Why do the blue slacks not match the dark blue jacket in the marine dress blues?

Answer 1

Comes from a couple hundred years ago when forces would leave the fort for patrols and take jacket off (when boss wasn't around) -- and they put the jacket in a saddle bag. When they came back to the fort, they would put the jacket back on -- but the pants became slightly faded due to the sun (compared to the unexposed jacket)

Answer 2

well, the first mission of the Marine Corps was delivering mail, yes i know Marines delivering mail. Their uniforms of the time were heavy dress uniforms so we they went to deliver it on there horse they would remove their blouse and store it in a saddle bag. Boots and utes so to speak, and eventuly the trousers would fade and the blouse would still be dark because it would be store so much of the time. There are alot of little known facts, myths, and fallicies reguarding Marine Corps history. And i am a Marine and learned this from a very knowledgeable CPl, whom was tought by a 1stSgt. I also did a little of my own research on a few of the subjects and found them to be true. - LCpl USMC

Maybe your cpl should have spent some time teaching you to spell as well, but, I suppose leather necks don't need to spell do they?

Answer 3

The US 1831 uniform regulations designated a light blue uniform including a shell jacket and trousers for field use with a stripe on the outer seam of the trouser corresponding to the branch of service for sergeants and corporals. As was traditionally the case with frugally minded congressional budgets, light blue was cheaper to produce than the Indigo dyed wool previously used. The light blue also did not fade as badly as the dark blue. These same regulations required a dark blue coatee with standing collar for full dress which had it's precedent in the 1810 uniform regulations (circa War of 1812). The 1851 regulations changed the uniform to a dark blue frock coat and dark blue trousers for both enlisted men and officers. This was revised at the beginning of the Civil War in order to differentiate between officers and enlisted men by reverting to light blue trousers for enlisted men and retaining dark blue trousers for officers. This color combination was carried through until the 1910 regulations eliminated the dark blue uniform. The current change in the army uniform is following the idea of tradition previously carried forward by both the Marine Corps and the Navy by adopting color combinations that date back to the earlier history and tradition of that particular branch of service.