Pressed, Clean and Properly Fitted : A Photographic History of the Texas A&m University Corps of Cadets Uniform

The Corps of Cadets is the oldest student organization at Texas A&M University. Founded in 1876, when the university first opened its doors as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, the Corps is one of the more visible and pervasive Aggie traditions, with its members being easily identified by their distinctive uniforms. While this storied organization is found throughout Aggie history books, no documentation of the evolution of the various uniforms that cadets have donned over the last 150 years has existed until now.

In Pressed, Clean, and Properly Fitted: A Photographic History of the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets Uniform, author James C. Griffin III ’71 presents this missing history for the first time, piecing together the fascinating evolution of Corps dress from the organization’s founding to the present day. In true Aggie fashion, the overall nature and appearance of the uniform—senior boots with silver spurs and chains, Sam Browne belts, sabers, and shades of olive drab—has been consistent since the 1920s, connecting Aggies across generations and cementing the modern-day image of the Corps uniform that is an integral part of the university’s culture of tradition.

Hundreds of photographs with descriptive captions illustrate the many detailed changes made to Corps uniforms over the years, augmenting Griffin’s thorough coverage of the external factors and decision makers involved in the uniform’s long history of development. The three appendixes provide a concise timeline of uniform changes, a breakdown of uniform accoutrements, and a selection of research notes from primary source materials.

JAMES C. GRIFFIN III ’71 is a second-generation Aggie and was a member of the Corps of Cadets, company A-1, during his time at Texas A&M University. Upon graduation, he was commissioned into the army reserves and went on to become a career teacher and administrator. He currently resides near Mesquite, Texas.