Fashion During the Paris Commune

Women’s Uniforms – Raffet Illustrations
Men’s Uniforms – Raffet Illustrations
Photographs

Auguste Raffet was an illustrator who created a series of colour plates of the clothing worn by the people of Paris during the Paris Commune. From his more than one hundred illustrations, we see that the uniforms and fashion worn by the Parisians during this time was a fascinating individual form of expression and belonging. Often recycled, colourful and unashamedly political, Raffet’s accompanying observations of the individuals he painted combined with his artworks to create a fascinating portrait of a city in flux.

Women’s Uniforms and Fashion

Womens Fashion and uniforms in the Paris Commune 1871 by A Raffet 1

1871 – March 27 – Woman armed with a Chassepot [rifle]. Was part of a group of National Guards, in a street in Montmartre.

Womens Fashion and uniforms in the Paris Commune 1871 by A Raffet 2

1871 – April 3. Band of women shouting “To Versailles!”, marching along the Champs-Élysées and heading up towards Neuilly. This woman was carrying a red flag, topped with a copper spearhead, with a red wool ribbon as a cravat. Many had a small square of red cloth on their chest, on the left side, sewn or attached with a pin. They all wore a scarf or a red kerchief tied around the head (“en marmotte”) or as a bonnet (“en fanchon”).

1871 – April 29. Woman taking part in the Freemasons’ demonstration on the ramparts. Dress according to preference. Black, white bonnets, etc. Dresses and aprons of all colors. Attire of working women in their Sunday best, very neat. What distinguished these women, who were very numerous, was a sort of cockade placed on the chest, formed of several pieces of red ribbon, sewn one over the other, 8 to 10 centimeters long – Champs-Élysées.

Womens Fashion and uniforms in the Paris Commune 1871 by A Raffet 4

1871 – May 2. National Guard. Woman in the ranks. Hair styled natural, with a black hairnet secured by a red ribbon. Black pea coat with red piping. Black trousers with red stripes. Was part, along with several others, of a battalion halted at Quai Malaquais.

Womens Fashion and uniforms in the Paris Commune 1871 by A Raffet 5

1871 – May 8. National Guard. Mounted cantinière (canteen keeper). Black képi with red piping. Black pea coat with red piping. Black trousers with red stripes. All-red small keg (tonnelet). Artillery carbine, with sword-bayonet. Regular shoes with spurs – Champs-Élysées. Was serving as an escort to an officer. Was undoubtedly part of the Women’s Central Committee, who were asking to fight on the ramparts if the reactionaries managed to attack them.

Womens Fashion and uniforms in the Paris Commune 1871 by A Raffet 6

1871 – May 23. Female Fédérée prisoner, dressed in men’s clothing. Without a pea coat, she had only her shirt remaining, in great disarray, and her National Guard trousers. Seen near Collège Chaptal, probably coming from Montmartre. Between 4 soldiers, hurling insults at them.

Womens Fashion and uniforms in the Paris Commune 1871 by A Raffet 7

1871 – May 25. Female prisoner dressed as a soldier. Red hair. Green greatcoat with white buttons. Black trousers with red stripes. Holding a handkerchief. Red wool sash – Quai du Louvre.

Womens Fashion and uniforms in the Paris Commune 1871 by A Raffet 8

1871 – May 30. Female Fédérée prisoner, dressed as a sailor. Sailor’s beret in dark blue cloth. Dark blue wool pea coat. Blue canvas collar with white stripes. Red sash. Dark blue trousers – Quai du Louvre. Was part of a fairly large group of Fédérés who were being led with their hands tied behind their backs. They were coming, so it was said, from the Place du Trône or the surroundings of Père Lachaise. Many were dressed as sailors.

Womens Fashion and uniforms in the Paris Commune 1871 by A Raffet 9

1871 – January – Besançon. Bourbaki’s Army. Zouave cantinière (canteen keeper). Zouave cap. Small Zouave cloak. Walking stick. Zouave baggy trousers cut at the bottom, serving as a petticoat. Puttees and leather gaiters. Zouave jacket under the cloak. From a sketch by my colleague H. Bouchot.

