Apr. 06 ,2017

For many years, vests have been a symbol of the fleet. About what colors there are still striped vests - read the article of the military department "Sergeant".

The history of the marine undershirt began a very long time ago. Once upon a time, sailors, while away the time, knitted themselves comfortable and warm vests from wool, and for a hot climate - from cotton yarn. According to existing legends, the vest did not become striped in vain, there is a completely logical explanation for this.

English sailors in vests. It can be seen that the stripes are a little narrower than on domestic ones.

Sea monsters and magical camouflage

Sailors are probably the most superstitious people in the world. Killing a seagull is a bad omen, a woman on a ship is unfortunate. But the most vivid fantasy of the workers of the sea was played out when it came to the inhabitants of the sea depths. The imagination of sailors inhabited the abyss with huge squids, krakens, which could swallow a sailboat in one sitting. Sly mermaids with their angelic singing forced the sailors to rush overboard at their call, and gigantic sea snakes, unexpectedly emerging, grabbed the unfortunate guys and dragged them to the depths. There was a way out: to pretend to be already dead, to become like a skeleton. Most likely, this is how the stripes on the “sea soul” appeared. French sailors from Brittany are considered pioneers in this. The innovation quickly spread among sailors Western Europe at the beginning of the 16th century.

Ukrainian marines during the parade in traditional vests with black stripes.

The colors of the vests are the colors of history

There is a more practical explanation for the striped vest. The marine vest color is blue-white. The sailor in the striped shirt was easier to spot when he fell overboard. And against the background of light sails, the sailors climbing the shrouds were better visible to the officer standing on the deck, and it was easier for him to correct their actions. But on warships, the diversity of homemade vests irritated the officers, and the wearing of such shirts was almost universally prohibited by the beginning of the 18th century. Only after 100 years the vest becomes legal marine clothing, and in tsarist Russia it received official status in 1874 by decree of Alexander II. The number of stripes in the European fleet then varied from 12 to 21. A person has 12 pairs of ribs and the practical Dutch took this as a basis. The French regulated 21 bands - according to the number of the largest victories of Bonaparte. In general, today it all depends on the size of the shirt, the larger it is, the more stripes will fit on it.

Belarusian retired border guard in a green vest

In many CIS countries, a vest with orange stripes is used in the Ministry of Emergencies

The first sign of changing the familiar blue stripe to a different color in Russian fleet was the introduction of green for the patrol fleet in 1912. Already in the mid-60s, when berets began to be introduced in the Soviet army, a gradual “repainting” of vests began and their introduction in all branches of the military. In many ways, today the colors of the vests depend on the berets worn by the fighters.

Cherry / red vest - a sign of internal troops (in Ukraine - the National Guard).

Tell me what color your shirt is and I'll tell you who you are

According to the established tradition in the young Armed Forces of Ukraine, the color of the vest by type of troops means the following. Dark blue traditional stripes on vests Navy. Submariners can be distinguished by black stripes, the color of the abyss. air landing troops wear sky blue stripes, and green - border guards. Special Forces Internal Troops it is easy to recognize by maroon, and the SBU - by cornflower blue stripes. Adopted by the Ministry of Emergency Situations Orange color, meaning danger and a call for help.

Ukrainian sailors

Many are interested in why the stripes do not shed (unless, of course, the product is of high quality)? They can be printed on the finished fabric, that is, with paint, or they can be knitted in the process of making a knitted fabric with threads of two colors, such models are more expensive. If the paint is applied in compliance with all technological requirements and has the correct composition, it will never shed. The durability of paint on the material also depends on the composition and quality of the base on which it is applied. If this is a high-quality cotton product (kulny smooth surface, interlock, it is also a double-layer), then there will be no problems with paint. And if the model is rough and hard to the touch, it is better to refrain from acquiring it. Fabrics with a pile (lined) are usually made from yarn of 2 colors, and not dyed.

