| A sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and | | | | ceremonies, by high school homecoming parade |
| it is generally tied about the waist. "Sash" is an Arabic | | | | candidates, in beauty pageants, as well as in teamed |
| loanword introduced into the English language in 1590. | | | | parties. |
| By tradition, Sashes are part of formal military attire. | | | | The modern British Army preserve a scarlet sash to |
| Most of the European Royal families wear sashes as | | | | wear in certain orders of dress by sergeants and |
| a part of their royal symbol. In Latin America and some | | | | above serving in infantry regiments, over the right |
| countries of Africa, a particular presidential sash | | | | shoulder to the left hip. The contemporary armies of |
| indicates a president's authority. | | | | India and Pakistan both make wide use of waist |
| In France and Italy, sashes, featuring the national flag | | | | sashes for ceremonial wear. The colors differ usually |
| tricolors and worn on the right shoulder, are employed | | | | according to division or branch and match those of the |
| by public authorities and local representatives. Similarly, | | | | turbans where worn. In general, two or more colors |
| Italian military officers wear light blue sashes over the | | | | are incorporated in the sash, in vertical stripes. |
| right shoulder on official occasions. Sashes are a | | | | Additionally to what was stated above, several other |
| characteristic feature of the modern French Army for | | | | modern armies preserve sashes to be worn by |
| parade uniforms. They are worn around the waist | | | | officers in ceremonial uniforms, such as the armies of |
| either in dark blue or red by corps such as the Foreign | | | | Norway - crimson sashes, Sweden - yellow and blue, |
| Legion. | | | | Greece - light blue and white, the Netherlands - orange, |
| During the American Civil War (1861-65) silk sashes in | | | | Portugal - crimson and Spain - red and gold and also |
| crimson were approved for officers and red lace | | | | light blue. In Ireland, particularly Northern Ireland, the sash |
| sashes for non-commissioned officers of the regular | | | | represents the Orange Order. Initially, Orange Order |
| US Army. Nowadays, the sash has picked up a more | | | | sashes were of the ceremonial shoulder-to-hip variety |
| official (sometimes unofficial) and less practical use. | | | | as worn by the British military. |
| Sashes are used at higher education inauguration | | | | |