The hat worn by sailors mirrored what the average man was wearing in towns and villages at the time. Known as the "round" hat, it was made of black wool felt, about 6-7 inches tall and had a 2-inch brim that curled at the sides. Hundreds of round hats were purchased by the ships' pursers to sell to sailors during voyages. They were not intended for protection in battle.

Jackets were blue woolen broadcloth commonly called "round" jackets because the largest measurement was "round" the body. Buttons were flat white or yellow metal.

A vest, also known as a waistcoat, was made of blue or red wool on all sides. It was single-breasted with a standing collar and side pockets.

Trousers were made of either white linen duck or blue wool. They sat high on the waist, which required suspenders to hold them up. They fit the leg closely and were cut for ease of movement. The trousers seen here are "slops."

Also called neck cloths, handkerchiefs were worn wrapped around the high shirt collar or loosely around the neck. They were often made of black silk, but sometimes of colored or patterned fabric.

A popular myth has it that sailors went barefoot on merchant vessels and warships, especially when climbing aloft in the rigging. This is false. Sailors did wear shoes that looked like low-heeled women's pumps or ballet slippers either as slip-on or tie shoes. Several hundreds of pairs of shoes were purchased as "slop" clothing for a warship, ready to be sold to the crew when they needed to replace worn-out shoes.

An enlisted sailor was not permitted to carry arms – cutlasses, small swords, dirks or pistols – except during battle. Cutlasses, boarding pikes and pistols were issued to those sailors designated as "boarders" – men trained to repel enemy boarders or those who went forward to board an enemy's vessel.

The general dress cap was a wide-brimmed flat wool cap with a tally (ribbon) that had the sailor's ship's name emblazoned on it.

General and landing party dress:

The collar, also known as a tar flap, was a holdover from an earlier era when men had long hair that was tied back with tar or grease. The collar protected the uniform from dirt and grime.

Neckerchiefs made of silk were worn as head coverings or used to muffle the sound of guns.

A rope lanyard was worn around the neck or waist to carry a boatswain's whistle or a jackknife (folding blade with clipped point to impede use in fights). The lanyard kept the items from dropping to the deck when sailors worked aloft (areas above the deck).

General dress:

A short wool jacket had small gold-colored buttons; many veteran petty officers' buttons had Navy insignia, per 1841 regulations. These were similar in appearance to the War of 1812 jacket.

A wool blue pullover shirt called a jumper was worn underneath and tucked into trousers.

Trousers were blue wool and adorned with buttons. They were wide-legged or bell-bottomed so they could be pulled up when cleaning or doing work on the deck.

Landing party dress:

This was similar to general dress, except men were outfitted with a belt, cutlass, pistol and cartridge box with ammunition. Depending on the weather, they could take their jackets off and just wear the jumper.

Summer dress: (not pictured)

In the heat, a white jumper made of a cooler canvas/linen material was substituted; often, the sleeves and collar were made of denim in varying shades of blue. Also, a white cover went over the blue top of the general dress cap.

Shoes were the same for all dress variations and were a carryover from the War of 1812 – the ankle boot made of smooth leather that was dyed black. They could be worn on either foot.

The flat, wide-brimmed wool cap from the Civil War remained; however, as the war progressed, sailors were given tallies (ribbons) that said "U.S. Navy" instead of their ship's name so enemies wouldn't know what ships were in port that day. After the war, the ships' names were returned to the tallies.

The collar and neckerchief were a holdover tradition from the Civil War. At sea, the undress uniform was often worn. It was similar to the dress jumper but omitted the neckerchief and the white trim on the collar and cuffs.

Coats and shirts: Short wool jackets were replaced with Navy blue wool winter peacoats that had handwarmer pockets and flapped pockets (not pictured). The jumpers had a slightly longer cut and baggier sleeves than during the Civil War. They had a tie at the hem that was to be tightened and bloused instead of tucked in.

