Vest with brown stripes, what kind of troops. History of the vest
“Sea soul”, “vest shirt”, “vest shirt” - as they call the striped undershirt of a sailor. And these days there are as many colors of this shirt as there are names - from the classic blue and white stripes to orange. On the birthday of the vest, we remember how it appeared and why it became a symbol of Russian sailors and paratroopers.
The famous Russian vest has European roots. Striped shirts appeared during the sailing fleet: alternating white and blue stripes helped the sailor to be seen against the background of sails of any color. And even if a sailor fell into the water, the color of the vest helped to quickly detect and save him.
Often sailors knitted their own vests. According to the French standard, starting from 1852, the vest had to have 21 stripes - according to the number of major victories of Napoleon. But the Dutch and English wore a vest with 12 transverse stripes - the number of ribs in a person. There was a belief that, having put on such a shirt, the sailors seemed to the spirits of the sea to be dead men, of whom only skeletons remained. So the vest was not only a convenient work uniform, but also something of a talisman.
The vest appeared in Russia in 1874. On August 19, a decree was signed stating that the vest is part of the mandatory uniform for Russian sailors. The initiative to change the Russian fleet belonged to Grand Duke Konstantin Romanov.
Initially, Russian vests were knitted from wool and paper in half and weighed about 340 grams. The ancestors of the modern Russian vest looked like this: “the color of the shirt is white with blue transverse stripes, spaced one inch apart from each other (44.45 mm). The width of the blue stripes is a quarter of an inch.” And only in 1912 the width of the stripes on the vest became the same - 11.11 mm each.
By the way, the stripes on the Russian undershirt were not only blue. Colors could vary depending on belonging to a particular naval formation. The sailors of the Baltic Flotilla of the 1st St. Petersburg Brigade of the Separate Border Guard Corps initially had green stripes on their vests, while the sailors of the Amudarya Flotilla, which was also part of the Separate Border Guard Corps, had red stripes. But the classic color was still considered white and blue. After all, these stripes of vests corresponded to the colors of the official Russian Navy.
At first, Russian vests were sewn abroad. Own production was established only over time - in St. Petersburg at the Kersten knitting factory, after the revolution renamed “Red Banner”.
Today, Russian security forces use different colors of vests. Depending on the type of troops, the stripes on the vest are: dark blue - Navy, blue - Airborne Forces, cornflower blue - FSB special forces, Presidential Regiment, light green - border troops, maroon - Airborne Forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, orange - units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Also, a naval vest with dark blue stripes is included in the uniform set of cadets of military and civilian maritime and river educational institutions.
As for the black and white vest, this coloring is often attributed to units of the submarine fleet and marine corps, although in accordance with Decree No. 532 they are entitled to the same vest as all military personnel of the Russian Navy.
The history of the appearance of the vest among Airborne Forces soldiers is interesting. Unofficially, the “sea soul” appeared in the wardrobe of a paratrooper in 1959. Then they began to be awarded for a parachute jump on water. But not everyone liked the paratroopers in naval uniforms. There is a legend according to which at one of the meetings Vasily Margelov said: “I fought in the Marine Corps and I know what paratroopers deserve and what they don’t!” Since then, the striped vest has become not only an integral part of the uniform of airborne troops, but also a symbol of their courage and bravery.
There are even poems dedicated to this seemingly simple striped shirt:
A simple cut, but a beautiful, catchy look.
She is beyond competition with any shirt,
Let two stripes guard you like angels,
Let the Russian vest warm your soul.
Stripes of a sailor's shirt are known to create an optical illusion of more people than there actually are. That is, the famous phrase “there are few of us, but we are wearing vests” has an additional meaning.
And according to the main ideologist of the St. Petersburg artists “Mitkov” Dmitry Shagin, the vest is a special symbol of the breadth of the soul: “The vest, of course, transforms a person - in a vest, the back is straighter and the gait is more cheerful.”
Vests have long ceased to be exclusively the uniform of sailors, and have migrated into the everyday wardrobe of both men and women. Answers to questions about where the tradition of wearing striped clothes came from, why different branches of the military have stripes on their vests of different colors, and how many of these stripes are in our educational program.
1. Why do sailors wear striped clothes?
The first people to wear striped clothing were Breton fishermen. Their robe was black and white, and it is considered the prototype of modern vests. There is no clear answer as to why the colors were this way. Most likely, the striped jacket stood out clearly against the background of the sail, and in addition, it was easy to notice the person overboard in it.
Breton sailors became the basis of the fleet in many European states. In particular, there were quite a lot of them in the Dutch flotilla at the beginning of the 17th century. The striped uniform did not bother the Dutch and soon became widespread.
