Top 10 Nations with the Best World War I Uniforms
Germany has always had some very stylish uniforms. The uniforms in 1914 included the unique "pickelhaube" (spiked helmet), which was made of leather and had a metal spike on top. Contrary to popular belief, these helmets offered absolutely no protection. The spike was only for style and intimidation purposes.
They also wore grey tunics, grey trousers, and flat caps similar to berets called feldmützes, along with knee-high boots. Officers had overcoats and high-rim caps. In 1916, the German army received Stahlhelm helmets.
The Horizon Blue uniforms issued to all troops in 1915 were very stylish yet practical, unlike the earlier dark blue coats, red caps, red trousers, and black boots. The uniform featured a tunic with a short stand-up collar, breeches with yellow piping for infantry, puttees (wrap-up leggings for men), and a knee-high overcoat that folded back at the bottom so it didn't restrict running.
The coolest helmet EVER made - the Adrian model 1915 helmet - was part of this uniform. It was the first practical steel helmet ever made. Officers still got to wear the traditional kepi hat. I have a full reproduction French uniform myself, complete with both a replica helmet and an original one.
Also boasting the best flag in history (look at top ten flags), Austria-Hungary had a very nice uniform that also served a purpose. The caps worn by infantry were later copied by the German army in the Second World War. These caps had an ear cover that flipped down to keep out the cold and a bulging front.
The tunics worn by 1916 were a light brown, had four pleated pockets, and a fashionable collar. They also had brown trousers and puttees. The Austro-Hungarian army received Berndorf helmets in 1917. These helmets were similar to the German ones but were much more complicated to manufacture.
Before 1916, Austro-Hungarian officers wore impractical hats that had remained virtually unchanged for 80 years. The Austro-Hungarian Empire broke up in 1918 after the war due to cultural differences.
The Belgian uniforms were very similar to the French in 1914, except they had red collars, which added appeal. They wore the red and dark blue "pillbox caps" until their government issued Adrian helmets in 1915.
They had an inexperienced army that struggled to fend off Germany.
The Italian army wore black uniforms with a campaign hat that had the brim folded up. They received Adrian helmets in 1915. The uniform consisted of a black tunic, black breeches, and black puttees.
The officers wore hats similar to the Germans.
The Italian soldiers wore French helmets that were recolored to green to fit in with their battlefield. They also had heavy trench coats and capes.
Serbia…a country fighting Austria-Hungary for its very existence. By 1916, Serbian troops were outfitted with relatively simple grey uniforms. Before then, they made great targets due to flashy colors and unnecessary doodads.
Like most, they wore a grey four-pocket tunic, grey breeches, and puttees. They received Adrian helmets in 1915. Soon after, they lost their capital and retreated to Albania. Of all places! They chose Albania!
The Serbian M1908 uniform was a very practical, nice-looking uniform that remained in service until 1945.
The Russians had brown uniforms and received Adrian helmets in 1915. Before they got helmets, they wore simple brown crusher caps or "ushanka" caps, while the Cossacks had heavy overcoats and traditional bearskin caps.
The Russian uniform was not very well-suited to the cold weather in winter, and they lost 3/4 of their 12 million troops, partially due to cold weather and starvation.
Although the Russians had a horrible time in WWI and suffered greatly, their uniforms certainly had a very romantic tone. You could imagine a Russian officer dancing slowly in his skinny bright red trousers, silver shoulder boards, and khaki army shirt with a lover.
There were over 1,000 different uniforms in the infantry alone. Personally, I loved the White Army and Red Army uniforms the most, especially those worn by the 3rd Shock Army (White Army).
Slouch hat, brown fatigues, pretty cool overcoats, webbing, rucksacks, and gaiters. Plus the SMLE and accents. They and the Brits with their early war hats are my two favorites.
Love the slouch hat and gaiters. New Zealand's uniform is also nice.
Japan is an island country in East Asia in the Pacific Ocean. It lies off the eastern coast of the Asia Mainland (east of China, Korea, Russia) and stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and near Taiwan in the southwest... read more Japan fought with the Allies in the Great War. They had dark blue uniforms and wore kepi hats like the French, yet these hats were slightly different. They had stripes.
They also wore knee-high boots over blue trousers.
Excuse me, I made a mistake when writing this description. The Japanese hats were more of a crusher hat mixed with a kepi. They also wore white leggings sometimes.
The Brits had somewhat boring uniforms, although I do enjoy laughing at the helmets, which look like flying saucers. They wore a tan tunic that nearly reached the knees, tan trousers, and tan puttees.
Before receiving Brodie helmets in 1916, the British wore tan crusher caps, and the Scottish wore black garrison caps with a plaid stripe and a red pom-pom on top.
The British uniform of 1914 was the best in terms of camouflage available and was the result of extensive combat experience prior to the war. Their webbing set was the toughest and most modern load-carrying kit available. Their helmets were excellent in terms of strength and offered good protection for the head and shoulders from overhead shrapnel, which was crucial for troops largely bound to trenches.
Their uniforms were loose, allowed for movement, and were designed for combat effectiveness rather than style, making them the most effective kit of any of the belligerents.
Bulgaria took after the Russians in terms of uniforms, and they wore greenish-brown tunics and overcoats with red-banded crusher caps. They also tended to utilize boots a lot like the Russians.
There is only one existing photo of Albanian soldiers in WWI. Judging from the shades (it is black and white, of course), they wore the red fez and a tan or grey uniform with a red collar.
The USA had khaki uniforms and wore green campaign hats until they received helmets in 1917. Like the typical uniform of the time, they had a tunic, trousers, and puttees. They also got green garrison caps.
Although the Allies were already winning when the U.S. entered in 1917, their entrance "sealed the deal."
Light blue uniforms with a crusher cap, and they even managed to design their own helmets.
Cool because of the culture, not the practicality. Red vest, blue pants, white shirt, colorful wide belt, and fez-type hats. Great target, huh?
Sorry I didn't add some of the smaller countries. Romanian uniforms were similar to the Austro-Hungarian ones in style and color, except for the hat. The hat had a point on the front and on the back and had a leather bill and red piping.