The wool trousers were similar to the Civil War style. They were worn tightly at the hips and had a 13-button closure flap. There was lacing at the rear for adjustments. The wide-legged bell-bottom cut was so sailors could roll them up if needed.

The ankle-high smooth leather shoe remained the standard, but sailors serving ashore in combat in Europe wore roughout leather shoes that were greased brown for waterproofing purposes for use in the trenches.

Land-based sailors wore helmets the Army or Marine Corps used: forest green "Brodie" helmets made of a stamped-steel material. They had a rounded crown, flared brim, a leather lining with suspension straps and a chin strap fastened inside it. The helmets were given texture with sand to make them less reflective. They were meant to deflect overhead shell fragments and were not bulletproof.

Land-based soldiers wore the uniform of the Army when they went ashore:

Service coat: Made of olive drab wool and cotton liner, this single-breasted coat had a short standing collar that hooked and displayed two discs: one saying "U.S." and later the regimental number; the other contained the branch emblem and, generally, company letter. Each coat had four flapped pockets and five buttons.

Land-based sailors were issued pullover flannel shirts in olive drab that had a collar, two pockets, three buttons on the placket and sleeve reinforcement over the elbows. (Not pictured)

Instead of trousers, men were issued olive drab wool service breeches, which flared out at the thigh, tapered to the knee and were tight-fitting to the calf where they ended with a lace-up closure. They were the style of the time.

Long wool cloth strips called puttees were wrapped tightly around the top of the boot to just below the knee. They supported the calf while marching and prevented mud and debris from getting into a sailor's shoe.

The ankle-high smooth leather shoe remained the standard for sailors, but those serving ashore in combat in Europe wore roughout leather shoes that were greased brown for waterproofing purposes for use in the trenches.

In 1942, the Army-issued World War I-style "Brodie" helmet was replaced by the M1 combat helmet. This steel-shell upgrade had a liner made of pressed, lacquered fiberboard and provided greater ballistic protection. It was given texture to make it less reflective and came with a two-piece webbed chinstrap. Like the WWI helmet, the helmets were meant to deflect shell fragments and were not bulletproof.

Dungarees were the standard shipboard work uniform worn during combat and regular duty. They consisted of a chambray button-down shirt and denim bell-bottom trousers, which exchanged the 13 buttons for a single front-button fly.

Standard blue peacoats were issued for winter, with a few variations of the N1 deck jacket. (Not pictured)

The ankle-high smooth black leather shoe remained. However, sailors permanently assigned to shore wore a leather boot with the rough brown side out.

Cotton camouflage covers were prevalent. It was reversible: frog skin camouflage in green colors on one side and brown colors on the other.

In 1942, the Army-issued World War I-style "Brodie" helmet was replaced by the M1 combat helmet. This steel-shell upgrade had a liner made of pressed, lacquered fiberboard and provided greater ballistic protection. It was given texture to make it less reflective and came with a two-piece webbed chinstrap. Like the WWI helmet, these helmets were meant to deflect shell fragments and were not bulletproof.

WWII Medics and White Dot Helmets

The M1941 jacket was made of herringbone twill, or HBT, which was cool and lightweight. The jacket had one upper left chest pocket and two lower pockets on the jacket's skirt. Cotton undershirts were sometimes worn underneath the coats.

M1941 trousers were also HBT in a straight-leg design, similar in cut to civilian dungarees (blue jeans).

Leggings made of canvas were issued for all sailors, but they were only used by men on shore duty. They kept debris out of shoes and protected the legs. Sailors on leave were not required to wear them off the ship. If you were wearing leggings, you were considered under arms.

Field service boots (boondockers) were ankle-high, leather "rough-out" with black rubber composite soles. The development of better soles using rubber composite with fiber material were developed by the late 1930s to increase durability.

The pistol belt made of webbed cotton canvas had a brass buckle, and each side had five pockets: space for a rifle clip, pistol, knife and two or more canteens to ensure corpsmen stayed hydrated in the Pacific theater's tropical, humid climate.