2. When did vests appear in Russia?
The appearance of vests in Russia, as in other countries, is associated with international trade activity. Russian sailors bought the first vests in Europe in the mid-19th century; they were valued for their warmth and comfort. In 1874, a decree came into force in Russia, according to which striped undershirts became a mandatory element of the sailors' uniform.
3. What colors are vests?
Initially, naval vests in Russia were not only blue. So, on the uniform of the sailors of the Baltic Flotilla the stripes were green, while those of the Amudarya Flotilla were red. Most of the flotillas still adhered to the white and blue colors in accordance with the colors of the St. Andrew's flag (the official flag of the Navy).
Currently, the color of the vest indicates the type of military service: dark blue is popular for the navy, blue for paratroopers, and cornflower blue for special forces; on the uniform of border guards it is light green, on the uniform of the Ministry of Emergency Situations it is orange.
4. Why do paratroopers wear vests?
It would seem that what can connect paratroopers and sea wolves? But no. It is believed that since 1959, vests began to be awarded to paratroopers for parachute jumping into water. In 1968, Soviet paratroopers wearing vests appeared in Prague. Since then, this uniform has become a real symbol of the Airborne Forces.
5. Where did the expression “striped devil” come from?
This is exactly what the Germans called Soviet sailors during the Great Patriotic War. In Europe, striped clothing has long been the lot of declassed elements - executioners, heretics, lepers. The sight of Soviet marines in vests terrified their enemies.
6. How many stripes are there on the vest?
The number of stripes on vests from different countries differs. Thus, in France it is customary to apply 21 stripes in honor of Napoleon’s victories (this is relevant for ground forces). Another symbolic meaning: 21 is the number that brings success in the card game Blackjack, popular among sailors.
The British and Dutch have much fewer stripes - only 12. It is believed that this tradition was preserved from Breton sailors, who applied the number of stripes to sweaters according to the number of ribs in a person. This was a kind of symbolic “disguise” as a ghost skeleton in order to deceive fate.
In Russia, the number of stripes is not regulated, but their width is precisely established - 11.11 mm each. Accordingly, the larger the size of the product, the more stripes there are on it.
Read how to wear a vest and other vests for women in our fashion review.
The legendary naval sweatshirt - how much meaning is put into these words! This is the story of more than one generation. The vest is valued on a par with a shrine. In Russia, it became not only part of the infantry and submarine navy, but also the airborne armed forces, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, special forces and the internal army of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Each Russian army has its own vest with a unique stripe color, the selection criteria of which, one can assume, characterize the field of activity of each...
Navy
German opponents spoke of sailors and marines during the Great Patriotic War as “striped devils.” This one wears T-shirts with black stripes. It was not a matter of color, not how many stripes there were on the vest, and not even the extremely strong-willed qualities of Russian sailors. The roots of this nickname go back to the history of Europe, where in the past, for a very long time, striped clothes were worn by heretics, lepers, and executioners who did not have any rights, rejected by society. When the Germans saw Marines on land, they were overwhelmed with fear at the genetic level. The sailors, even in battles on land, refused to change their main parts of their uniform: a peakless cap and a vest with a pea coat. This is what distinguished them from infantry soldiers.
For camouflage, the Marines dressed in the uniform of the ground forces. But even in it, the vest remained an underwear shirt. If someone carried it in a duffel bag because they wanted to keep it longer, then it was mandatory to put it on before the fight. After all, since ancient times there has been a Russian tradition: to put on a clean undershirt before the start of a battle. Someone thinks that the power of Russian sailors is hidden in a special sweatshirt - its color and how many stripes there are on the soldier’s vest.
After all, at one time the French Navy adopted a standard in 1852, according to which a vest should have 21 stripes. This is the number of victories of the great Napoleon.
Fearlessness
Sailors have always been distinguished by a special courageous spirit. Throwing their overcoat and pea coat to the ground, dressed in a vest, they walked towards the enemy with a bayonet in their hands. The sailors' first battle on land took place in June 1941, on the 25th.
Sergeant Major Prostorov, at the head of the Baltic corsairs, shouted “Polundra” and disgraced the Germans, who were known as victors in Europe. The strike force of the Russian army was formed from fighters in vests. The whole point is not how many stripes there are on the vest, but the inner strength of the Russian spirit. The command knew: these warriors would not retreat! They were where it was most dangerous to fight. The Marine Corps of the Soviet Union threw panic and instilled fear in the enemy...
