Research (Patreon)

I've been trying to figure out how the Finnish Guards' Rifles uniform looked during the 1870s, especially the colors have been hard to figure out. There are basically no surviving pieces of these uniforms left. Had to buy some books (cheap and used, fortunately).

Here we see Heikkala wearing the normal 1873-1882 barracks/exercise uniform (left). For more formal ceremonies and parades, a blue "vatsapeite" was buttoned on the front (right). A French-style kepi cap was to be used with the uniform, but Guards units in Imperial Russia only issued them in limited numbers and were very openly protesting the change. A furashka was the more common hat in Finnish units too. She has a Berdan II rifle. Guards' units were the priority when it came to issuing new rifles.

(Interestingly, when the more formal kit was worn, the men had to blacken their mustaches for a more uniform look.)