A serviceman's dress uniform must look impeccable. It is important that all elements are securely fastened and are strictly in their places. Every serviceman needs to know how to sew on an aiguillette correctly, because there are strict regulations for this. There are many nuances and rules for the correct fastening of this element.
What is an aiguillette?
An aiguillette is a distinctive component of a dress uniform worn on the right (or, in rare cases, the left) shoulder. The term itself is derived from the German words anhsel and band, which literally mean “armpit” and “bow”. This attribute looks like intertwined cords wrapped in silver or gold thread and topped with a sharp metal tip.
Before putting on an aiguillette, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the history of this interesting attribute. According to one version, aiguillettes appeared in the 17th century in Western Europe. There are two versions of their origin. According to the first, this detail was used for various measurements, and instead of a tip there was a pencil for notes. Another version says that the attribute in question appeared at the end of the 16th century during military actions between Spain and the Netherlands, when citizens of the latter country, in their fight for freedom, used it as a symbol denoting their readiness to die in a rope noose.
It is believed that the history of the aiguillette originates from the times when shooters used old muskets with wicks. They carried wick coils with them, throwing them over their shoulders.
In the Russian Empire, the aiguillette began to be used in 1762. It was used as a distinctive sign of the infantry troops of the grenadier and musketeer battalions. For officers, the attribute was supposed to be covered with gold or silver-plated threads. In 1917, it was abolished and was not used until 1971. Then it was returned as an ornament to the dress uniform. The element in question is still worn, so the question of how to fasten the aiguillette is important for many military personnel.
Posting rules
As a rule, the aiguillette is usually attached to the right side. However, it happens that left-side fixation is required. Therefore, before sewing on the aiguillette, you should find out on which side of the uniform outerwear it should be placed.
According to the regulations, the attribute is placed on the right side of the uniform jacket directly under the shoulder strap. The end of the first cord from the edge should be positioned so that it is 5 mm from the edge of the shoulder strap on the sleeve side.
The aiguillette is worn in the Russian army in two variations. According to one of them, it is attached to the dress uniform of officer personnel. This is a yellow attribute with two intertwined ends made of metal. Two buttons are used to fix it. Junior personnel wear white dress aiguillettes made of one cord, which ends with a yellow metal tip.
The remaining bundle is attached to the jacket under the lapel using a special metal attachment. To fix it, you need to sew a button so that the loop from the attribute is hidden from others. It happens that they do without a button, for this they sew the loop directly under the lapel. According to the regulations, the following are required to wear an aiguillette on the dress uniform:
- persons taking part in army parades;
- members of the military orchestra;
- military personnel who are part of the honor guard.
The aiguillette is not a traditional element of the Russian military uniform. It is used to decorate the uniform in most countries. For example, in Great Britain this attribute can be made of gold wire, as well as of blue, light blue, and crimson threads.
Technique of sewing the product
The aiguillette is used as an element of the dress uniform. It is usually placed under the right shoulder strap. When attaching the attribute to the uniform, it is necessary to follow the instructions:
- The first thing you need to do is rip off part of the shoulder strap from the sleeve side.
- A purchased aiguillette usually has a special strap, with which it is fixed on the uniform. If it is not available, you can sew the attribute directly on or make the strap yourself. Next, at a distance of 5 mm from the edge, you should pass the tied cords of the aiguillette under the shoulder strap. After that, you need to sew the strap or the cords themselves to the shoulder part of the uniform.
- Then you should attach the shoulder strap in place. It is important to ensure that it is not deformed.
- Next, you need to thread the sleeve through the outer loop of the aiguillette. The cord should be under the sleeve.
- The other part with the tip must be fixed under the collar lapel or on the breast pocket. To do this, you need to sew on a button and throw the aiguillette loop over it.
Sometimes the fixation is done without a button, in which case the attribute itself is sewn to the uniform. If you need to fix the aiguillette on the fastener of the bar, then you should throw the loop on one of the buttons of the uniform, and then simply fasten it.
How to attach to a female or demobilization uniform
Wearing aiguillettes is not only a privilege for military personnel. There is a tradition according to which soldiers after demobilization sew white distinctive elements on their uniforms on their own initiative. They can also be attached to their clothes by people who are engaged in the reconstruction of historical events and by "hussar drummer girls".
The latter's form is more reminiscent of costumes from theatrical productions, but an aiguillette is also used there. It is fixed, as on military clothing, according to a similar scheme: the fastening is sewn under the right epaulette. The only difference: the drummer's uniform does not have lapels, in such a situation you can carefully fix the attribute on the uniform.
There is a way to fix the aiguillette under the collar. To do this, a button is sewn under it, and a loop is attached to it. The other end of the cords can be attached to one of the buttons on the middle bar.
Before sewing on the aiguillette, you should choose the method of fastening and find out which side it should be on. It should be attached carefully but firmly, avoiding deformation of the shoulder strap. In this case, the uniform will look dignified and beautiful.
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