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Dress Uniform for the Secret Service

President Richard M. Nixon, impressed by the imperial pageantry of European guards, attempted to create a more formal atmosphere for his own state occasions. He had these uniforms esigned in 1970 for the White House Secret Service Uniformed Division. While Americans expect a certain degree of formality, they are wary of too much pomp and circumstance. The gold-trimmed tunics and peaked hats struck many as a comical try at emulating the trappings of royalty. The black hat was the first to go, replaced by a soft white one. The entire uniform was abandoned in the mid-1970s.