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On August 19, Russia celebrates the birthday of the Russian vest. It was on this day in 1874, at the initiative of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich Romanov Emperor Alexander II signed a decree on the introduction of a new uniform, with which a vest (a special "underwear" shirt) was introduced as part of the mandatory uniform of a Russian sailor.

Their professional holiday workers of the sea and river fleet annually on the first Sunday in July.

How the vest looked before, what the stripes are and what their color means, see the AiF.ru infographic.

The history of the vest

The vest appeared during the heyday of the sailing fleet in Brittany (France), presumably in the 17th century.

The vests had a boat neckline and three-quarter sleeves and were white with dark blue stripes. In Europe in those days, striped clothes were worn by social outcasts and professional executioners. But for the Breton sailors, according to one version, the vest was considered lucky clothing for the duration of sea voyages.

In Russia, the tradition of wearing vests began to take shape, according to some sources, from 1862, according to others - from 1866. Instead of narrow tunics with uncomfortable stand-up collars, Russian sailors began to wear comfortable flannel Dutch shirts with a cutout on the chest. A vest was worn under the shirt - a vest.

At first, vests were issued only to participants in long-distance campaigns and were a matter of special pride. As one of the reports of that time says: “the lower ranks ... mainly put them on on Sundays and holidays when leaving ashore ... and in all cases when it was required to be smartly dressed ... ". He finally fixed the vest as part of the uniform by an order signed on August 19, 1874 Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich. This day can be considered the birthday of the Russian vest.

The vest has a great advantage over other underwear shirts. Tightly fitting the body, it does not interfere with free movement during work, retains heat well, is comfortable when washing, and dries quickly in the wind.

This type of light marine clothing has not lost its significance today, although sailors now rarely have to climb the shrouds. Over time, the vest came into use in other branches of the military, although in few places it is an official part of the uniform. However, this wardrobe item is also used in ground forces oh, and even the police.

Why is the vest striped and what does the color of the stripes mean?

The blue and white transverse stripes of the vests corresponded to the colors of the Russian naval St. Andrew's flag. In addition, sailors dressed in such shirts were clearly visible from the deck against the background of the sky, sea and sails.

The tradition of making the stripes multi-colored was strengthened in the 19th century - the sailor's belonging to one or another flotilla was determined by color. After the collapse of the USSR, the colors of the stripes of the vests were "distributed" among the various branches of the military.

What does the color of the stripes on the vest mean:

• black: submarine forces and marines;
• cornflower blue: presidential regiment and special forces of the FSB;
• light green: border troops;
• light blue: Airborne Forces;
• maroon: Ministry of Internal Affairs;
• orange: Ministry of Emergency Situations.

What is guis?

Guys in the Navy is called a collar that is tied over a uniform. The real meaning of the word "guis" (from the Dutch geus - "flag") is a naval ensign. The flag is hoisted daily on the prow of ships of the 1st and 2nd ranks during anchorage from 8 am to sunset.

The history of the appearance of the guis is rather prosaic. In the Middle Ages in Europe, men wore long hair or wigs, sailors braided their hair into ponytails and pigtails. To protect against lice, the hair was smeared with tar. To prevent the tar from staining their clothes, the sailors covered their shoulders and back with a protective leather collar, which could be easily wiped from dirt.

Over time, the leather collar was replaced with a cloth one. Long hairstyles are a thing of the past, but the tradition of wearing a collar remains. In addition, after the abolition of wigs, a square fabric collar was used for insulation - in cold windy weather, it was tucked under clothing.

Why are there three stripes on the jacket?

There are several versions of the origin of the three stripes on the gyuse. According to one of them, three stripes symbolize three major victories of the Russian fleet:

• at Gangut in 1714;
• near Chesma in 1770;
• at Sinop in 1853.

It should be noted that sailors from other countries also have stripes on the guis, the origin of which is explained in a similar way. Most likely, this repetition occurred as a result of borrowing form and legend. Who first invented the stripes is not known for certain.