Origin
The history of the vest itself dates back to the time of the conquest of the geographical space of the Earth - in the seventeenth century. At that time, maritime professions were just developing. Accordingly, there was a shortage of personnel. Most of the European fleet was made up of sailors from Brittany. Most likely, the Bretons did not care how many stripes there were on their vests - they wore black and white work shirts, which played the role of a talisman against sea evil spirits.
In addition, in such a shirt the sailor can be seen better against the background of the surrounding landscapes. In addition, dirt is not so noticeable. Most of the Breton seafaring personnel ended up on Dutch ships. They paid well here and Bretons were not prohibited from wearing striped overalls. By the end of the 17th century, it would become the body uniform of sailors throughout Europe.
Spreading
The Russians were no exception. It is not known for certain how many stripes there are on the sailor’s vest and when exactly it entered the life of the Russian fleet. But, most likely, the vest was brought to Russia by the Dutch in the mid-seventeenth century. Their merchant ships began to sail to Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory. The Dutch and British were known as trendsetters in fashionable naval equipment. Therefore, Peter I adopted the Dutch uniform for the Russian flotilla, which was in its infancy.
But she was not yet wearing Breton striped shirts. They became more widespread among Russian sailors of the second mid-19th century. There is a legend that in 1868, Prince Konstantin Romanov, who was also an admiral, received the crew of the frigate. All sailors came to the meeting in European striped sweatshirts.
They praised their merits so much that after some time the prince signed a decree from the emperor to officially include the vest in the ammunition of Russian sailors (1874).
It became a cult garment later, after the Russo-Japanese War. When there was demobilization, sailors filled the cities. All around you could hear the rhythms of sea dances and stories about the brave battles for Port Arthur.
They were looking for adventure. This is the time when flotilla culture became widespread among the masses, and the concept of “sea soul” appeared, the symbol of which was the vest.
Airborne troops and striped sweatshirt
When and how did the iconic clothing of the navy become part of the blue beret and how many stripes are there on the vest of a Russian paratrooper? History says that back in 1959 they were awarded to a parachutist for a jump into water, which is considered one of the most dangerous.
That's when vests appeared in paratroopers' uniforms (unofficially). But the key person who made the naval sweatshirt was the legendary commander. It didn’t matter how many stripes there were on the Navy vest - it didn’t matter to the paratroopers. The introduction of the “sea soul” into blue berets was opposed by Sergei Gorshkov, the commander-in-chief of the USSR Navy. He said that these were manifestations of anarchy among the paratroopers.
But Margelov said harshly that he fought in the Marine Corps. And therefore he knows what paratroopers deserve and don’t deserve!
The blue striped vest made its official debut at the Prague events in August 1968: Soviet paratroopers wearing the striped jersey proved to be a decisive force in ending the Prague Spring. The blue berets received a baptism of fire, bypassing all bureaucratic issues - with the blessing of Margelov.
The new form was not prescribed by any official document. And it doesn’t matter how many stripes there are on an Airborne Forces vest (the number simply depends on the size of the jersey) - it has become a symbol of masculinity and a special spirit of fearlessness. Even future fighters have the honor of wearing a striped sweatshirt.
Modernity
Today, Russian troops of various kinds wear a vest. The kit for cadets of naval, civil river and maritime educational institutions includes a naval vest as a mandatory element of the uniform. Although border guards, thanks to the creation of the border flotilla of the White, Baltic and Caspian Seas, put it on back in 1893, and in 1898 it began with green stripes. In the 90s of the 20th century, vests for border guards were officially developed - green, for the special forces of the VV - maroon, for the special forces of the FSB and the presidential regiment - cornflower blue, for the Ministry of Emergency Situations - orange.
Of course, you can simply count how many stripes there are on a naval vest, but this will not give anything. Since the period of the USSR, the number of stripes has depended on the size of each military man, be it an infantryman or a border guard. Conventionally: size forty-six contains 33 stripes, size fifty-six - 52.
The problem of the number of stripes has its roots in the symbolic numerology in the vests of the French. The Dutch and the British had the same symbolism. They preferred shirts with 12 stripes, the same as the number of human ribs, thus wanting to deceive fate: as if it were not a person, but a ghost-skeleton of the deceased...
The vest in Russia is more than just an item of military uniform, it is a legend, tradition, history. It’s not for nothing that the vest, from a typically naval uniform, has expanded to cover all branches of the military in modern Russia, acquiring a variety of colors.
Marine vest
The nautical undershirt with blue and white stripes has a long history dating back to the days of the sailing fleet. It is known that it was introduced into wide use by Dutch sailors. The Dutch naval uniform with a short black peacoat, bell-bottom trousers, a blue flannel jacket with a large cutout on the chest and an undershirt with blue stripes became popular in many countries.
