes and the girls are British (governor types, though Frederick has a military bent so that I can have him in khaki and make his court generally drab), Oliver and
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The good news is that uniforms were mostly standardised by then after the reforms implemented by Frederick, Duke of York (the Prince Regent's brother).
The infantry comprised the Guards (3 regiments), the line infantry (about 100 regiments) the Highlanders (about 29 regiments). They all wore the standard red wool tunic, with no concessions to hot climates, with collars and cuffs in contrasting colours, known as facing colours.
Individual regiments could be distinguished by a combination of facing colours, colours of officers' buttons and the shape, colour and grouping of the button loops. For example, the 33rd Regiment, which served in India during this time, had red facing colours, silver officers' buttons and red stripe loops and square loops arrnaged in pairs.
Guards and line infantry wore the standard shako and grey wool trousers. Highland regiments wore bonnets decorated with ostrich feathers and wool kilts.
There were also gaiters for the lower legs and leather stocks for necks, but these were invariably discarded on active service.
For detailed sources on uniforms, I'd normally suggeect the National Army Museum, but I see their online library is being redeveloped and is very limited right now.
Link here:
http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk
Otherwise, I highly recommend the Osprey Men at Arms series of books, of which the following whould be particularly useful:
Battle of Assaye:
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=T0013~per=45
Wellington's Infantry (1):
http://www.amazon.com/Wellingtons-Infantry-Men-Arms-114/dp/085045395X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b/104-7762299-2888768
Wellington's Infantry (2):
http://www.amazon.com/Wellingtons-Infantry-Men-Arms-119/dp/0850454190
Wellington's Highlanders:
http://www.amazon.com/Wellingtons-Highlanders-Men-at-Arms-Stuart-Reid/dp/1855322560/ref=pd_sim_b_shvl_img_2/104-7762299-2888768
Wellington's Light Cavalry:
http://www.amazon.com/Wellingtons-Light-Cavalry-Men-at-Arms-Fosten/dp/0850454492/ref=pd_sim_b_shvl_img_1/104-7762299-2888768
You might also try dropping an e-mail to ninya_mikhaila, whose husband Michael (as well as illustrating the Tudor Tailor book) does professional military illustrations covering this period. He and his twin brother own many original artefacts, including uniforms of the period.
I also know Stuart Reid, the author of "Wellington's Highlanders", who is a Kentwell participant and I can put you in contact with him if need be.
Good luck!
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