Corpsmen were each issued an equipment bag to carry their medical supplies. Later in the war, they received two Unit 3 bags with shoulder straps to carry bandages, antibiotics, morphine syrettes, forceps, scissors and other vital items to treat wounds, burns and broken bones.

The M1911 pistol helped corpsmen protect themselves from night attacks and infiltration by the Japanese. These were lighter to carry than M1 rifles or carbines, although some corpsmen did choose to carry those guns instead.

Corpsmen were issued the Marine K-Bar all-purpose utility knife, as well as the bolo knife (not pictured), which was used to help cut brush and branches to use as splints for broken bones.

Sailors continued to have the option of the Dixie Cup hat, but only in white.

The WWII M1 combat helmet remained the same: a steel shell and a liner made of pressed, lacquered fiberboard. There was also the N1 winter helmet made of cotton Bedford cord lined with deep-pile, double-faced wool. They were designed to be windbreakers and were water repellent but not waterproof.

Like the later years of WWII, dungarees were worn onboard during combat and regular duty, complete with chambray button-down shirts and denim front-fly bell-bottom trousers. (Not pictured)

Corpsmen continued to wear garb similar to the Marine Corps' uniforms made of herringbone twill, a lightweight fabric similar to denim. Canvas leggings were still issued. Other land-based sailors also adopted the uniform of the service they were assisting. (Not pictured)

Winter Gear: All sailors were issued the N1 deck jacket for shipboard use in cold weather. The outside was cotton Bedford cord. The inside had an alpaca liner. Each was treated to be water-resistant; a cloth-like wax bar was issued to maintain that resistance.

N1 winter trousers were made of the same material as the N1 winter helmet, except the lining was alpaca. They also had the same design for windbreaking and repelling water.

Undergarments: To combat the frigid temperatures, cotton-wool blend undershirts, wool boot socks worn over regular socks and cotton-blend long underwear, called drawers, were issued to land-based sailors.

Mittens/gloves and scarf were made of wool.

Those serving on ships still wore smooth black leather shoes or boots. A standard leather roughout boot, brown-side out, was issued for shore sailors.

Gas masks from World War II and the kapok life jacket were still available on the ship’s racks, along with M1 helmets. (Not pictured)

Shipboard sailors wore blue ball caps made of wool, synthetic or blended fabrics. The cap, made official in 1957, was a popular substitute for the Dixie Cup cap.

Shipboard combat uniform: The World War II-era dungarees and Dixie Cup cap were still standard utility dress for shipboard sailors during regular duty and combat. Dungarees consisted of a chambray button-down shirt and denim bell-bottom trousers that had a single front-button fly. Small changes from World War II included updated pocket flaps and button colors. Stenciled name and iron-on ratings badges were frequently seen, too.

Boondockers, a low black leather work boot, was typical for shipboard sailors.

The sailor here is holding semaphore signal flags that were used to signal from one ship to another. Specific flag positions conveyed different meanings.

Like in WWII, the life jacket was made of kapok, a buoyant plant-based material stuffed on the inside of the vest.

Like Marines, some land-based sailors wore a utility cap called an eight-point cover. It was cotton olive drab with eight creased points and a ballcap-style visor.

The Army’s M1 steel combat helmet was still used by land-based sailors in Vietnam, virtually unchanged from World War II and Korea. The Mitchell-pattern cotton reversible camouflage cover was used to allow the helmet to blend in. In 1969, new liners made of ballistic nylon with removable suspension began replacing the older pattern liners. (Not pictured)

Riverboat patrolmen, elite land-based units and corpsmen wore the Army's standard olive drab cotton jungle utility uniform. Jacket and trousers were made of a tightly woven, lightweight cotton twill material and, in later years, cotton ripstop. Sailors often wore the uniform with shortened sleeves and theater-made insignia.