According to another legend, the founder of the Russian fleet Peter I there were three squadrons. The first squadron had one white stripe on the collars. The second has two, and the third, especially close to Peter, has three strips. Thus, the three stripes began to mean a special proximity to Peter of the fleet guards.

In Russia, there are many interesting holidays, there is also one - the birthday of the Russian vest, which is celebrated on August 19th. Although it is not yet official, it is very popular in our country. It is celebrated especially widely in St. Petersburg, where enthusiasts celebrate it as their own tradition. "Amateur" decided to recall the history of this wardrobe item.

A vest (also popularly a vest) is a striped undershirt (hence the name), which is worn by military personnel in many countries as a uniform item, but only in Russia has it become a special symbol, a hallmark of real men. The date of August 19 was also not chosen by chance. There is evidence that it was on this day in 1874, at the initiative of the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich Romanov, who then held the highest naval rank - Admiral General, Emperor Alexander II signed a decree on the introduction of a new form, with which a vest (a special "underwear" shirt) was introduced as part of the mandatory uniform of the Russian sailor. The emperor also approved the “Regulations on the Satisfaction of the Commands of the Naval Department in Part of Ammunition and Uniforms,” which stated that this uniform was intended for the “lower ranks of ships and naval crews” of the Russian fleet. And the vest itself was regulated as follows: “A shirt knitted from wool in half with paper (ed. - with cotton); the color of the shirt is white with blue transverse stripes spaced from one another by one inch (44.45 mm). 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) ... ".

The blue and white transverse stripes of the vests corresponded to the colors of the St. Andrew's flag - the official flag of the Russian Navy. And it was assumed that the new part of the uniform would be comfortable and functional.

The blue and white stripes of the vests corresponded to the colors of the St. Andrew's flag

Today it is popular not only among sailors. I must say that in general, vests as such are not a Russian “invention”. The prototypes of vests appeared during the heyday of the sailing fleet, around early XVIII centuries, and were "born of life itself." In the Navy, it was very practical - it retains heat well, fits the body tightly, does not restrict movement during any work, and dries quickly. Moreover, from the very beginning the vest was striped (although the stripes were colored, and the sailors themselves sewed them on the shirt) - against the background of light sails, the sky and in the dark water, the man in the vest was visible from afar and clearly. However, with this approach, an incredible variety of cuts, colors and stripes turned out, so the “striped shirt” was considered a non-statutory form of clothing, and it was punished for wearing it.

Her attitude has changed mid-nineteenth century, when the Dutch naval uniform came into fashion from a short pea jacket, flared trousers and a jacket with a deep neckline on the chest, into which the vest fit perfectly, and it was included in the sailor's uniform. In Russia, the "fashion" for vests began to take shape, according to some sources, since 1862, according to others - since 1866. And the military reforms of 1865-1874 greatly changed the face of the Russian armed forces, and Russian sailors began to wear Dutch uniforms, including a vest.

In the middle of the 19th century, the Dutch marine form came into fashion.

As a result, by decree of Alexander II in 1874, it was legalized as part of the uniform of a Russian sailor. Moreover, at first, vests were issued only to participants in long-distance campaigns, and they were very proud and cherished. In addition, they were first purchased abroad, and only then production was launched in Russia. The mass manufacture of vests first began at the Kersten factory in St. Petersburg (after the revolution, the Red Banner factory). Moreover, initially the white stripes were much (4 times) wider than the blue ones. Only in 1912 did they become the same in width (a quarter of an inch - about 11 mm). At the same time, the material also changed - the vest began to be made from cotton and wool. But the color of the stripes remained unchanged - white and dark blue.

After the revolution of 1917, the vest did not lose its popularity at all; it was still prestigious to wear it. But in Soviet time, in addition to white and blue vests, new "color solutions" appeared. For example, the marines and rivermen wore vests with black stripes, and when creating the uniform for the Airborne Forces in 1969, by analogy with the uniform of the sailors, the vests were included in the uniform of the paratroopers, but the color of the stripes was changed to sky blue.

