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Christian X’s robe
This uniform meant a lot to Christian 10th – even though it’s scratchy – because he wore it at one of the greatest moments of his life. When he rode over the border to Southern Jutland in 1920 he was welcoming a lost part of Denmark back. He chose to wear a field uniform, which the soldiers wore on the battlefield, instead of a showy full-dress general’s uniform. Only three gold stars on his collar and three stripes on his cap reveal that he is a general, and only the stars of the orders of the Elephant and the Dannebrog show that he is King. His uniform is made of thick, coarse woolen fabric. It is well made and fits well – but it is still scratchy. The field uniform consists of a jacket, riding pants, a cap and boots. The King wears his general’s sword on his broad black leather belt. In 1916 the grey color was introduced for Danish uniforms. Five years earlier the coat was made single-breasted, with a turn-down collar and breast pockets. These details were copied from popular sports clothing, which had dominated men’s fashion for decades. The riding pants are exactly the same cut as civilians’, with extra room for thighs and knees, but still narrow enough to be pushed down into the riding boots. And like jodphurs today, there are suede patches inside the knees.
