Cold Weather Mess Kit consisted of a blue mess jacket, waistcoat, patent leather Wellington boots, straight brass spurs, overalls, and a fatigue cap.
The dark blue jacket was worn open to show the braided front of the pale blue waistcoat. It fastened by means of a loop of gold tracing braid at the neck. The lower hem was pointed at the back with ‘dummies’ either side from which slim welts of pale blue followed the back seams up to the shoulders and continued down the back seams of the sleeves. The collar and cuffs were pale blue, edged with gold lace, one inch wide for captains and lieutenants, 1.5 inches wide for field officers. The lower edge of the collar was lined with gold gimp. The shoulder straps were of plaited gold cord like the dress tunic, with embroidered badges of rank. The jacket was lined with pale blue silk.
The waistcoat was made of cloth the colour of the facings, pale blue. The gold lace was the same as on the jacket, broken bias pattern, and there were gold studs closely placed down one side. The waistcoat fastened all the way down the front and at the neck with hooks and eyes. The folding fatigue cap was dark blue with gold French braid welts on the top of the cap and the side flaps. The badge was of similar design to the pouch badge, but more vertical, and in silver metal.
A description of a stable jacket for the 2nd Bengal Cavalry in 1871 has this:
Stable Jacket Green, scarlet collar & cuffs. Pointed cuffs 6 inches high. One inch silver lace all round. Gimp bottom edge of collar. Gimp silver cords twisted, studs up front. White linings.
