Field officer's full dress coatee, 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot, 1795 (c)

The 56th's red coats originally had crimson facings when the regiment was raised in 1755, but in 1764 they were changed to purple. This colour was sometimes called pompadour as it was said to be the favourite colour of Louis XV's mistress, Madame de Pompadour. The Regiment was even given the nickname of 'The Pompadours'.