France's Reseda Uniform

France had several goes at a less conspicuous uniform prior to the Great War, the 'Reseda' was the last, 1912/13.
http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/res10.jpg

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/res110.jpg

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/res210.jpg

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/res310.jpg

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/res410.jpg

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/res510.jpg

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/res610.jpg

Sean,
Ever thought of trying to colour some of these?

Yes
http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/fri0910.gif

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/frdrag10.gif

Not quite what I had in mind, something that I'm unable to do!
Regards
WF
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://uploads.neatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/somme.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.neatorama.com/tag/photography/&usg=__WkNgEgLosW6hb35gIoq3fioCiZQ=&h=430&w=580&sz=66&hl=en&start=31&tbnid=TAklhkOXEzg4IM:&tbnh=165&tbnw=223&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dexamples%2Bof%2Bblack%2Band%2Bwhite%2Bphotos%2Bmade%2Binto%2Bcolour%2Bpictures%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D1276%26bih%3D868%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C781&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=972&vpy=273&dur=1380&hovh=193&hovw=261&tx=105&ty=118&ei=kiVfTJWKLMuNjAeigtHwAw&oei=hyVfTLHqNtOh4QbI6IDSBw&esq=2&page=2&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:31&biw=1276&bih=868

A contemporary autochrome colour photograph of examples of the resada uniform - at left a dragoon in the white facings of his branch and at right a caporal of line infantry. As Sean notes there were several attempts to modernise the French uniform between 1903 and 1913 but all foundered on a combination of public sentiment (which valued the colourful peacetime dress, especially the red trousers which were held to somehow symbolise France) and official parsimony.

One of Sean's pictures includes the Detaille option which managed to combine the worst of both worlds - retaining the conspicuous blue tunic, red fringed epaulettes and red trousers of the traditional uniform but replacing the kepi with a rather ugly helmet made of aluminum which would have been too light to give any protection. Even the puttees shown proved to be difficult to wear in the mud of Flanders.

Not to be taken seriously, just to show why NOT to give up the day job!
WF

buistR wrote:
A contemporary autochrome colour photograph of examples of the resada uniform - at left a dragoon in the white facings of his branch and at right a caporal of line infantry. As Sean notes there were several attempts to modernise the French uniform between 1903 and 1913 but all foundered on a combination of public sentiment (which valued the colourful peacetime dress, especially the red trousers which were held to somehow symbolise France) and official parsimony.

One of Sean's pictures includes the Detaille option which managed to combine the worst of both worlds - retaining the conspicuous blue tunic, red fringed epaulettes and red trousers of the traditional uniform but replacing the kepi with a rather ugly helmet made of aluminum which would have been too light to give any protection. Even the puttees shown proved to be difficult to wear in the mud of Flanders.

Of course the helmet looked like it was inspired by that worn by the Sapeurs Pompiers, the French firemen, which had in turn been inspired by the helmet worn by the engineers of Napoleon's Garde Imperiale, and which would influence the design of August-Louis Adrian's steel helmet in 1915.

After playing with the first picture I decided to try and do a more accurate attempt rather than the general excepted few of a French uniform.
The problem I’ve found is that there does not seem to be many examples of this uniform other than old b/w photographs and even less descriptions translated into English.
A number of pictures both colour and b/w seem to show both blue and brown putties, take your pick so to speak.
The cuff appears to have a line of braid around in some photographs, missing in others, again I’m sure that someone will know what’s correct.
Also the rank insignia looked a little light for corporal so he's now possibly being promoted.
Textur and colour were hit and miss also!
For better or worse, this is what I ended up with, a cross between fantasy and fact.
Regards
WF

Hi WF - actually the first of your "fantasy" reconstructions was very close to reality of a sort - the "Detaille" uniform which the French Army tried in 1912 after the "Resada" one had been shelved for the reasons given above. Designed by the French military artists Edouard Detaille and Georges Scott, the Detaille uniform for the line infantry, as shown above, included a full dress dark blue tunic and a light blue one for field dress. Red trousers for both. At a parade in 1912 the unfortunate 28th Line Infantry was chosen to parade detachments in (i) Detaille full dress; (ii) Detaille field dress and (iii) for variety the grey-green resada tunics combined with red trousers. None found popular acceptance.

Regards

Thanks, I did a search and came up with very few details regarding the uniform, non in English and as everyone Knows since God’s an Englishman we have trouble understanding everyone else!
Anyway, b/w illustrations and photographs didn’t show up any of the finer points so I just took a mix of the old and new, combined them with the couple of good photographs that do exist, one of which is the one you provided and non really showing the tunic and trouser to good effect.
Sometimes fact and fantasy get mixed up so often it's hard to determine which is which, so long as the illustrations haven't added to that confusion.
Thanks for the information and another nice illustration of uniforms.
Regards
WF

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/tenuer10.jpg


http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/tenue110.jpg


http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/22/09/10/tenue_10.jpg