The illustration here, by Bryan Fosten, is based on a drill manual of the time. The private is in Review Order, wearing the last non-Scottish uniform before 1881 when doublet and trews were permitted to The Royal Scots. The regiment had revived that title in 1871 but continued to wear English uniform for the next decade. In 1868 the infantry had exchanged their old tunic which had slash flapped cuffs for a pointed cuff pattern but this changed in 1870 and again in 1873 to the style worn by this Private. It is scarlet, not dull red as it was before. The blue cuffs do not extend round to the other side of the sleeve, and are edged in white braid forming a trefoil at the point. The collar is red but has blue patches on the front with universal crown collar badges. There was white piping around the base of the collar, down the front, down the back vents and around the scarlet shoulder straps.
The shako was the last pattern worn before the introduction of the blue cloth covered helmet of 1878. This 1869 shako was made of cork but covered in blue/black cloth, 4ins high in front and 6.5ins high at the back. The rank and file had a slim red braid around the top edge and a wider black and red braid around the bottom edge. The chin chain was made of gilding metal and attached to lion’s head bosses. There was a small hook at the back so that the chain could be taken around the front, above the peak, and hooked up. Previously the ball tuft on the top had been white over red but Royal regiments were, with this new shako, permitted to have red only ball tufts. The badge was similar to the officer's badge but of brass. He is holding a Martini Henry rifle, introduced in 1874.