As a result, in the 1990s, vests with stripes of different colors were developed and officially “approved” for other types of troops: black (submarine forces of the Navy and marines), green (border troops), maroon (special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs), cornflower blue (Special Forces FSB, Presidential Regiment), orange (Ministry of Emergency Situations).

Sailors of all generations of the Russian fleet call the vest "sea soul"

Also, a marine vest is included in the uniform kit of cadets of naval and civil sea and river educational institutions. However, it was the white and blue vest that was destined to become not only the "favorite" of the sailors, but also their symbol of valor and brotherhood. Sailors of all generations of the Russian fleet call it the "sea soul" and wear it with pleasure not only in the navy, but also in everyday life. Moreover, this clothing is popular not only among professionals, but also among the townsfolk - both adults and children. It has long become not only an element of naval ammunition, but also a wardrobe item for many people who are not connected with the fleet. For example, the famous popularizer of this "striped shirt" is the French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, who introduced several ready-to-wear collections in blue and white stripes in the 1990s.

Interesting Facts:

It is believed that a sailor who first went to the open sea (it doesn’t matter, on a fishing boat, merchant ship or a military cruiser), immediately joins the brotherhood of brave conquerors of the sea. There are a lot of dangers out there, and sailors are the most superstitious people in the world. And here is one of the main sea beliefs associated with dark and light stripes applied to the vest.

It turns out that unlike land citizens, every real sailor is sure that the abyss is inhabited by various demons and mermaids, and each of them is a serious danger to the conquerors of the seas and oceans. To deceive them, they used a vest: it was believed that, having put on a similar shirt, the sailors seemed to the spirits of the sea already dead, from which only skeletons remained.

The fishermen of French Brittany were the first to put on a robe with black and white stripes to protect themselves from the spirits of the sea. At the beginning of the 17th century, this superstition spread throughout the Old World.

Putting on a vest, the sailors seemed to the spirits of the sea already dead

Starting in 1852, according to the French standard, the vest was required to have 21 stripes - according to the number of Napoleon's major victories. In turn, the Dutch and the British preferred a vest exclusively with 12 transverse stripes - according to the number of ribs in a person.

It is well known for what merits the vest from the sea migrated to land. The reason for this is the use of sailors in land military operations in the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars. For reasons unknown to historians, the sailors turned out to be better fighters than their land counterparts.

No wonder the enemy, in fear, called the marines "striped devils." Until now, a saying is popular in Russia: “There are few of us, but we are in vests!”. During the war years, it was supplemented by another: "One sailor - a sailor, two sailors - a platoon, three sailors - a company." In the first battle on land on June 25, 1941, near Liepaja, Baltic sailors put to flight the Wehrmacht soldiers, who had previously captured half of Europe.

