Full dress

Full dress is a category of dress codes that refers to most formal clothing available in Western society.

For a civilian, during the Victorian and Edwardian period, this corresponded to a frock coat in the day, and white tie at night. When morning dress (in the modern sense, using a morning tailcoat rather than a frock coat) became common, it was less formal than a frock coat, and even when this was phased out, morning dress never achieved full dress status. In the twenty-first century, full dress therefore unambiguously refers to white tie.

Full dress uniform is a special military uniform reserved for parade or other ceremonial occasions. Prior to World War I (1914–18) most armies of the world retained uniforms of this type that were usually more colorful and elaborate than the ordinary duty ("undress") or the increasingly drab active service ("field") uniforms.

The British and United States armies were dependent upon voluntary recruiting and found that a smart dress served to attract recruits and improve morale amongst those already serving. The British regimental system fostered numerous distinctions amongst different units.

Even the mainly conscript armies of continental Europe retained many of the colourful features that had evolved during the nineteenth century, for reasons of national and unit pride. Thus, in 1913 most French soldiers wore red trousers and kepis as part of their full dress, the majority of British foot regiments retained scarlet tunics for parade and off duty ("walking out"), the German Army was characterised by Prussian blue, the Russian by dark green,et cetera.

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