Blousing straps were elastic material fastened with Velcro or a hook to hold trouser legs to the boot.

Around 1968, the ERDL camouflage pattern began to replace the jungle utility uniform. Made of cotton ripstop, this leaf-like pattern had shades of green, black, brown and tan in four variations. It was developed in 1948 by the Army’s Engineer Research and Development Lab — hence the "ERDL" name. (Not pictured)

Tiger Stripes: While not standard issue, this uniform has become an icon of the Vietnam War. Often made in-theater out of cotton, it was used by a variety of elite American units and Vietnamese allies. (Not pictured)

The Iconic Tiger Stripes of Vietnam

Jungle boots were for land-based sailors. They were made of black leather and olive drab canvas or a nylon-canvas blend to help them breathe in a jungle environment. They also had vents to drain water. A steel shank was placed between the boot lining and sole to protect against boobytraps.

With the jungle utility uniform, sailors often wore a pistol belt with a .45-caliber pistol, a magazine pouch, a canteen and a jungle first aid kit.

Shipboard sailors wore blue ball caps as a substitute for the Dixie Cup. The sailor's ship or squadron was usually embroidered or sewn in gold letters on the front.

Coveralls: While denim dungarees were still used, shipboard sailors had the option of wearing blue one-piece coveralls. Made of a poly-cotton blend, they had a zippered front, belt loops and side and back pockets. It was to be worn for "dirty work" that would soil all other uniforms. Submariners were required to have special lint-free coveralls; surface ship sailors had coveralls that were fire-retardant. A blue undershirt was also issued.

Boondockers were a low black leather work boot that was typical for shipboard sailors.

Combat boots were the same as the jungle boots that were worn in Vietnam. They were made of black leather and olive drab canvas or a nylon-canvas blend for ventilation. Updated versions with more support and a steel toe began to be issued, too. (Not pictured)

Sailors wearing the Gulf War-style woodland camo utility uniform, the DBDU or the new Navy Working Uniform, or NWU, Type I, wore the updated eight-point cover. It was shaped with eight evenly spaced darts, ventilation eyelets, a lined outside band, sweatband and a flexible quilted hinge-type visor. The ACE logo (the Anchor, USS Constitution and Eagle) is embroidered above the visor.

Shipboard sailors wearing coveralls continued to wear the ball cap made of wool, synthetic or blended fabrics. "Navy" was embroidered or sewn on the front in gold letters. (Not pictured)

In the early to mid-2000s, sailors wore the coveralls described for the Gulf War for shipboard duties. (Not pictured)

Navy Working Uniform, or NWU, Type I: Introduced in 2007, blue digital camouflage was developed to standardize all uniforms between units, replacing dungarees and other working uniforms at sea and ashore. Made of a 50/50 nylon-cotton blend, it was easy to mend and could hide stains and heavy wear. The blouse collar lays flat, and there are two outside patch pockets. Pants have an elasticized waist with belt loops, two top pockets, two thigh cargo pockets, two back hip pockets with flaps, a front zip-fly closure and a button for the waistband. Knees and seat are reinforced. However, issues with it not being fire-retardant led to it being replaced by coveralls for shipboard use.

Velcro or hook blousing straps were issued to help keep the pant leg tight to the boot.

No matter what uniform sailors wore, they were issued black steel-toed leather high-top boots. Some were issued smooth leather while others were issued roughout leather. All had oil-resistant rubber outsoles and eyelet closures for quick lacing. The laces were to be tucked in for a well-kept appearance.

Land-based sailors continued to wear the same helmets as Marines. The PASGT helmet was ballistic fiberglass protection made of layers of tough, puncture-resistant Kevlar and a synthetic ballistic fiber bonded with a synthetic polymer resin to create a helmet capable of stopping most bullets. The technology included a two-point suspension chin strap system. A lightweight armored helmet eventually replaced the PASGT, making the helmet lighter and increasing its ballistic capability. An added multi-point suspension and chin strap system better stabilized the new helmet on the head.

