Early War French Uniform Question

[Guest eharvey]

I am in the process of painting a miniature of a French captain in mobilization attire and am confused about the color of his short jacket. One of my references, Andre' Jouineau's "French Army 1914", suggests that, on mobilization, infantry officers wore a bluish iron grey smock. Another reference, Osprey's "The French Army 1914-18", however, states that junior officers wore at the Great War's outset a vareuse or short jacket that was black in color. So which is correct or are they both correct (i.e. did officers have some latitude in the color jackets they could choose from or was the "bluish iron grey smock" so dark as to approach black in color)? Thanks in advance for any assistance rendered.

[mconrad]

Are you using "jacket" in its most strict sense --- reaching only to the waist, with not skirts? "Smock" to me implies skirts over the thighs.

[Guest eharvey]

Given these definitions it would be more fitting to describe him as wearing a smock which extends to his upper thighs.

[mconrad]

The attached page is probably a better reference (from L'Armee Francaise dans la Premier Guerre Mondiale, by Mirouze and Dekerle, Militaria Verlag, 2007):

It says that the 1913 vareuse shown replaced a black 1893 model that had visible buttons.

[mconrad]

Try also http://lagrandeguerre.cultureforum.net/t10004-la-vareuse-d-officier-modele-1913