A vegetable dye, it was recognised as economical, simple and reliable and remained the first choice for lower quality reds from the ancient world until chemical dyes became cheaper in the latter 19th century. In Europe, red-coloured coats are still used by the Danish Royal Life Guards, [84] and the Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene of the Royal Netherlands Army. a b Historiae Catholicae Iberniae Compendium by Philip O'Sullivan Beare (1621), Tome II, Bk IV, Chap III, translated as Ireland Under Elizabeth by Matthew J. Additionally, red dye was relatively inexpensive and could hide bloodstains, which was considered beneficial in battle. A soldier would have to pay for food and forage beyond the supplied rations – and for any other extras such as beer – out of his wage.

It encapsulates centuries of British military history, from the fields of the English Civil War to the ceremonial parades of today. The value of drab clothing was quickly recognised by the British Army, who introduced khaki drill for Indian and colonial warfare from the mid-19th century on. As a result, some armoured regiments and artillery units substitute dark blue, Canadian-Scottish regiments "archer green", and all rifle/ Voltigeur regiments " rifle green" for scarlet tunics as a part of their full dress. The French North African spahi regiments also wore madder-red zouave style jackets until their disbandment in 1962.The cloth for private soldiers used up until the late 18th century was plain weave broadcloth weighing 16 oz per square yard, made from coarser blends of English wool. They were a big part of Zulu tactical doctrine but also had deeper meanings, both on and off the battlefield. Various dye goods were used for these middle quality reds, but lac, pigment extracted from the vegetable resin shellac, was the most common basis. The scarlet tunic is presently used as part of the full dress uniforms for the Life Guards and several other cavalry units, the Foot Guards, the Royal Engineers, line infantry regiments, generals, and most army staff officers of the British Army. It was to be "tied a little below the upper part of the collar of the coat, and to be ten inches in length" with one inch of hair below the tie.

This tendency towards variations in appearance, commented on by contemporary observers, would subsequently be compounded by weather bleaching and soaking. Thereafter red coatees became the normal parade and battle dress for marine infantry, although the staining effects of salt spray meant that white fatigue jackets and subsequently blue undress tunics were often substituted for shipboard duties. However, in the days of the musket (a weapon of limited range and accuracy) and black powder, battle field visibility was quickly obscured by clouds of smoke.As noted above, the 16th century military historian Julius Ferretus asserted that the colour red was favoured because of the supposedly demoralising effect of blood stains on a uniform of a lighter colour. The weights often quoted in contemporary documents are given per running yard, though; so for a cloth of 54" width a yard weighed 24 oz. John Cookson suggests that serving with the army did command a certain respect, and those men that became the holder of an office "could lay claim to the title of [being a] gentleman". The Irish Brigade of the French Army (1690-1792) wore red coats supposedly to show their origins and continued loyalty to the cause of Jacobitism. A common recipe for feeding the troops was beef broth and potatoes – a hearty, warm and filling meal that could normally feed up to eight men.

Small beer was often brewed to kill any germs that was present in the water, and was one way in which to reduce the spread and rates of disease. The red coat continues to be worn with pride in ceremonial full-dress and mess dress uniforms, not just in the United Kingdom but across the Commonwealth of Nations. Scarlet for the Royal Marines now (2021) survives only in the mess uniform jackets of officers and senior NCOs.Though, by the 20th century, the red coat was abandoned for practical duties in favour of khaki by all British Empire military units, it continues to be used for ceremonial full dress and mess dress uniforms in many countries of the Commonwealth of Nations. A regiment of Dragoons, for example, would have needed to carry extra equipment for their horses including nose bags and horse pickets. The 16th-century military historian Julius Ferretus stated that the reason behind the red uniform of the English soldiers was to conceal blood stains but this claim is questionable because blood does in fact show on red clothing as a black stain. Wearing the red coat was a matter of honor, showing their loyalty to their fellow soldiers and their country. After a long, gruelling campaign in the Peninsular, France was finally invaded in 1814 - a staggering turn around when one considers the difficulties experienced by the British, Spanish and Portuguese since 1807.

In 1827 United States Artillery company musicians were wearing red coats as a reversal of their branch facing colour. Punishments were often painful and disgraceful to discourage those who witnessed them from undergoing the same fate.The latter unit's red-coloured tunics are derived from British style red coats, in commemoration of the unit's foundation in exile in the United Kingdom during World War II. In addition to full dress, the standard mess dress for the New Zealand Army includes a scarlet jacket with dark blue/black lapels. In 1765, a soldier was picquetted (made to stand on a tent-peg) without shoes for drunken misconduct. The earliest reference to the association with the lobster appears in 1740, just before the French and Indian War.