There are few paintings of officers in stable dress in the 1820s so this detail from a painting of the KDG c1827 gives us valuable information. The shell jacket was scarlet, edged all around with gold lace. The blue velvet collar and cuffs are edged with broad gold lace, the cuffs being pointed. The jacket fastened down the front with hooks and eyes. The 1822 Dress Regulations say that the shoulder straps were of ‘gold gymp’. However, the officer in this painting has gilt shoulder scales. The regulations also called for a white undress pouch-belt but here we see a gold-laced dress belt. The cossack trousers were light blue-grey in the early 1820s but appear to be dark. The gold lace stripe was one and a half inches wide. Of special interest is the tall forage cap, blue with a gold lace cap-band two and a quarter inches wide. The black patent leather peak has a gilt edge, and there is a gold netted button on top.
Behind him is an orderly leading the officer’s charger. He carries a sword-belt and plain black leather undress sabretache supported on three slings. The orderly is wearing white trousers with a plain red shell jacket that has a blue collar. A squadron is on parade with officers in review order nearest to us.
