French Pant Sizes

[oskar2ndchev]

I found this on "The Trench Line" regarding French uniform pant sizes and I figured that it would be of some interest:

Mes Amis,

While looking working through a copy of the Journal Militaire Officiel for 1893, I came across an interest circular regarding the markings of sizes of clothing. It explains the codes used to denote sizes, both for pants and jackets.

I'm sharing the info on the pants first as its simplest. When you see this, you can imagine that the jackets/capotes/etc would be even much more complicated. With this, you can make-out the code on originals; or mark your repros with the appropriate markings.

In essence there are 36 sizes of pantalons d'ordonnance !!!

First, there are 9 "types"; types A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I .

The "type" is the length, measured from the waist to the cuff (taken at the side).

Each length type then has 4 waist measurments, numbered 1-4. So you'll have one length, with four possible waist measurements. Inches are in parenthesis.

The sizes are broken down like this:

A= 120cm (47.2)
1) 98cm (38.6)
2) 92cm (36.2)
3) 86cm (33.9)
4) 80cm (31.5)

B= 117cm (46.1)
1) 98cm (38.6)
2) 92cm (36.2)
3) 86cm (33.9)
4) 80cm(31.5)

C= 114cm (44.9)
1) 96cm(37.8)
2) 90cm (35.4)
3) 84cm (33.1)
4) 78cm(30.7)

D= 110cm (43.3)
1) 96cm (37.8)
2) 90cm (35.4)
3) 84cm (33.1)
4) 78cm (30.7)

E= 107cm (42.1)
1) 94cm (37)
2) 88cm (34.6)
3) 82cm (32.3)
4) 76cm (29.9)

F= 104cm (40.9)
1) 94cm (37)
2) 88cm (34.6)
3) 82cm (32.3)
4) 76cm (29.9)

G= 100cm (39.4)
1) 92cm (36.2)
2) 86cm (33.9)
3) 80cm (31.5)
4) 74cm (29.1)

H= 97cm (38.2)
1) 92cm (36.2)
2) 86cm (33.9)
3) 80cm (31.5)
4) 74cm (29.1)

I= 95cm (37.4)
1) 92cm (36.2)
2) 86cm (33.9)
3) 80cm (31.5)
4) 74cm (29.1)

Ok... So after all that the first size (A-1)would be displayed, in a rectangle like this:

A-1
120-98

Hope that's of some interest or use...

Clint

And I thought only the Germans overthink these sorts of things... ;D