The original RAF officers peaked cap had a patent leather peak, initially worn with the short lived cap band rank bars for junior officers which were removed in October 1918.
MB
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For an interesting piece of history see
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Just to throw a spanner in the works… take a look at an RN Officers cap, Cdr or above, the peak is not patent. They are felt backed… we don’t trust our senior officers not to mess them up and get finger marks all over them!
Looks like patent leather peaks were swapped for fabric in 1920. Interesting that Group Captains and Air Officers wore fabric with no gold leaf 1920-1932. From 1918-1920 ranks from Major/Sqn Ldr to Colonel/Group Captain wore a single row of gold leaf. The army style ranks were replaced by the familiar RAF ranks on 01 August 1919.
MB
Not being able to answer about the RN caps, I can answer about the guards buttons. The buttons are arranged differently according to which guards regiment the wearer belongs. If you look on the bearskin there is for some regiments a small coloured hackle/ plume arranged either on the left or right side. The colour and position signifies the wearers regiment.
They also wear big shiny noisey boots because they are the guards and they can.
They are based on the Army Service/Barrack Dress cap, back to when we needed to forge a uniform for ourselves and at back when.