Woman of the Paris Commune

April 26, 1871 – Woman following the Federated National Guard with the cantinières Black dress. Red wool ribbon sash. Many women, without a uniform and in all possible attires, accompanied the federated battalions going to the Hôtel de Ville, on the occasion of the Freemasons’ visit. All wore this ribbon. This woman and many others made a halt at the Place du Carrousel. There were often several of them per company. The cantinières were all in uniform.

Mobile cantiniere in the Paris Commune

March 20, 1871 – Cantinière of the National Guard (From a battalion rallied to the Central Committee) Soft black felt hat, with red feathers. Light blue cloth coat, too long; the sleeves pass the hands. Black jacket with a red plastron, fastening with clasps. All-red keg. Poppy-red sash, in wool. Small white apron without pockets. Black cloth underskirt, with two red stripes. Black cloth trousers with red stripes.

Cantiniere in uniform in the Paris Commune

January 1871 – Army of Bourbaki, Besançon – Cantinière of the Mobiles or of a marching regiment Mobile kepi. Red scarf. Red cloverleaf epaulettes. Line coat fitted to her size, with a single row of buttons. The waist marked by tightening in the back, which created strange pleats. Leg gaiters like the line infantry. Red trousers – based on a sketch by my colleague H. Bourtso.

Men’s Uniforms and Fashion

Uniform Orderly of General Rolland, Besançon

January 1871 – Orderly of General Rolland, Besançon Bearskin cap without front plate. Small cuirassier’s short jacket worn under a steel cuirass. Red sash. Red trousers. Based on a sketch by colleague H. Bouchot.

Army of Bourbaki, Besançon uniform

January 1871 – Army of Bourbaki, Besançon – Irregular Marksman of Death Black American-style cap with a white band, featuring white skull and crossbones insignia on the front and a small white pompom. Black jacket with a white collar, showing a skull and crossbones insignia on the sleeve. Domed white metal buttons shaped like skulls. Black trousers with white stripes. A unit of this name departed Bordeaux in October 1870; it is uncertain if this is the same unit. There were also irregular marksmen from Algiers known as Marksmen of Death. Based on a small line drawing showing a fold-down collar from a sketch by colleague H. Bouchot.

National Guardsman of the Central Committee

March 31, 1871 – National Guardsman of the Central Committee National Guardsman of the Central Committee, carrying a marker flag slightly larger than usual and serving as a flag bearer. Three loaves of bread behind the pack. He was part of a battalion passing along Rue de Rivoli, heading towards the Hôtel de Ville. Breech-loading rifle.

Man Dressed in Zouave Clothing

March 31, 1871 – Man Dressed in Zouave Clothing Red cap. Zouave jacket, from which the braid has been removed; the braid from the front of the vest has also been removed. Red sash. Blue canvas trousers, heavily worn. Rue Saint-Honoré.

National Guardsman in uniform

March 29, 1871 – National Guardsman Dark blue cap with red piping. Black coat with white buttons. Mounted chasseur trousers, red with white stripes and green piping. Breech-loading rifle. Haversack. Place Vendôme. Almost all Federated National Guardsmen wore red cockades.

National Guard Central Committee

March 29, 1871 – National Guard Central Committee Young man dressed as a Zouave. Red cap with a blue tassel. Dark blue jacket with the braid removed, though the piping remains. Blue wool belt. Trousers in a rather dark coffee-and-milk velvet. Sturdy boots. Breech-loading rifle. No saber. On guard duty at Place Vendôme.

Provincial Firefighter

May 29, 1871 – Provincial Firefighter Brass helmet featuring a dragon or chimera design on the crest. Black leather chinstraps covered with brass chains linked in figure-eight loops. Dark blue jacket with yellow buttons. Green and black belt. Black trousers with double red side stripes. Rue de Rivoli. Small revolver suspended from the right side of his belt. Only four of these provincial firefighters could be drawn, though a great many arrived from distant localities. While their overall appearance seemed uniform, variations were observed in their helmets, jackets, or trousers.

National Guard American Style

April 29, 1871 – National Guard Black cap, American style, with a leather chin strap and a white metal bugle horn emblem. Dark blue cloth cloak, former Imperial Guard grenadier or skirmisher issue. Small soldier’s jacket. Black trousers with red stripes. Bolt-action rifle. Place du Théâtre Français. Newly formed corps, likely the Volunteer Battalion “Children of Père Duchêne” formed in the 1st arrondissement.

