Military uniform jacket, Royal Horse Artillery

This jacket was worn by an officer of the British Royal Horse Artillery (formed in 1793). The wearer would have cut a fine figure with the ornate gold braid looping (also known as frogging) prominent on his chest.

 

Such looping had been a popular form of decoration on regimental dress since the 18^th century. The more flamboyant designs were worn by the hussars (light cavalry regiments), derived from Hungarian national dress. The ornamentation of hussar dress influenced both men’s and women’s civilian fashions.