However, the vest was “invented” not by the Dutch, but by the Bretons back in the 16th century. Breton sailors wore knitted jersey shirts with 12 (the number of ribs in the human body) black stripes - this is how they tried to deceive their death, which would take the sailors for skeletons and begin to touch them. When not on duty, sailors knitted their own undershirts, which were practical, comfortable, did not restrict movement and protected from the cold.
In Russia, the vest became part of the uniform of the Navy in the second half of the 19th century. At that time, military reform was carried out in Russia with changes in the structure, weapons and, of course, uniforms of military personnel, including sailors. In 1874, Emperor Alexander II approved “Regulations on the allowance of the commands of the Maritime Department in terms of ammunition and uniforms”, which, in particular, talked about uniforms for the “lower ranks of ships and naval crews” of the Russian fleet. The vest was defined as follows: “A shirt knitted from wool in half with paper; The color of the shirt is white with blue transverse stripes, spaced one inch apart (4.445 cm). The width of the blue stripes is a quarter of an inch... The weight of the shirt is supposed to be at least 80 spools (344 grams)...".
At first, vests were purchased abroad, and only then production was established in Russia. Mass manufacturing of vests first began in Kersten factory (By the way, the German Friedrich-Wilhelm Kersten in 1870 received a medal of the All-Russian Manufacture Exhibition and the title of hereditary honorary citizen of St. Petersburg) in St. Petersburg (after the revolution - Factory "Red Banner").
Vest stripes acquired the same size and width about 1 cm Only in 1912 was the composition of the material changed and the vest began to be made from cotton. The vest has remained in this form to this day. Its characteristics are defined GOST 25904-83 “Knitted marine sweatshirts and T-shirts for military personnel. General technical conditions". This GOST determines both the composition and quality of knitted material for tailoring, vests, and its “design”.
The vest has become not only a convenient and practical item for a naval sailor, but also a symbol of masculinity, valor, perseverance, and true masculine character. People leaving the Navy and in civilian life continued to wear a vest as a symbol of their involvement in a special type of troops. Over time, the vest was introduced into the uniform for the Airborne Forces (Airborne Forces) in 1969, but the color of the stripes was sky blue. And the history of the appearance of the vest by Airborne Forces employees is as follows.
Vest in the Airborne Forces
In 1959, exercises were conducted on mass water landings. The weather was very rainy and windy, and headquarters officers led by General Lisov jumped from the first plane. We jumped from a height of 450 meters. The last to jump was Colonel V.A. Ustinovich. After he climbed out of the water onto the shore, he took out his naval vests from his bosom and handed them to the landing participants, as a symbol that the landing was carried out on the water. Since then, it has become a tradition to present vests to those who, in addition to the usual landing, also jumped onto the water. V.F. Margelov, commander of the Airborne Forces in 1954-1959 and 1961-1979, began to promote the idea of introducing the vest as an element of the Airborne Forces uniform. Only the vest for the paratroopers was decided to be made not with dark blue stripes, but with light blue ones. The first to wear them were units and formations of the Airborne Forces that took part in the events in Czechoslovakia in 1968. July 26, 1969 by order USSR Ministry of Defense No. 191 Regular rules for wearing military uniforms were introduced, in which the wearing of a vest in the Airborne Forces was officially enshrined.
Vest with green stripes
Since the 1990s, vests with stripes of different colors began to appear in other troops. This is how border guards began to wear vests with green stripes. The paratroopers who served at that time say that in the late 80s the Vitebsk Airborne Division was transferred to the KGB of the USSR, as a result of which the blue vests and berets were “repainted” green, which was perceived by the former paratroopers as an insult to their military honor. However, after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the division was transferred to Belarus, where it again became an airborne unit. But the tradition of border guards wearing green vests remains.
Vests in the Russian Armed Forces
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 532 of May 8, 2005 “On military uniforms, military insignia and departmental insignia”, in particular, determined the colors of vests for various branches of the Russian Armed Forces, namely:
Navy– dark blue vests
Airborne Forces- blue vests
border troops- light green vests,
special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs- maroon vests,
FSB special forces, Presidential Regiment- cornflower blue vests
Ministry of Emergency Situations- orange vests
Also, a naval vest with dark blue stripes is included in the uniform of cadets of naval and civilian maritime and river educational institutions.
As you can see, nothing is stated here about black vest! It is often attributed to submarine and marine units, but in accordance with Decree No. 532, they have the same vest as ordinary military personnel of the Russian Navy, that is, with dark blue stripes.
In general, the introduction of vests of different colors for different branches of the military has somewhat diminished the authority of the vest, but, nevertheless, this does not apply to naval and landing vests with dark blue and light blue stripes.
