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'Epaulette' (pronunciation: /ˈɛpǝlɛt/) is a French word meaning "little shoulder" (from ''épaule'', meaning "shoulder"). Epaulettes are a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia or rank by the military and other organizations. Colloquially, the word has also come to refer to some types of shoulder strap.
Epaulettes are fastened to the shoulder by a passant, a small strap parallel to the shoulder seam and the button near the collar, or by laces on the underside of the epaulette passing through holes in the shoulder of the coat. The placement of the epaulette, its color and the length and diameter of its bullion fringe are used to signify the wearer's rank. At the join of the fringe and the shoulderpiece is often a metal piece in the form of a crescent. Although originally worn in the field, epaulettes are more common today on dress or ceremonial uniforms. Shoulder straps are also found on civilian clothing that derives from military uniforms such as the trench coat, the safari jacket and other garments.

Contents

History of the Epaulette

Canada

France

Germany

United Kingdom

United States

References

See also

History of the Epaulette

Originally a French invention, epaulettes were used to indicate rank. The rank of an officer could be determined by whether an epaulette was worn on the left shoulder, the right shoulder or on both. Later a "counter-epaulette" (with no fringe) was worn on the opposite shoulder of those who wore only a single epaulette. Epaulettes were made in silver or gold for officers, and in cloth of various colors for the enlisted men of various arms. By the early eighteenth century, epaulettes became the distinguishing feature of an officer, leading to officers of military units without epaulettes to petition their government for the right to wear epaulettes, to ensure that they would be recognized as officers^[1]. Certain cavalry specialties wore flexible metal epaulettes referred to as shoulder scales, rarely worn on the field.
In Europe, some light infantry wore cloth counter-epaulettes. "Flying artillery" wore "wings", similar to an epaulette but with only a bit of fringe on the outside, which matched the shoulder seam. Heavy artillery wore small balls representing ammunition on their shoulders.
Today, epaulettes have mostly been replaced by a five-sided flap of cloth called a shoulder strap, which is sewn into the shoulder seam and the end buttoned like an epaulette.
An intermediate form in some services, such as the Russian Army, is the shoulderboard, which neither has a fringe nor extends beyond the shoulder seam.
From the shoulderboard was developed the shoulder mark, a flat cloth tube that is worn over the shoulder strap and carries embroidered or pinned-on rank insignia. The advantages of this are the ability to easily change the insignia as occasions warrant.

Canada

In Canada, ''epaulette'' or ''epaulet'' is often used (erroneously or colloquially) to describe the shoulder strap of a military or police shirt, jacket or tunic and is used informally as a synonym for ''slip-on'', a flat cloth sleeve (called in the US, a shoulder mark) worn ("slipped on") on the shoulder strap.
After Unification and prior to the issue of the Distinct Environmental Uniform, musicians of the Band Branch wore epaulettes of braided gold cord on the CF uniform.
Epaulettes are still worn on some Army Full Dress, Patrol Dress, and Mess Dress uniforms. Epaulettes in the form of shoulder boards are worn with the officer's white Naval Service Dress.

France

The French Army infantry wore silver epaulettes, while mounted units wore gold epaulettes. To be visible, the rank insignia was of contrasting metal, hence the rank insignia today is gold for the infantry and silver for the cavalry.

Germany

German Army uniforms are known for a four cord braided "figure-of-eight" decoration which acts as a shoulder board. This is called a shoulder knot. Although it was once seen on US Army uniforms, it remains only in the mess uniform.

United Kingdom

Epaulettes first appeared on British uniforms in the second half of the 18th century. The epaulette was officially incorporated into Royal Navy uniform regulations in 1795, although some officers wore them before this date. Flag Officers were to wear silver stars on their epaulettes to distinguish their ranks. Captains were to have plain epaulettes, the Junior Captains and Commanders having only one apiece to be worn on the right and left shoulders respectively.^[2]
Before World War I the British Army stopped wearing epaulettes in the field, switching to rank insignia embroidered on the cuffs of the uniform jacket. This was found to make officers a target for snipers, so the insignia was moved to the shoulder straps, where it was less conspicuous.
The current has the epaulette insignia on a strap at the centre of the chest.

The epaulettes of military uniforms were sometimes made of chainmail in the past and those of the British Territorial Army are still made in this fashion.

United States

Officers of the United States Army at the time of the Civil War wore red for artillery and blue for infantry. This was in keeping with the practice of the French Army.

References

1. Wilkinson-Latham, R: "The Royal Navy 1790-1970", page 5. Osprey Publishing, 1977
2. Epaulettes at the National Maritime Museum website

See also

Epaulettes in the uniform of the Boy Scouts of America