Army drag - Greek soldiers of the Evzone Units, by Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1935

 

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The Evzones or Evzonoi (Greek: Εύζωνες, Εύζωνοι) were several historical elite light infantry and mountain units of the Greek Army. Today, they are the members of the Presidential Guard, a ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Presidential Mansion in Athens. Also known, colloquially, as Tsoliádes (Greek plural: Τσολιάδες), Evzones are known for their distinctive uniform, which evolved from the dress worn by the klephts, bandits and insurgents who for several centuries fought the Ottoman occupation of Greece. Created in 1837, but at first in limited use, its popularity led to its adoption as the official uniform of the Evzones in 1868. The most particular, iconic item of this uniform is the knee-length fustanella, a white, many-layered kilt-like garment. The number of gathered pleats of the fustanella is romantically said to be equal to the duration of the Ottoman occupation - i.e., 400.