Sources

1. http://oursociety.ru
2. http://interestnogo.ru/
3. http://www.calend.ru/

The history of the vest. The vest appeared during the heyday of the sailing fleet in Brittany (France), presumably in the 17th century. The vests had a boat neckline and three-quarter sleeves and were white with dark blue stripes. In Europe in those days, striped clothes were worn by social outcasts and professional executioners. But for the Breton sailors, according to one version, the vest was considered lucky clothing for the duration of sea voyages. In Russia, the tradition of wearing vests began to take shape, according to some sources, since 1862, according to others since 1866. Instead of narrow tunics with uncomfortable stand-up collars, Russian sailors began to wear comfortable flannel Dutch shirts with a cutout on the chest. A vest was worn under the shirt. At first, vests were issued only to participants in long-distance campaigns and were a matter of special pride. As one of the reports of that time says: "the lower ranks ... mainly put them on on Sundays and holidays when they were discharged ashore ... and in all cases when it was required to be smartly dressed ... ". The order signed on August 19, 1874 by Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich finally fixed the vest as part of the uniform. This day can be considered the birthday of the Russian vest. The vest has a great advantage over other underwear shirts. Tightly fitting the body, it does not interfere with free movement during work, retains heat well, is convenient when washing, and dries quickly in the wind. This type of light marine clothing has not lost its significance today, although sailors now rarely have to climb the shrouds. Over time, the vest came into use in other branches of the military, although in few places it is an official part of the uniform. Nevertheless, this wardrobe item is used in the ground forces, and even in the police. Why is the vest striped and what does the color of the stripes mean? The blue and white transverse stripes of the vests corresponded to the colors of the Russian naval St. Andrew's flag. In addition, sailors dressed in such shirts were clearly visible from the deck against the background of the sky, sea and sails. The tradition of making the stripes multi-colored was strengthened in the 19th century by color, the sailor's belonging to one or another flotilla was determined. After the collapse of the USSR, the colors of the stripes of the vests were "distributed" among the various branches of the military. What does the color of the stripes on the vest mean: black: submarine forces and marines; cornflower blue: presidential regiment and special forces of the FSB; light green: border troops; light blue: Airborne Forces; maroon: Ministry of Internal Affairs; orange: Ministry of Emergency Situations. What is guis? Guys in the Navy is called a collar that is tied over a uniform. The real meaning of the word guis (from the Dutch geus flag) is a naval ensign. The flag is hoisted daily on the prow of ships of the 1st and 2nd ranks during anchorage from 8 am to sunset. The history of the appearance of the guis is rather prosaic. In the Middle Ages in Europe, men wore long hair or wigs, sailors braided their hair into ponytails and pigtails. To protect against lice, the hair was smeared with tar. To prevent the tar from staining their clothes, the sailors covered their shoulders and back with a protective leather collar, which could be easily wiped from dirt. Over time, the leather collar was replaced with a cloth one. Long hairstyles are a thing of the past, but the tradition of wearing a collar remains. In addition, after the abolition of wigs, a square fabric collar was used for insulation in cold windy weather, it was tucked under clothing. Why are there three stripes on the jacket? There are several versions of the origin of the three stripes on the gyuse. According to one of them, three stripes symbolize three major victories of the Russian fleet: at Gangut in 1714; near Chesma in 1770; at Sinop in 1853. It should be noted that sailors from other countries also have stripes on the guis, the origin of which is explained in a similar way. Most likely, this repetition occurred as a result of borrowing form and legend. Who first invented the stripes is not known for certain. According to another legend, the founder of the Russian fleet, Peter I, had three squadrons. The first squadron had one white stripe on the collars. The second has two, and the third, especially close to Peter, has three stripes. Thus, the three stripes began to mean a special proximity to Peter of the fleet guards.

Early 18th century, sailing era. After the clothing inconsistency in the European fleets, a single uniform was introduced according to the Dutch model: tight short trousers with stockings, a fitted jacket made of durable teak with a stand-up collar, two side pockets, six buttons and a high hat. True, in such clothes you don’t particularly run along the shrouds (rigging of a sailboat). And without clothes, too, you can not - it's cold. The northern seas are harsh, and the requirements for working clothes for sailors are tougher here than in the southern latitudes, where you can work with a naked torso.

So the appearance of the vest is not accidental, it is born by life itself. Compared to any other clothing, it is very practical: it retains heat well, fits the body tightly, does not restrict movement during any work, is comfortable when washing, and practically does not wrinkle. The vest also appeared in Holland and was conceived striped from the very beginning. A single-color undershirt was before her. But after all, “striping” is functionally necessary: ​​against the background of light sails, the sky, land, and also in dark water, a man in a vest is visible from afar and clearly (which is why the prison uniform used to be also striped, only the stripes there are longitudinal).

The sailors made this shirt from a harsh linen, sewing stripes on it, or knitted it from woolen yarn in two colors at once. At the same time, such a disparity in cuts, colors and stripes was obtained that the vest was considered a non-statutory form of clothing and was punished for wearing it. Attitude towards her changed in the middle of the 19th century, when the Dutch marine uniform came into fashion from a short pea coat, flared trousers and a jacket with a deep cut on the chest, into which the vest fit perfectly. It was included in the form. So, the English sailor was obliged to have in addition to wearing two more spare striped shirts. But if the vest did not get into Russia, it would have remained just a statutory garment for sailors.

