Editing Livery

{{Short description|Uniform, insignia or symbol}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:Yeomen of the Guard.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Yeomen of the Guard]] processing to [[St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle|St George's Chapel]], [[Windsor Castle|Windsor]] for the annual service of the [[Order of the Garter]] in 2006]]

A '''livery''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɪ|v|@r|i}} is an identifying design, such as a uniform, ornament, symbol, or insignia that designates ownership or affiliation, often found on an individual or vehicle. Livery often includes elements of the [[heraldry]] relating to the individual or corporate body featured in the livery. Alternatively, some kind of a personal [[emblem]] or badge, or a distinctive colour, is featured. 

The word itself derives from the [[French language|French]] ''livrée'', meaning ''dispensed, handed over''. Most often it would indicate that the wearer of the livery was a servant, dependant, follower or friend of the owner of the livery, or, in the case of objects, that the object belonged to them.

In the late medieval phenomenon of [[bastard feudalism]], livery badges worn by the "retainers" of great lords, sometimes in effect private armies, became a great political concern in England.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

==Etymology ==
"In the ''Black Book'' of 1483, it was laid down that each person should receive '... for his Livery at night, half a chet loaf, one quart of wine. one gallon of ale; and for Winter livery...one percher wax, one candle wax...'"<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Chinnery |first=Victor |title=Oak Furniture: The British Tradition}}</ref>

"Edmund Spenser noted in 1596 that '... the liverye is sayd to be served up all night, that is theyr nyghtes allowances of drinks...'"<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Spenser |first=Edmund |title=View of the State of Ireland |year=1596}}</ref>

In the early inventories of households, in the chambers there are a large number of "Livery Cupboards" recorded, presumably used for storing the Livery. 

During the 12th century, specific colours denoting a great person began to be used for both his soldiers and his civilian followers (the two often overlapped considerably), and the modern sense of the term began to form. Usually two different colours were used together (and often with a device or badge sewn on), but the ways in which they were combined varied with rank. Often the colours used were different each year.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} In addition to embroidered badges, metal ones were sewn on to clothing, or hung on neck-chains or (by far the most prestigious) [[livery collar]]s. From the 16th century onwards, only the lower-status followers tended to receive clothes in livery colours (whilst the higher status ones received cash) and the term "servant", previously much wider, also began to be restricted to describing the same people. Municipalities and corporations copied the behaviour of the great households.<ref>Françoise Piponnier and Perrine Mane; ''Dress in the Middle Ages''; pp. 133–135, Yale UP, 1997; {{ISBN|0-300-06906-5}}.</ref>

The term is also used to describe [[heraldic badge|badges]], [[buttons]]<ref>[https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O21195/button/ Tin-glazed earthenware livery-button, ca 1651], [[Victoria and Albert Museum|Victoria & Albert museum]] [[Victoria and Albert Museum#Jewellery|jewellery collection]]</ref><ref name="HT&S livery buttons">{{cite web|url=http://hammond-turner.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29&Itemid=4|title=Button gallery: livery|last=Close|first=Lesley|year=2009|work=Hammond Turner & Sons Birmingham button makers|publisher=Hammond Turner & Sons|access-date=18 March 2010}}</ref> and grander pieces of jewellery containing the [[heraldic]] signs of an individual, which were given by that person to friends, followers and distinguished visitors, as well as (in more modest forms) servants. The grandest of these is the [[livery collar]]. [[William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings|William, Lord Hastings]] the [[favourite]] of King [[Edward IV of England]] had a "Coller of gold of K. Edward's lyverys" valued at the enormous sum of £40 in an inventory of 1489. This would have been similar to the collars worn by Hastings' sister and her husband [[Sir John Donne]] in the ''Donne Triptych'' by [[Hans Memling]] (described in [[Sir John Donne]]).<ref>National Gallery Catalogues: The Fifteenth Century Netherlandish Paintings by Lorne Campbell, 1998, {{ISBN|1-85709-171-X}}  – Hastings' collar p. 389 n. 88</ref> Lords gave their servants lead or [[pewter]] badges to sew onto their clothes.<ref>Jonathan Alexander & Paul Binski (eds), ''Age of Chivalry, Art in Plantagenet England, 1200–1400'', Royal Academy/Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1987, Cat 448; see also Steane, John, [https://books.google.com/books?id=LoLlvnRPY_sC&dq=%22Royal+Gold+Cup%22&pg=PA135 ''The Archaeology of the Medieval English Monarchy''], Routledge, 1999, {{ISBN|978-0-415-19788-5}}</ref> In the 15th century, European royalty sometimes distributed uniform suits of clothes to courtiers, as the House of [[Fugger]], the leading bankers, did to all employees.<ref>[[Georges Duby]] ed., ''A History of Private Life, Vol 2 Revelations of the Medieval World'', 1988 (English translation), p. 578, Belknap Press, Harvard University</ref>