Uniform Former Mobile Guard

March 28, 1871 – Former Mobile Guard Former Mobile Guard belonging to a National Guard battalion passing through Rue de Rennes on the way to Montparnasse Station. Mobile Guard cap without cockade or small pompom. Worn and torn white smock worn over the uniform, which was also worn out. Mobile Guard trousers. Bolt-action rifle. No waistbelt or sword bayonet, or at least they were not visible. He was in the front rank of the 1st Company alongside several other former Mobile Guards, or men dressed as Mobile Guards, whose attire was equally dilapidated.

Bugler of the National Guard

March 28, 1871 – Bugler of the National Guard Newly enlisted bugler of the National Guard, still wearing his worker’s outfit made of blue canvas. Yellow copper buttons on the jacket. The bugle cord is red and white. Rue Saint-Honoré. Later, the Federated National Guard had a certain number of children around 12 to 14 years old as buglers.

Uniform Anti-Chouan

April 28, 1871 – Anti-Chouan Dark blue cap with yellow piping and a yellow bugle horn emblem on the front. Small soldier’s jacket; underneath, a vest with small, round brass buttons. White wool sash, which many wore over the jacket. Loose infantry-style trousers in a shade of blue slightly darker than that of North African sharpshooters, made of very new and still stiff cloth. Very tall white gaiters, often worn as infantry leg wraps. Quai Malaquais.

Cavalryman in the Service of the Commune

April 25, 1871 – Cavalryman in the Service of the Commune. Unit? Black cap with light blue band and piping, matching the shade used by telegraph employees. Black jacket slit at the sides, adorned on the front with seven flat braid frogs in black wool, and edged all around with the same braid. The back seams are also trimmed with braid. Black trousers with a light blue stripe. Leather riding overalls over the boots. Black waistbelt worn underneath the jacket. Curved cavalry saber. Seen on Rue de Rivoli. No toggle fasteners on the front braid of the jacket.

Uniform captured federal Paris Commune

May 24, 1871 – Captured Federal Black cap with red piping. Blue smock. Greyish-brown trousers. Yellowish blanket. Canteen. Boulevard de Vaugirard, near the Chaussée du Maine. He was part of a long column of men guarded by soldiers and police officers. Many such columns were to be seen across all districts.

Uniform Irregular Marksman

March 23, 1871 – Irregular Marksman? Second Lieutenant Dark blue cap with dark green band, gold lace, and piping. Dark blue coat with dark green collar and cuffs. Gold lace at the wrist. Half-round gilt buttons. Dark blue trousers with a dark green stripe. Seen at Place du Carrousel.

Soldier of the 41st Line Infantry Regiment

May 23, 1871 – Soldier of the 41st Line Infantry Regiment Standard infantry cap. Dark blue greatcoat with turned-back skirts. Madder red trousers tucked into gaiters. Full field kit, including pack, mess tin, and cooking pot. Rifle with fixed sword bayonet. On guard duty as a sentinel on Rue de Sèvres.

French Prisoner Returning from Germany

June 23, 1871 – French Prisoner Returning from Germany Soldier’s cap without numbers. Cowhide pack. Grey-blue greatcoat, heavily worn and torn, especially along the seams. Bluish trousers with yellow piping, heavily worn. They had to be given packs at the French border, as this one and several others had tent canvases; there were also packs made of black canvas. Rue de Rennes.

Uniform irregular marksman

March 22, 1871 – Irregular Marksman? Dark blue cap with black band and piping. On the front of the cap, stamped copper insignia depicting two crossed rifles over a bugle. Small short coat in brown cloth, edged with imitation wool astrakhan, too narrow to cross in front and without buttons or buttonholes. Underneath, dark blue jacket with yellow buttons and a turn-down collar. Madder red trousers. Soldier’s shoes and gaiters. The Friends of Order demonstrate with blue ribbons to distinguish themselves from the Federals, who wear red ribbons and belts.

Uniform Federated Artilleryman

May 22, 1871 – Federated Artilleryman Dark blue cap with red piping. Artilleryman’s trousers. This is one of the artillerymen on Pont Neuf setting up a cannon aimed towards the Tuileries Palace. This is undoubtedly the cannon whose shells caused damage in the Apollo Gallery. These artillerymen did not seem very skilled at handling their piece. They were in shirt sleeves, except for one in a brown jacket, when I saw them from a distance.