"Striped shirt weighing 80 spools"

The uncomfortable Dutch sailor shirt-bostrog came to the Russian Navy with foreigners hired by Peter I and remained in service for a relatively long time. The military reforms of 1865–1874 greatly changed the face of the armed forces. kosovorotki. And on August 19, 1874, Emperor Alexander II approved the "Regulations on the satisfaction of the teams of the Maritime Department in terms of ammunition and uniforms."

Instead of a bostrog, the sailors received a white linen (for summer) and a blue flannel shirt (for winter). They had a deep neckline on their chest, and therefore under them they put on an undershirt with blue and white transverse stripes - the first Russian vest. Here is its standard, given in the appendix to this document: A shirt knitted from wool in half with paper (meaning cotton). The color of the shirt is white with blue transverse stripes spaced from one another by one inch (44.45 mm). 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)».

So, the first Russian vest was made of mixed fabric, wool and cotton in a ratio of 50:50. Its blue and white stripes matched the colors of the St. Andrew's flag, the official flag of the Russian Navy. The white stripes were much (4 times) wider than the blue stripes. Only in 1912 did they become the same in width (a quarter of an inch, or 11.1 mm). At the same time, the material also changed - the vest was made entirely of cotton. They say that at first it was given out only to participants in long-distance campaigns.

The vest immediately came to the court in the Russian fleet, became a source of pride: "The lower ranks put it on on Sundays, on holidays, when leaving the shore and in all cases when it is required to be smartly dressed." Initially, the vests were made abroad, but then they began to be made from Uzbek cotton at the Kersten knitting factory in St. Petersburg (after the revolution, the Red Banner factory). Comfortable, warm, socially significant - the vest was in great demand.

“We are few, but we are in vests!”

In 1917, people in vests became the guards of the revolution. The Baltics Dybenko, Raskolnikov, Zheleznyakov fought so fiercely with their detachments that the image of a “sailor in a vest” became a symbol of the revolution. The behavior of the vest wearers in this hard times clearly reflected the extreme features of the Russian character: contempt for death, desperate courage, unwillingness to obey anyone, turning into anarchy, loyalty only to their own kind (“brothers”).

"Matros Zheleznyak" became the hero of a famous song: "Kherson is in front of us, we will break through with bayonets, and ten grenades are not a trifle." After civil war many sailors began to serve in the Cheka and the Marine Border Guard. Wearing a vest was still prestigious, it meant belonging to the elite of the armed forces. Then only a vest with stripes of dark blue was available. True, in 1922, due to a shortage of dyes, it was produced in a monophonic, pure white color without stripes.

During the years of the Great Patriotic War many Red Navy men fought on land. How they fought, everyone knows. This is another inexplicable phenomenon of the Russian character. Sailors who knew how to serve only collective weapons (complex naval equipment) did not need to be able to fight on land as a simple “horseless” infantryman. But it was precisely this “brothers” who knew how even better than many soldiers of the ground forces. For reasons of disguise, they were dressed in an army uniform, under which they continued to wear a vest. And someone wore it in a duffel bag in order to save it longer, but they certainly put it on before the fight. This is also a tribute to the ancient Russian military tradition - to put on a clean shirt before the battle.

In fact, the vest is conceived striped to catch the eye, and in an open field it is like a thorn in the eye. So after all, the sailors did not try to disguise themselves. Throwing off a pea jacket or overcoat, they, in only vests, went into furious bayonet attacks, sweeping away everything in their path. No wonder the Nazis, having experienced the blows marines, called it "black death" and "striped devils". Proverb " We are few, but we are in vests!" known, no doubt, to everyone who speaks Russian. " One sailor is a sailor, two sailors are a platoon, three sailors are a company. How many of us? Four? Battalion, listen to my command!" (L. Sobolev. "Battalion of Four").