[[File:Auguste Serrure A distraction from chores.jpg|thumb|upright|Footman c. 1780 in braided livery]]

This practice later contracted to the provision of standardized clothing to male servants, often in a colour-scheme distinctive to a particular family. The term most notably referred to the embroidered [[Coat (clothing)|coat]]s, waistcoats, knee breeches and stockings in 18th-century style, worn by [[footman|footmen]] on formal occasions in [[great house|grand houses]]. Plainer clothing in dark colours and without braiding was worn by footmen, chauffeurs and other employees for ordinary duties. For financial reasons, the employment of such servants, and their expensive dress, died out after World War I except in royal households.<ref>"Except at public functions, the last time I saw a footman in livery was in 1921": George Orwell writing in the ''Tribune'' of 3 March 1944</ref>

==At European courts==

Most European [[Court (royal)|royal courts]] still use their state liveries on formal occasions. These are generally in traditional national colours, and are based on 18th-century clothing with fine [[Goldwork (embroidery)|gold embroidery]]. Only male royal servants normally wear livery. Knee [[breeches]] are worn, normally with white silk stockings; one exception being the Spanish court which prescribes red.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.panoramio.com/photo/44560628|title=Panoramio - Photo of Acto de presentacion de cartas credenciales en Madrid de los nuevos Embajadores|website=Panoramio.com|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref>
 
=== United Kingdom ===
At the British royal court, scarlet state livery is still worn by [[footmen]], coachmen and other attendants on state occasions. The full-dress scarlet coats are handmade, and embroidered in gold braid with the [[royal cypher]] of the monarch. Gold buttons and other trimmings are of designs and patterns which date from the 18th century, and the full state dress worn by footmen includes scarlet breeches, stockings and a sword. On other formal occasions, a 'semi-state' dress is worn: a scarlet tail coat, black trousers and a white stiff shirt and bow tie. Normal day-to-day dress (as worn by footmen on duty in the palace, except on special occasions) consists of a black tail coat and trousers, white shirt and black tie and a scarlet waistcoat with gold trimming.{{r|royal-encyclo|pp=313–314}} Pages wear similar daily, semi-state and (very occasionally) state liveries, but in dark blue rather than scarlet. The uniform clothing issued to full-time royal staff is tailor-made, but the seldom-worn full-state dress is not [[bespoke]]; the usual practice is to select individuals whose height fits the existing ceremonial coats held in storage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.permanentstyle.co.uk/2011/01/livery-at-henry-poole.html|title=Permanent Style|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref>

[[Pages of Honour]] to the king wear scarlet (or, in Scotland, green) frock coats with blue velvet cuffs, edged all round with gold lace, with white breeches and hose, a short sword and other accoutrements.<ref name="archive.org">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/dressinsigniawor00greauoft#page/8/mode/2up |title=Dress and insignia worn at His Majesty's court, issued with the authority of the lord chamberlain |website=Archive.org |access-date=2016-03-30}}</ref> 