Worker coming to collect a bolt-action rifle

March 20, 1871 – Worker coming to collect a bolt-action rifle Black cap. Light brown jacket with a black velvet collar. Blue smock. Blue canvas trousers. Seen on Rue de Grenelle on the day of the Montmartre cannons affair, coming from the Ministry of War buildings where weapons were being distributed.

Uniform Former Mobile Guard

March 18, 1871 – Former Mobile Guard Mobile Guard cap with the small round emblem, but without the cockade or the loop that holds it with a button. Red wool necktie. Worn blue smock. Mobile Guard trousers with red stripes. Soldier’s gaiters. Everything heavily worn. A large number of Paris Mobile Guards rallied to the Federation of the National Guard or the Central Committee, and they were seen rushing in large numbers to every demonstration. Thus they were numerous at the City Hall square on that day, dressed in the most diverse and neglected attire.

Uniform Army of the Vosges

March 16, 1871 – Army of the Vosges Soft grey felt hat with a worn black ribbon around it. Tricolor ribbon cockade, the center of which forms a sort of knot. Dark blue jacket with yellow buttons. Red wool sash. Lightish grey trousers with red stripes. Black leather hunting gaiters.

Provincial Army. Irregular Marksman.

March 16, 1871 – Provincial Army. Irregular Marksman. Black cap, American style, with an oval copper badge featuring an enameled swallow attached to the front. Black wool shirt with yellow buttons. Red waist belt. Black trousers. Military gaiters. Tarred canvas pack with tent fabric.

Uniform Montevidean Soldier

March 15, 1871 – Montevidean Soldier (Army of the Vosges) Red cap with dark blue band and piping. On the front of the cap, a small red leather band with the word “Montevidean” in silver letters. Grey cloth jacket with round yellow buttons and red piping. Six small ball-shaped buttons on the sleeve. Blue wool belt. Red trousers. Black leather gaiters.

Mobile National Guard of the Charente

March 15, 1871 – Mobile National Guard of the Charente Dark blue cap with red piping. On the cap, a red leather band with the word “Charente” printed in gold letters. The leather band of a second guard I saw was black, larger, and with printed letters about one centimeter high. Dark blue jacket with white buttons and red piping. Black waistbelt with a copper plate featuring a grenade in relief. Dark blue trousers with red stripes. Bolt-action rifle. Pack with tent canvas. Soldier’s shoes and gaiters.

Federated National Guard. Courier.

April 15, 1871 – Federated National Guard. Courier. National Guard cap. Blue smock. Red sash. Black waistbelt with bayonet frog without a bayonet. Very worn blue overalls with a slightly darker blue stripe. Carrying a package in his mouth to keep both hands free to steer his horse. No stirrups at his feet; they were tucked up under the saddle. Rue de Rivoli; coming from the City Hall.

Army of the Vosges - Garibaldian.

March 14, 1871 – Army of the Vosges. Garibaldian. Red cap with green band and piping; red and white feathers with a tricolor cockade. Red shirt with round copper buttons. The cuffs of these shirts or jackets fastened with bone buttons. Blue wool belt. Grey trousers with red stripes. Standard black leather boots, with somewhat tall shafts. The green color on the cap may indicate a Hungarian unit.

Army of the Vosges uniform

March 14, 1871 – Army of the Vosges. Unit? Red cap with light green band and piping. Black wool jacket, tucked into the trousers. Yellow brass buttons. Buttoned cuffs. Blue wool belt. Black trousers with red stripes. White gaiters. All the clothes of these soldiers were very worn.

Volunteers of the Bastille

April 14, 1871 – Federated National Guard Dark blue cap with red piping. Black jacket over a blue cotton smock, heavily worn. Red trousers. Percussion musket, with no other weapon—Place du Carrousel. I was told he belongs to the Volunteers of the Bastille.

Uniform Soldier of the Provincial Armies

March 13, 1871 – Soldier of the Provincial Armies Red cap with light green band and piping, very worn. Grey greatcoat with yellow buttons. Red trousers; sometimes tucked into gaiters. Shoes and gaiters in black leather. The cap with the light green band seems to indicate that this soldier served in the Army of the Vosges.

