Red Serge
Encyclopedia
The Red Serge refers to the jacket of the dress uniform
of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
. It consists of a scarlet British-style military pattern tunic, complete with a high-neck collar.
Constables and NCOs wear gorget patches on their collars and shoulder straps of navy blue. In Review and Full Dress orders officers' uniforms have pointed navy blue cuffs, while senior officers wear a metallic belt, not a leather Sam Browne
, and gold plaited shoulder cords in full dress. Polished brass buttons, and gold coloured metal or embroidered badges and insignia are part of the Red Serge uniform (all worn over a white cotton T-shirt
). The riding breeches are "midnight blue" (virtually black) which bulge at the thigh in keeping with traditional cut with a yellow strapping (stripe) down the outside seam of each leg. The breeches are always worn with braces
. Finishing off the Red Serge are brown leather riding boot
s, known as High Browns, and a chocolate brown wide-brimmed stetson
with a glass-flat brim.
Prior to 1904, a white, topi-style of pith helmet
was standard issue however plainsmen often preferred to ride wearing non-regulation cowboy hats and these subsequently became uniform issue in the form of the Stetson hat. The ever-present side-arm is carried in a brown leather holster on a brown Sam Browne belt
. A white pistol lanyard
is worn around the neck and connected to the side arm. There is a brown leather compartment for carrying handcuffs and ammunition for the sidearm.
An RCMP officer wearing the Red Serge is an internationally recognized Canadian
icon. This order of dress is referred to as "Review Order".
The Red Serge is not worn as working dress when an officer is on normal duty, but is reserved for occasions such as civic ceremonies, musical rides, ceremonial parades, as a visual representative of the security force for government dignitaries, and during public relations–related special events such as school career days or guard duty at Parliament in Ottawa. Members also march in funerals for police officers wearing the traditional Red Serge.
The Red Serge is also worn by RCMP Members during special personal events, such as the wedding ceremony of a fellow officer, where it is not uncommon for an entire detachment of a small community to wear the Red Serge as an honour guard for the bride and groom at their wedding ceremony. Usually, if the groom is a Member, he will be married in his Red Serge, in lieu of civilian formal attire
.
The mess dress
worn by commissioned officers has a scarlet cutaway jacket. Female RCMP Members formerly wore a modified version of the Red Serge for review order without the high collar but now wear the same pattern of tunic as their male colleagues.
wore a red serge outfit to play his character of "The Mountie"; however due to protests by the RCMP, the WWF mentioned repeatedly during his match that he was not a "true representative of the Mounties." Eventually litigation prevented Rougeau from appearing in Canada as The Mountie.
Dress uniform
Dress uniform , is the most formal military uniform, typically worn at ceremonies, official receptions, and other special occasions; with order insignias and full size medals...
of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. It consists of a scarlet British-style military pattern tunic, complete with a high-neck collar.
Constables and NCOs wear gorget patches on their collars and shoulder straps of navy blue. In Review and Full Dress orders officers' uniforms have pointed navy blue cuffs, while senior officers wear a metallic belt, not a leather Sam Browne
Sam Browne belt
The Sam Browne belt is a wide belt, usually leather, which is supported by a strap going diagonally over the right shoulder. It is most often seen as part of a military or police uniform.-Origins:...
, and gold plaited shoulder cords in full dress. Polished brass buttons, and gold coloured metal or embroidered badges and insignia are part of the Red Serge uniform (all worn over a white cotton T-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
). The riding breeches are "midnight blue" (virtually black) which bulge at the thigh in keeping with traditional cut with a yellow strapping (stripe) down the outside seam of each leg. The breeches are always worn with braces
Suspenders
Suspenders or braces are fabric or leather straps worn over the shoulders to hold up trousers. Straps may be elasticated, either entirely or only at attachment ends and most straps are of woven cloth forming an X or Y shape at the back. Braces are typically attached to trousers with buttons...
. Finishing off the Red Serge are brown leather riding boot
Riding boot
A riding boot is a boot made to be used for horse riding. The classic boot comes high enough up the leg to prevent the leathers of the saddle from pinching the leg of the rider, has a sturdy toe to protect the rider's foot when on the ground, and has a distinct heel to prevent the foot from sliding...
s, known as High Browns, and a chocolate brown wide-brimmed stetson
Stetson
Stetsons are the brand of hat manufactured by the John B. Stetson Company of St. Joseph, Missouri.Stetson eventually became the world’s largest hat maker, producing over 3.3 million hats a year in a factory spread over . Today Stetson remains a family-owned concern...
with a glass-flat brim.
Prior to 1904, a white, topi-style of pith helmet
Pith helmet
The pith helmet is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith...
was standard issue however plainsmen often preferred to ride wearing non-regulation cowboy hats and these subsequently became uniform issue in the form of the Stetson hat. The ever-present side-arm is carried in a brown leather holster on a brown Sam Browne belt
Sam Browne belt
The Sam Browne belt is a wide belt, usually leather, which is supported by a strap going diagonally over the right shoulder. It is most often seen as part of a military or police uniform.-Origins:...
. A white pistol lanyard
Lanyard
A lanyard is a rope or cord exclusively worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Usually it is used where there is a risk of losing the object or to ensure it is visible at all times. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects...
is worn around the neck and connected to the side arm. There is a brown leather compartment for carrying handcuffs and ammunition for the sidearm.
An RCMP officer wearing the Red Serge is an internationally recognized Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
icon. This order of dress is referred to as "Review Order".
The Red Serge is not worn as working dress when an officer is on normal duty, but is reserved for occasions such as civic ceremonies, musical rides, ceremonial parades, as a visual representative of the security force for government dignitaries, and during public relations–related special events such as school career days or guard duty at Parliament in Ottawa. Members also march in funerals for police officers wearing the traditional Red Serge.
The Red Serge is also worn by RCMP Members during special personal events, such as the wedding ceremony of a fellow officer, where it is not uncommon for an entire detachment of a small community to wear the Red Serge as an honour guard for the bride and groom at their wedding ceremony. Usually, if the groom is a Member, he will be married in his Red Serge, in lieu of civilian formal attire
Formal wear
Formal wear and formal dress are the general terms for clothing suitable for formal social events, such as a wedding, formal garden party or dinner, débutante cotillion, dance, or race...
.
The mess dress
Mess dress
Mess dress is the military term for the formal evening dress worn in the mess or at other formal occasions. It is also known as mess uniform and mess kit...
worn by commissioned officers has a scarlet cutaway jacket. Female RCMP Members formerly wore a modified version of the Red Serge for review order without the high collar but now wear the same pattern of tunic as their male colleagues.
In popular culture
During his stint in the World Wrestling Federation, Jacques RougeauJacques Rougeau
Jacques Rougeau Jr. is a retired French-Canadian professional wrestler from Saint-Sulpice, Quebec, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s with the World Wrestling Federation under his own name, and as The Mountie. Rougeau has held fifteen championships during his career...
wore a red serge outfit to play his character of "The Mountie"; however due to protests by the RCMP, the WWF mentioned repeatedly during his match that he was not a "true representative of the Mounties." Eventually litigation prevented Rougeau from appearing in Canada as The Mountie.