Scarlet is the livery colour of the sovereign and of the royal court. Elizabeth II also had a family livery colour, however, known as 'Edinburgh Green', which she and the Duke of Edinburgh chose in 1948. Five years later, at her coronation, while the Queen's attendants wore scarlet the page in attendance on the Duke wore a green livery edged in silver. Subsequently, Edinburgh Green became the colour used for their private cars and carriages (whereas the official vehicles are painted in a royal livery colour of maroon (or '[[claret]]') and black).{{r|royal-encyclo|p=153}} The Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Princess Royal, the Queen of Spain and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands wore outfits with the shades of Edinburgh Green at a [[Death_and_funeral_of_Prince_Philip,_Duke_of_Edinburgh#Thanksgiving_service|thanksgiving service]] for the duke in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-60904990 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=22 September 2024 |title=As it happened: Queen joins royals for Prince Philip's memorial service}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed">
File:State Opening of Parliament 2008 I (3082920424).jpg|Coachman and footmen in state livery for the State Opening of Parliament
File:Royal carriage.JPG|Coachman and footmen in semi-state livery for the Queen's Birthday Parade
File:Trooping the Colour 2006 - P1110120 (169159219).jpg|Outriders from the Royal Mews, wearing scarlet livery
File:HRH Lowther 2005 horse driving.jpg|The Duke of Edinburgh chose green pullovers for his team's uniform during [[Combined driving|cross-country driving competitions]].{{r|hrh30yrs|p=7}}|alt=Photo of the Duke of Edinburgh and his team in a carriage wearing matching green pullovers
</gallery>

=== Belgium ===
At the Belgian court liveries in traditional colours are still used at state occasions. The coats are red, and have black cuffs with golden lace. Royal cyphers are embroidered on the shoulders. The breeches are of yellow fabric. The semi-state livery worn for less formal occasions has black breeches.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mariaassumptalyceum.be/in_de_kijker/Herfstconcert/9.jpg |title=Photo of Belgian court livery |access-date=2015-10-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090626/http://www.mariaassumptalyceum.be/in_de_kijker/Herfstconcert/9.jpg |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref>

===The Netherlands===
At the Dutch court the full state livery is blue (''nassaublauw''). The breeches are yellow, and cuffs are red.

<gallery mode="packed" height="200">
File:1960 Royal Court of Belgium.jpg|Belgian court livery c. 1960
File:Gouden Koets - Prinsjesdag 2014 (15236325606).jpg|Dutch court state livery
</gallery>

==Sue one's livery==
{{further|Livery of seisin#Inquisitions post mortem and livery of seisin}}

The phrase "to sue one's livery" refers to the formal recognition of a noble's majority, in exchange of payment, for conferring the powers attached to his title, and thereby freeing him from dependence as a [[Ward (law)|ward]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Alan H. |last=Nelson |title=Monstrous Adversary: The Life of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford |publisher=Liverpool University Press |date=2003 |page=71 |url={{GBurl|WcfiqlOjEKoC|p=71}} |isbn=978-0-85323-678-8}}</ref>

==Modern usage==
[[File:20150623 Königliche Hand IMG 5570 by sebaso (cropped).jpg|thumb|Royal livery of claret and black, as used on [[State and royal cars of the United Kingdom|state cars]] and carriages in the UK]]
[[File:NYC Taxi Ford Crown Victoria.jpg|thumb|[[New York City]] [[Taxicabs of New York City|taxicab]] in mandated [[Yellow cab|yellow]] [[Taxicab livery|taxi cab livery]]]]
[[File:Mercedes Vito Estonian police with ambulance.png|thumb|An [[Estonia|Estonian]] [[ambulance]] and [[Police and Border Guard Board|police]] van in [[Tallinn]], displaying their respective fleet liveries]]
[[File:Habillage-transilien.jpg|thumb|[[Transilien]] [[rolling stock]] livery in [[Paris]], [[design]] by the French agency [[RCP Design Global]]]]
[[File:Porsche 935-77 Baby in the Porsche-Museum (2009) IMG 7412.jpg|thumb|right|[[Porsche 935]] in iconic [[Martini Racing]] livery]]

