Editing Carabinieri (section)

== Uniforms ==
[[File:2june 2007 035d.jpg|200px|thumb|Dress uniform]]
{{See also|Uniforms of the Italian Armed Forces#Arma dei Carabinieri (Gendarmerie)|Rank insignia of the Carabinieri}}

The Carabinieri, as a military and police force, have various uniforms for different functions. For each type of uniform there are seasonal variants and (except for service, combat and historical) versions for men and women.<ref name="carabinieri.it">{{Cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/uniformi|title = Uniformi}}</ref> How, when and why they are to be worn is dictated by the ''"R-11 "Regulation on Uniforms for the Carabinieri Arma''" published by the Carabinieri General Command in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/classificazione/uso-delle-uniformi|title = Uso delle uniformi}}</ref>

The uniforms of the Carabinieri are divided into: 
# historical and full dress
# ordinary,
# service,
# representative, (for warrant officers, NCOs and constables) 
# Great Winter Uniform (GUI) / Great Summer Uniform (GUE) (for officers) 
# operational use
# athletic gear

Those of service, representation and GUI/GUE are a derivation of the ordinary.<ref name="carabinieri.it"/>

===History===
Originally, the Carabinieri were issued a distinctive uniform in black with silver braid around the collar and cuffs, edges trimmed in scarlet and epaulettes in silver. The mounted division had white fringes, and the infantry had light blue. Their headgear was a distinctive [[bicorne]], popularly called the ''lucerna'' (in use only for historical uniform and ceremonies).<ref name=cab>{{cite web|title=The ancient Corps of the Royal Carabinieri|access-date=2009-05-20|publisher=Carabinieri|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/Internet/Multilingua/EN/HistoricalReferences/01_EN.htm}}</ref>
They still use a version of the historic uniform today for ceremonies.<ref name=cab />

===Design===
The uniform that the [[Gendarmerie]] wore in 1814 consisted of a [[Turquoise (color)|turquoise]] fabric buttoned suit with a blue collar and padded gloves. Since 1822, some small changes have been made to the uniform. Officials and Marshals had silver swords and sabres, both in a black leather [[scabbard]]. At the beginning of the 20th Century, the rules of the dress code were reinforced because of [[World War I]].

Troopers had three different types of uniforms: the ''Complete uniform'', the ''Ordinary uniform'', and the ''Effort uniform''. The Carabinieri's uniform at that time was made of a green-grey cloth material, and was used by all soldiers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/ieri/equipaggiamento-e-materiali/1910-1940/le-uniformi/l%27uniforme-di-guerra---1940|title=War uniform – 1940|website=Carabinieri|publisher=Ministry of Defence|language=it|access-date=8 October 2018}}</ref>

===Historical and Ceremonial (Special) uniform===
[[File:Dmitry Medvedev in Italy, June 2011-12.jpeg|thumb|Ceremonial uniforms worn by the Carabinieri during a Russian [[state visit]] to Italy]]
For historical and ceremonial use, the Carabinieri uniform consists of a distinctive black uniform made of silver [[braid]]s around the collar and cuffs, edges trimmed in scarlet and [[epaulettes]] in silver. The fringes of the mounted division are white, and the infantry has light blue. The headgear used is the traditional two-pointed hat for Carabinieri, known as the Lucerna, also called a [[bicorne]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.relicmilitaria.com/product/italy-italian-carabinieri-lucernabicorne-hatceremonial-headdress-circa-1970s-scarce/|title=Bicorne hat, ceremonial headdress|publisher=Relic Militaria|access-date=10 November 2018}}</ref>

During the 1980s [[Giorgio Armani]] designed the new more modern uniforms.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2014/jul/10/giorgio-armani-80-eight-facts-fashion-designer|title=Giorgio Armani at 80: eight things you didn't know about the fashion designer|last=Cochrane|first=Lauren|date=10 July 2014|work=The Guardian}}</ref>

===Ordinary uniform===
[[File:Walking Carabinieri.JPG|thumb|Carabinieri in everyday ordinary uniform, winter version. Note the pistol worn on the left side for cross-draw purposes and the white cross-belt. (March 2015)]]

The modern Carabinieri Force uniform is coloured in black for every seasonal version, with small variations on weather basis (coat or wind jacket), and is composed of:

*a four-button jacket with shoulder pads: all buttons on the uniform are silvered
*a shirt underneath in white, with two pockets
*trousers have a classic cut, with four pockets and has two vertical red stripes along the outer side of both legs, stretching from the hips to the ankles
*flat black shoes are worn.

The uniform is accompanied by accessories such as:

*the black tie, 
*the white cross-belt, or [[Sam Browne belt|Sam Browne]] or no belt, 
*peaked cap (males), bowler cap (females) 
*black leather gloves,
*V-neck sweater
*wind-breaker
*waterproof coat

There are differences for season, duties, rank and location. For instance, in the summer the four-button jacket and white shirt and tie are replaced with a short-sleeved blue shirt.

Depending on the weather conditions, the uniform can be worn with a waterproof coat (or beaver cloth for officers) and an anorak. Inside the military installations, the jacket can be removed or replaced with the "V-neck" sweater.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/classificazione/uniforme-ordinaria|title = Uniforme ordinaria}}</ref>

In 2020 new 'bomber-style jackets', with appropriate logos were introduced which can be worn instead of the four-button jacket. The white cross belt is still worn on top and either a roll-neck base layer or a white shirt and tie is worn underneath.

