Etiquette and Chauffeur Attire

The color of your chauffeur’s clothing depends, traditionally, on the “family” color, which is used also for the footman's liveries. The liveries and the automobile are often the same color.

Clothes for a Chauffeur

Note: Like other male members of the staff, the chauffeur should be clean-shaven.

The most formally dressed chauffeur wears breeches, cut very like riding breeches, high-laced shoes with leggings or puttees; and a coat that buttons high up under his chin like U. S. Army uniforms in the first World War; and, always, black leather gloves. The edge of a stiff white collar should be just visible above the collar of the livery. This used to be called the "French livery"; another version had a high V-neck and was worn with a plain black four in hand tie. Winter liveries are made of wool, usually in black, maroon, dark blue or bottle-green.

The color depends, traditionally, on the "family" color, which is used also for the footman's liveries. The liveries and the automobile are often the same color. Over the livery, in very cold weather, there is a long, double-breasted overcoat of the same material, which often has a fur collar, usually astrakhan. In summer, the chauffeur wears a livery cut in the same way as the winter livery but made of black or dark-gray alpaca. All liveries and overcoats have plain buttons of the same color as the cloth, or silver buttons which can be embossed with the family crest. 

A chauffeur's cap, in the same material and in the same color as the livery, with a patent-leather visor, completes the costume. If there is a footman, who sits in front next to the chauffeur, he is dressed exactly like him.— From Vogue’s Book of Etiquette, 1948

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