From this core meaning, multiple extended or specialist meanings have derived, mostly related to exterior graphic designs on vehicles. Examples include:
*A [[livery company]] is the name used for a [[guild]] in the [[City of London]]; members of the company were allowed to dress their servants in the distinctive uniform of their trade, and the company's charters enabled them to prevent others from embarking upon the trades within the company's jurisdiction.
* A fleet livery is the common design and paint scheme a business or organization uses on its [[Fleet vehicle|fleet vehicles]], often using specific colors and [[logo]] placement. For example, the [[United Parcel Service]] has trucks with a well-known brown livery. This may sometimes used alongside [[wrap advertising]]. Fleet liveries can be used to promote a brand or for unrelated advertising compared to the goods contained in the vehicle. This can enable companies to become iconic as a result of their livery. An example is the truck fleet of [[Eddie Stobart Group]], which has a deal with [[Corgi Toys|Corgi]] to sell replicas of their trucks with their unique red, green, and white livery.<ref>[http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/corgi-eddie-stobart-curtainside-truck-ty86646/36913954 CORGI Eddie Stobart Curtainside Truck]. Image of die-cast, 1:64 scale model of Stobart including authentic livery.</ref>
** Fleet liveries are also used by [[Emergency service|emergency services]] to make emergency vehicles visually distinct from civilian traffic, allowing for higher visibility and easy identification. Depending on the policies of the agency and the scope of its jurisdiction, the livery used by an emergency vehicle fleet may be the same or similar across a municipality, region, or entire country; alternatively, they may differ in each municipality or region, under each agency, or even depending on the vehicle's assigned purpose. Examples of markings and designs used in emergency vehicle liveries include [[Black and white (police vehicle)|black and white]], [[Battenburg markings]], [[Sillitoe tartan]], [[Jam sandwich (police car)|"jam sandwich" markings]], and reflective [[Decal|decals]].
* A racing livery is the specific paint scheme and sticker design used in [[motorsport]], on vehicles, in order to attract sponsorship and to advertise sponsors, as well as to identify vehicles as belonging to a specific racing team.
* [[Aircraft livery]] is also the term describing the paint scheme of an aircraft. Most airlines have a standard paint scheme for their aircraft fleet, usually prominently displaying the airline logo or name. From time to time special liveries are introduced, for example prior to big events.
* A "livery vehicle" remains a legal [[Jargon|term of art]] in the [[United States|U.S.]] and Canada for a [[vehicle for hire]], such as a [[Taxi|taxicab]] or chauffeured [[limousine]], but excluding a rented vehicle driven by the renter. In some jurisdictions a "livery vehicle" covers vehicles that carry up to fifteen passengers, but not more, thus including a [[Share taxi|jitney]] but excluding an [[bus|omnibus]] or [[motorcoach]]. This usage stems from the [[hackney carriage|hackney]] cabs or coaches that could be provided by a [[livery stable]]. By extension, there are [[boat livery]] companies for the hire of watercraft. Canada has many businesses offering [[canoe livery]].
* A [[Livery yard|livery stable]] (from 1705, derived from the obsolete sense of "provender for horses" found in the mid-15th century)<ref name="OEtymD">{{OEtymD|livery|accessdate=2015-01-03}}</ref> looks after the care, feeding, stabling, etc., of horses for pay.

==Historical military usage==
The term "livery" is now rarely applied in a military context, so it would be unusual for it to refer to a [[military uniform]] or the painting design of a military vehicle. The modern military equivalent for "livery" is the term "standard issue", which is used when referring to the colors and regulations required in respect of any military clothing or equipment.

Early uniforms were however regarded as a form of livery ("the King's coat") during the late 17th and early 18th centuries in the European monarchies.<ref>{{cite book|first=John|last=Mollo|page=30|title=Military Fashion|date=1972|isbn=0-214-65349-8}}</ref> During this period, officers of the French [[Garde du Corps (France)|''Garde du Corps'']] (the Royal Bodyguard) successfully petitioned to not be required to wear uniforms while on duty within the palace at Versailles, since this livery suggested that they were servants rather than aristocrats.

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="hrh30yrs">{{cite book |title=30 Years On and Off the Box Seat |author=HRH the Duke of Edinburgh |author-link=Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh |year=2005 |publisher=J. A. Allen |isbn=0851318983 |ol=11598049M}}</ref>

<ref name="royal-encyclo">{{cite book |editor1-last=Allison |editor1-first=Ronald |editor2-last=Riddell |editor2-first=Sarah |title=The Royal Encyclopedia |date=1991 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |ol=10550080M |isbn=0333538102}}</ref>

}}

==Further reading==
{{Wiktionary}}
{{Commons category|Livery (clothing)}}
* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Livery,_1898_(IA_livery189800roge).pdf&page=8 Rogers Peet & Co, Outfitters, ''Livery'', New York, 1898] (treatise on clothing styles of various grades of domestic servants)

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Late Middle Ages]]
[[Category:Liveries]]
[[Category:Uniforms]]