Accessories are the same, although ''Wanted in Rome'' reported that: ''"The old leather holster will also be retired, replaced by an external belt with a quick-release holster, made of plastic material.  The old gloves will be replaced with modern, cut-resistant gloves.  However, style has not been sacrificed for function, begging the question, are the Carabinieri of Rome the most stylish police force in the world?"'' <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/italys-carabinieri-get-a-new-uniform-complete-with-neck-warmer.html|title = Italy's Carabinieri get a new uniform complete with neck warmer|date = 14 December 2020}}</ref>

====Headdress====
The regulation peaked cap is rigid with a ''frieze'' of the Carabinieri (metallic for pinned, Carabinieri and students, embroidered in silver fabric for NCOs, gilded for the inspectors and officers while for the generals the frieze is the eagle of the staff with RI monogram in the centre, silver for brigade and division generals, gold for corps generals). The commanding officers of the department wear the frieze embroidered in gold-edged with red.

The official emblem is placed at the center of the cap.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/classificazione|title=Regular uniform-Carabinieri|website=Carabinieri|publisher=Ministry of Defence|language=it|access-date=8 October 2018}}</ref>

Each cap is black and has a wimple held by two rounded buttons, the wimple is black for carabinieri, pinned, brigadiers and students; for the chief brigadiers the wimple is also black but with the addition of a silver galloncino mottled with black. The wimple becomes silver mottled with black in the center from the rank of marshal to that of chief marshal with the number of chevrons increasing as the rank increases. For the major marshals, the wimple is silver edged in red with three silver gallons flecked with black; for the top rank of non-commissioned officers, i.e. the lieutenant, the wiggle is silver edged in red with four silver braids edged in red.

For the lower officers, the wiggle and the braids are entirely in silver without streaks, for the superior officers, the wiggle becomes a double braided cord always silver with silver braids. Finally, for the general officers, the wimple becomes a silver braid with silver braids.

Other forms of headdress include berets and mountain-style caps. Carabinieri MP Units also wear a dark navy blue beret.

===Service uniform===
[[File:Carabinieri a cavallo.jpg|thumb|Carabinieri on horseback wearing '''service''' uniform for mounted duty; note the riding safety helmet with capbadge and tall boots.]]
The service uniform is essentially the same as the ordinary uniform but is adapted for the specific duty of the soldier.
 
E.g.:
*mountainous areas – [[ski]] patrol; ski kit is worn, 
*mounted (horseback) patrol; different boots are worn, 
*'radio-mobile' (car) patrol; different boots and a 'paletta' (stop sign used to stop vehicles) are worn, etc.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/classificazione/accessori-uniformi-di-servizio|title = Accessori uniformi di servizio}}</ref>

===Representative (dress) uniform===
''(For carabinieri, NCOs, warrant officers, officers.)''

The representative uniform is essentially the same as the ordinary uniform, but worn for more formal, but still on duty occasions, where the ordinary and ceremonial uniforms are unsuitable. It differs from the ordinary uniform for the following elements:

*white cords (agiluettes) on the four-button jacket, 
*sabre (sword) with pendants and dragon, 
*black belt with shoulder strap (only marshals and chief brigadiers) or white cross-belt/bandolier (for the remaining staff).
*white gloves
*and a black-cape in colder conditions<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/classificazione/un-di-rappresentanza|title=Un. Di rappresentanza}}</ref>

Sometimes the pistol is worn with the sword, other times it is not. The cap worn is the peaked cap.

===Operational uniform===
The operational uniform is worn for public order (riot) situations, raids, cross-country work and is worn for operations only.
It is blue in color with red piping and a 'Polychrome' uniform.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/classificazione/uniforme-operativa|title = Uniforme operativa}}</ref>

It consists of:

*jacket (with four patch pockets, shoulder straps fastened by a button and thermal lining) and trousers; 
*blue fleece suit (to be used as an alternative to the sweater); 
*blue neckerchief with red piping; 
*black leather gloves with reinforcement; 
*operational black amphibious ankle boots
*and a dark-blue beret with cap badge

A "particular" version of this uniform is worn by the soldiers of the Special Intervention Group, as well as the following departments: The "Tuscania" CC Parachute Regiment, Carabinieri Regiment on Horseback and Airborne Squadrons CC Cacciatori. The colours (for the trousers and jacket) are often camouflage rather than blue and red and maroon/red (for the beret) rather than blue.

Riot helmets, body-armour, equipment vests, rescue helmets etc., are worn when necessary.

===Gymnastic===
It consists of a tracksuit (jacket and pants), t-shirt and shorts.

The suit consists of a jacket and long trousers in blue fabric, with red inserts. The jacket is made up of a body with a central zip, two detachable sleeves with a zip and a collar.
The trousers consist of two leggings, an elastic waistband with a drawstring at the waist and a zip at the bottom. The jacket, the T-shirt and the shorts bear the ''frieze'' of the Carabinieri.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/classificazione/uniformi-ginniche|title=Uniformi ginniche}}</ref>

===Other===
There are also evening-dress style (mess kit) uniforms for dinners and galas, as well as variations for the above uniform for occasions (e.g. medals, sabres to be worn etc.).

''The full set of different Carabinieri uniforms today is presented here ([http://www.carabinieri.it/Internet/Arma/Oggi/Uniformi/ in Italian]).''

====Females====
[[File:Arma dei Carabinieri female officer in uniform .jpg|thumb|Arma dei Carabinieri female warrant officer in '''ordinary''' uniform. Note the [[Sam Browne belt]] worn by warrant officers ]]
The uniforms adopted for female staff are essentially an adaptation of the male ones.

The variants concern the buttoning, the shape of the jackets (without upper pockets), the use of skirts inside the Offices, off-duty or with formal uniforms and shoes.

No changes were made to any other items of clothing/equipment already in use by male personnel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carabinieri.it/arma/oggi/uniformi/classificazione/uniformi-femminili|title = Uniformi femminili}}</ref>

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