Vest in modern fashion
The vest, as a rule, a “real” naval vest with dark blue stripes, has become popular among the civilian population; it is worn not only by adult men, but often by children, and sometimes by women. A famous popularizer of this “striped shirt” was the French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, who in the 1990s created several sets of clothes with blue and white stripes. In recent years, a “vest” with pink stripes has appeared! Such an outrage against the symbol of military valor and bravery is difficult for courageous guys who served and are serving in the Navy or Airborne Forces to endure, but it should be taken as a joke, even stupidity. Nevertheless, the theme of the nautical vest has become popular in fashion and periodically appears in women's costumes.
Mitki and vest
People of the older generation, those whose youth fell in the 80s of the last century, remember such a group of alternative artists called Mitki (formally, this group still exists today, although the spirit of that time has a different intensity).
The Mitki chose a vest as an element of clothing, as some kind of identification mark. Perhaps in everyday life they wore something other than a vest, but when they gathered for any occasion, they certainly all wore vests.
Despite the current availability of vests and their variety of colors, they should be treated not just as comfortable fashionable clothing, but as a military symbol with a long tradition, especially for “real” vests with dark blue naval and light blue Airborne stripes. It is not recommended for civilians to wear maroon vests, the right to wear which, like the right to a maroon beret, is earned by members of the special forces of the Internal Troops through hard work, or at least this was the case a few years ago.
Few people know that the women's vest as an independent element of naval employees appeared several centuries ago. At that time it was impossible to buy a fleece vest, so sailors knitted such clothes themselves, making them from threads of various colors. Such clothes were comfortable in any weather, because they were not afraid of moisture and reliably protected a person from the vicissitudes of nature.
However, then a ban was introduced on wearing this type of clothing, and for more than several decades, the sailors’ uniform did not contain this important attribute. However, already in the mid-nineteenth century this ban was lifted, and the maroon vest became an official part of the sailors' uniform. Along with this, naval employees wore flared pants and a trowel.
In modern society, the interlock vest is worn not only by military personnel, but also by civilians. This is the favorite clothing of many men and women, because the vest is warm and comfortable, it is pleasant to the body and does not cause discomfort. Made from a combination of synthetic and natural fibers, the insulated VDV vest has the following properties:
elasticity;
warmth;
hygroscopicity;
wear resistance;
hypoallergenic.
Among all the clothing worn by various departments, the most noticeable and distinctive is the Marine Corps vest, which has a number of characteristics. That is why it is not enough for employees of certain organizations to simply buy a vest with long sleeves, but it is necessary that it corresponds to the charter of their particular department. The Airborne Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB and other government departments have their own uniform, so you cannot, for example, buy an Airborne Forces vest while serving in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Buy a vest (GOST)? Easily!
On our store website you can see a wide range of different products. Moreover, each of the presented models is available in many sizes, so buying a Navy vest that suits you will not be difficult here. We offer each of our clients:
a wide range of products;
prompt delivery;
discounts for regular customers;
affordable pricing policy.
We understand that you need to buy a winter vest from your own funds, so we do everything possible to make the cost of this uniform element affordable for all consumers. You will definitely be able to choose from a colossal assortment of products, so if you need a VV Ministry of Internal Affairs vest (long sleeve) or knitted elements of a summer uniform, then you can buy from us exactly the product that is right for you.
Depending on the season for which the clothing is intended, the type of fabric may differ. For example, a vest (double thread) with a fleece is suitable for the autumn-winter season, while a green vest made with one thread is more suitable for summer.
The Airborne Forces vest-shirt, made in blue and white tones and having a small cutout in the neck area, has similar qualities. At the same time, along with blue and green products, in our catalog there is a red vest, this is not a statutory, but very comfortable thing that civilians wear. The greatest demand in our store is the PS vest, as well as models that comply with the charter of government departments, namely:
Navy vest (blue, GOST), which can have both short and long sleeves;
FSB vest, which is part of the uniform of employees of the department of the same name;
clothing for patrol officers, police and other structures.
Buying a vest that will meet all the requirements of your regulations is easier than ever, because we have managed to collect in our catalog a lot of goods for the military working for certain departments of our country. Choose which Marine Corps fleece vest you like best and place your order. We, in turn, will make sure that the camouflage vest is of excellent quality and complies with all the regulations of your organization.
In our store we have both a standard black vest, which can be supplemented with department emblems, and other products that have nothing to do with military service, for example, a children's vest. We will arrange delivery, so you only need to select the product and complete its purchase. Complete your wardrobe with truly necessary and high-quality items.
