Fashion at the Vatican: Swiss Guards
The first "Vatican" people I saw were the Swiss Guards. I actually didn't know about them before my visit - they are the official security for the pope, and are actually Swiss. Here they are in their "everyday uniform" which is solid blue. The Vatican's website, www.vatican.va, says that a Commandant Jules Repond designed these uniforms in the early 20th century, inspired by paintings of Rafael, but there were earlier variations prior to the current design.
The more representative image of the Swiss Guard are the unfiforms below. I was so surprised to see them dressed this way! Even more surprising is how these uniforms are constructed. See, they look like they would be made from several panels of different colored fabric sewn together...
But actually the blue and yellow stripes are independent ribbons of fabric attached at top and bottom, and you can see the base red color come through in the gaps! These are the colors of the Medici family, from which Pope Leo X came. Apparently there was only blue and yellow before, since those were the family colors of Pope Julius II.