Covers: While shipboard sailors wearing coveralls continued to wear the ball cap, sailors wearing the Gulf War-style woodland camo or DBDU wore the eight-point cover. It was shaped with eight evenly spaced darts, ventilation eyelets, a lined outside band, sweatband and a flexible quilted hinge-type visor. The ACE logo (the Anchor, USS Constitution and Eagle) is embroidered above the visor. (Not pictured)

Early 2000s camouflage: While the 1990s-style woodland camouflage uniform (CUU) was still used by many land-based sailors (not pictured), the desert camouflage uniform (DCU) became standard for SEAL teams and other land-operating teams fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The DCU replaced the "chocolate chip" DBDU worn in Desert Storm and used only three colors instead of six, as leaders learned this was more effective camouflage in the open-air deserts of the Middle East. The DCU was made of a 50/50 cotton-nylon blend ripstop fabric, and trousers were cargo style.

Ties/blousing straps: Sailors in CUUs or DCUs had ties at the bottom of each pant leg to keep them tight to the boot; however, they were also issued Velcro or hook blousing straps to help with this.

No matter what uniform sailors wore, they were issued black steel-toed leather high-top boots. Some were issued smooth leather while others were issued roughout leather. All had oil-resistant rubber outsoles and eyelet closures for quick lacing. The laces were to be tucked in for a well-kept appearance.

Land-based sailors wore Marine Corps combat gear worn during Desert Storm: The PASGT "flak" vest could stop low-velocity shrapnel and fragments but lacked the capability to stop bullets.

Nylon suspenders had a Y-pattern harness.

Nylon magazine pouches held three 30-round magazines for an M16 rifle.

Canteens were plastic and held in a nylon carrier.

Upgraded first-aid pouches were integrated into the PASGT.

Issued in the Army since 1965, the M16 A-2 rifle had a heavy barrel to accommodate a heavy 5.56 mm bullet using 30-round magazines. It was capable of automatic and semi-automatic fire.

The eight-point cover is still used for standard utility. It's shaped with eight evenly spaced darts, ventilation eyelets, a lined outside band, sweatband and a flexible quilted hinge-type visor, on which is embroidered the ACE logo (the Anchor, USS Constitution and Eagle). Some commands allow a coyote brown or blue ball cap with command insignia to be worn in place of it.

Navy Working Uniform, Type III: This digital pattern green-and-tan camouflage is unisex. The blouse has reinforced elbow pads, breast and shoulder pockets and five concealed buttons down the front. Its collar can be worn in the up position for tactical or damage control application.

A coyote brown cotton crewneck undershirt is also issued.

Trousers have a button-fly, an elasticized waist with belt loops, six pockets and a drawstring closure at the end of the pant leg.

Blousing straps are used to cover the top three rows of boot eyelets. When authorized, trousers may be worn unbloused, as long as the leg doesn't touch the deck. Belts, made of cotton or nylon web, match the uniform.

Coveralls: Shipboard sailors still have the option of wearing blue one-piece coveralls for "dirty work." Submariners have special lint-free coveralls; surface ship sailors' coveralls are fire-retardant.

Shipboard sailors are issued black steel-toed high-top boots made of smooth leather; roughout leather is issued for non-shipboard duties. Some boots are issued in desert tan or coyote brown, depending on the mission. All have oil-resistant rubber outsoles and eyelet closures for quick lacing. Laces are to be tucked in.

Black knit watch caps and black unisex pullover sweaters are issued. A fleece-lined matching camouflage GoreTex parka is made of laminate material. It has raglan-style barrel sleeves with waterproof underarm-ventilation zippers. Parkas have a concealed waterproof one-way front zipper and a permanently attached roll-up style hood design that was stowed in the collar.

Matching "boonie" hats are also issued, along with similar GoreTex camouflage trousers and a bag to keep them all in. (Not pictured)