Rayadillo was a blue-and-white striped cotton or flannel material used to make the military uniforms worn by Spanish colonial soldiers from the mid 19th century until the early 20th century. It was commonly worn by soldiers posted in overseas Spanish tropical colonies and later, Spanish Morocco and Spanish Guinea.
Use
It became popular after being worn during the Spanish–American War, and was later adopted by the Philippine Army. It also served as the summer uniform of the regular army in Spain until replaced by khaki drill in 1914.
Appearance
The term rayadillo is Spanish, which translates to "striped material". In the mid-19th century, this material was referred to as being of hilo listado azure, or "blue striped thread". It was known as dril azul rayado or "blue striped drill" by the end of the century. Early examples of the fabric seemed to have had light blue stripes which were widely separated, while surviving examples of uniform jackets and trousers from the 1890s have thinner stripes of a darker blue, known during that period as mil rayas – literally, "a thousand stripes". Seen from a distance, rayadillo looked either very light blue or blue-gray. The garments were known to the British commentators as "pyjamas", due to a fancied resemblance to striped sleeping garments,
Philippines
The Revolutionary Army of the First Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo also employed the same fabric in their military uniforms during the later years of the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War.
Along with pith helmets, which were also first worn by the Spanish in Southeast Asia, the rayadillo uniform became strongly associated with Imperialism and was a symbol of colonial rule. In the Philippines, the Rayadillo uniform is synonymous with the First Republic and the Philippine American War (1899-1902).
In more recent times, rayadillo patterns have made a reappearance in the world of clothing and tailoring in general, and have been popularised in everyday garments, specially in trousers, also known as mil rayas.
Rayadillo military uniforms
Military uniforms made out of the rayadillo material were of a number of patterns:
Spanish Empire
Guerrera
The guerrera, or campaign jacket worn with the rayadillo uniform was made of deep blue flannel and had two breast pockets with flaps. It was fastened by a single row of seven metal buttons. The jacket was patterned on the tunic officially prescribed for general wear by the infantry of the Spanish Peninsular Army on August 18, 1886. The guerrera was worn by Spanish troops stationed in the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico. The Philippine-issue rayadillo patterned guerrera was distinguishable from those issued in Cuba and Puerto Rico by a standing collar and concealed button fly front. A single hook and eye is found at the bottom of the collar opening. This uniform was issued in 1891 until 1898.
Guayabera
The guayabera was patterned on a traditional Cuban work jacket. The tunic features pleats down the front and center back and four large cargo pockets on the skirt. It may or may not have a concealed button fly front. Bone is the preferred material for buttons; those on the shoulder strap and pockets are sometimes covered in rayadillo fabric. A thin white cotton lining is found in the interior shoulder area. Evidence culled from period photographs indicate these uniforms being issued about 1896 until 1898.
Philippine Republic
The Filipino mambisa military tunic was instituted by what would eventually become the Philippine Republic during the Tejeros Convention. It had two broad bands of matching fabric spanning the frontal area from the shoulders down to the hem. These concealed horizontal breast pockets which had vertical pocket flaps with buttons of either brass or covered with rayadillo fabric. The brass buttons were either unadorned or decorated with a "mythological sun" motif. Officers' tunics had slits in the skirt's side that allowed a hand gun holster and a sword to be attached to a belt worn under the tunic. Infantry officers wore blue pants with two white stripes down the sides, while Cavalry officers wore red trousers with black stripes.