Wounded soldier coming from Le Mans

March 12, 1871 – Wounded soldier coming from Le Mans Infantry cap. Blue necktie. Red flannel jacket with a single row of black buttons. Blue wool belt. Red trousers. There were red jackets of all shades and all styles, just like the black and grey ones.

Provincial Armies. Garibaldian.

March 13, 1871 – Provincial Armies. Garibaldian. Red cap with a light green band and piping, very worn. Fairly large cockade made of tricolor silk ribbons; the red of the cockade is amaranth red; attached to the cockade, three small feathers: blue, white, and red. Red wool shirt. Black wool belt, sometimes red. Greyish trousers with red stripes. White gaiters. Many of these soldiers were encountered at this time in all neighborhoods. In general, they were French and belonged to those numerous free corps that had served under Garibaldi.

Federated Guard, wounded in the head

May 12, 1871 – Federated Guard, wounded in the head Black cap with red piping. Black coat. Blue necktie. Ticking canvas trousers with red stripes. Black gaiters. Bolt-action rifle. Boulevard Montparnasse.

Federated National Guard uniform

May 12, 1871 – Federated National Guard Black cap with red piping. Soldier’s jacket. Black trousers with red stripes. Red wool ribbon decoration with a gilt copper Phrygian cap in the center, sometimes with a gold fringe on the lower ribbons. On May 6th, many national guards were given a similar decoration during a concert held at the Tuileries Palace—Quai d’Orsay.

Uniform National Guard Paris Commune

May 10, 1871 – National Guard? Brown wool smock. Grey trousers with red stripes. Tan fur cap with a red cloth tail, attached to the cap by a brass button or clasp in the shape of a lily flower. Greying hair and beard—Rue de la Fontaine-Molière.

Uniform Sharpshooter of the Commune

May 8, 1871 – Sharpshooter of the Commune Red cap with dark blue band and piping. Soldier’s jacket. Red sash made from damask curtain fabric. Baggy trousers in grey-blue cloth, very new, North African infantry style. Yellow leg wraps. New gaiters, in still-yellow leather—Rue de Rivoli.

Uniform Volunteers of La Marseillaise

May 8, 1871 – Volunteers of La Marseillaise, who became Sharpshooters or Avengers of Flourens, formed on May 1st. Cap with a beige linen crown; with dark red band and piping, and a dark blue grenade emblem on the front. Greatcoat in brown cloth. Snider-Enfield style rifle. Black trousers with red stripes. Hunting gaiters in black leather—very worn out, blackened with gunpowder, torn, they had stopped in fairly large numbers at Rue des Missions, on the corner of Rue de Sèvres. They were part of a battalion returning from Vanves in disarray.

Uniform Sailor on Horseback, of the National Guard

May 6, 1871 – Sailor on Horseback, of the National Guard. Officer. Sailor’s beret. Black jacket, in heavy wool, with narrow cuffs and turned-down collar. Gold shoulder loops. Above the wrist, two gold braids on each arm. Red belt. Patent leather travel bag. Dark blue trousers, tucked into the boots. Riding boots without spurs – Quai du Louvre. Seemed to be carrying orders. I saw several of them, without officer’s braid. Their horses were quite handsome. Harness of a simple soldier.

Uniform Member of the Commune

May 2, 1871 – Member of the Commune Black cap without braid or piping. Black cloth jacket, without any braid. White buttons. Black trousers, without stripes. Riding boots. Curved cavalry saber. Red sash with gold tassels. White metal triangle with a red ribbon. Badge of the members of the Commune, composed of a gold-fringed ribbon, adorned with a rosette like that of Legion of Honor officers. Simple dragoon horse, with equipment – Rue de Rennes, going to inspect the fortifications.

Uniform National Guard of the Central Committee

April 1, 1871 – National Guard of the Central Committee Dark blue cap with red band and piping. White hair and beard. Brown wool shirt. On the chest, blue and red ribbons. Red wool sash. Canteen. Light infantry trousers, with yellow piping. Place de l’Hôtel de Ville.

Source: All the above images are available at Wikimedia Commons and in original book form at Gallica: Book Two (the Paris Commune) and for further background, Book One (the Prussian Siege, 1870-1871)