The first battle between sailors and the enemy on land took place near Liepaja on June 25, 1941. The Baltics, under the command of foreman Prostorov, shouting "Polundra", put the Germans who had conquered half of Europe to flight. Knowing that the fighters in vests would not retreat, the command formed shock units from them and threw them into the most dangerous sectors of the front. Pressure and fury in attack, resilience and rigidity in defense - this is the Soviet marines of the Great Patriotic War. Her glory was embodied in a vest, the mere sight of which plunged the enemy into awe.

Special forces are always in vests

« If enemies came to our doorstep, if we paid our debts with our blood, then sailors and special forces, airborne troops and marines - guys in vests - brought success in any attack!" Well, if the sailors always called the vest "sea soul", then why do military personnel who are not related to the sea wear it? L. Sobolev wrote about the marines:

“The sea soul is determination, resourcefulness, courage and unshakable stamina. This is cheerful prowess, contempt for death, sailor's rage, fierce hatred for the enemy, readiness to support a comrade in battle, save the wounded, close the commander with his chest. The strength of a sailor is unstoppable, persistent, purposeful. In a brave, courageous and proud marine soul - one of the sources of victory.

See how accurate all of the above qualities are marines times of the Second World War are transferred to the current "brothers" - paratroopers, special forces of the GRU, FSB and VV!

So it is no coincidence that, by analogy with the uniform of the Marine Corps, the vest was introduced into the equipment of the airborne troops. Soviet army(Order of the Minister of Defense No. 191 of 07/06/1969). True, this vest of the heavenly guard also became "heavenly", light blue. The GRU special forces received the same when a special forces department was created at the Ryazan Airborne School. Marine units of the GRU special forces wear a naval uniform and, accordingly, a black and white naval vest.

Russian border guards put on a vest back in 1893, when a flotilla of the Separate Border Guard Corps was created on the White, Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas. At first it was a naval vest with blue stripes, since 1898 - with green stripes. In 1911, he was replaced by a naval vest with blue stripes. After the revolution, the sea border guards wore the same vests as the sailors of the Navy.

In the 90s of the last century, vests were developed for other military branches:
- green (border troops),
- maroon (special forces explosives),
- cornflower blue (special forces of the FSB, Presidential Regiment),
- orange (Ministry of Emergency Situations).

The marine vest is included in the uniform kit of cadets of naval and civil maritime and river educational institutions.

So today in Russia you will not surprise anyone with a vest. It would seem, well, what is there to talk about, because it's just statutory underwear? However, this “underwear” in a very special way unites real men into a military brotherhood, makes them “brothers”. Striped undershirts of various types are worn by military and civilian sailors. different countries. But only in Russia did the vest become a symbol of a valiant fighter who wins in any conditions.

Afghanistan, the hot spots of the last twenty years - "brothers" in vests of the most different colors everywhere proved to be WARRIORS! Law of the Marine Corps "We are few, but we are in vests!" continues to operate. " Behind Afghan, behind Chechnya, instead of an armored vest on strong shoulders, Komsomolets and Kursk went to the bottom, but go on a hike and lie down on a course - guys in vests!»

Vest Day

Before the revolution, midshipmen of St. Petersburg Marine Corps on the day of their graduation, they put on a vest on the figure of a bronze monument to Admiral Kruzenshtern. Today, Vest Day is not yet an official holiday, although it is very popular in the northern capital, where enthusiasts celebrate it as their own tradition.

So, there is an idea: in addition to the Day of the Navy, the Day of the Airborne Forces, the Day of the Border Guard, etc., celebrate the Day of the Vest every year. This holiday could unite sailors, paratroopers, and border guards - that is, all the “brothers” who proudly wear a striped vest: “ And the call will sound, and the demobilization will leave, and the stern of the ship will melt in the fog - only if trouble blazes over the country, then the guys in vests again stand as an indestructible wall».