Photos of the VV Rouleaux Ribbon shop

Looked into buying real medal ribbons from this store but seeing that I needed around 30m, the costs came up to about £300, so I had a think again, obviously. Came to a conclusion that my ‘medals’ don’t need to be authentic medal ribbons, since the point now is not to highlight what the medals visually stand for, but to use the system and attitude to represent a new school of thought.

Quite a pity that the ribbons aren’t all the same width, and I’ve had to choose cheaper (i.e solid colour) options for larger categories.

Scanned from ‘A Manual for the Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals’, Andrew Hanham, 2005, Spink & Sons ltd, London, pg 79

Royal Navy – Personnel ribbons 13mm. When five or more are worn the ribbon is 10mm deep. With No.1C Dress the ribbons are sewn on the garments, but with No. !CW Dress a detachable, brooch-type ribbon bar is worn with the pin inserted through beckets in the correct positions.

* The ribbons in each row show all be visible and not covered by the left lapel. The top or only row show be 24mm below the point of the shoulder.

Scanned from ‘A Manual for the Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals’, Andrew Hanham, 2005, Spink & Sons ltd, London, pg 87

Army – Personnel ribbons width: 9.5mm. A single ribbon, or incomplete row of ribbons should be centered over the breast pocket button. The maximum number of ribbons in each row is either four or five, depending on the physigue of the individual and the type of uniform coat.

Scanned from ‘A Manual for the Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals’, Andrew Hanham, 2005, Spink & Sons ltd, London, pg 92

Royal Air Force – Personnel ribbons 11mm in depth. Senior ribbon worn nearest the lapel, and in the top row when more than one row is worn. A row should not consist of more than four ribbons, but when more than four are worn, they should be arranged to display as many complete rows of four as possible, with any incomplete row being placed centrally at the top and containing the ribbons of the most senior awards held.

All info from ‘A Manual for the Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals’, Andrew Hanham, 2005, Spink & Sons ltd, London

Image source

“Ribbons are read right to left, top-to-bottom”

How are these ribbons mounted?

Types

Ribbon strips are widths of riband which are won alone to signify the orders, decorations and medals which the wearer has received. They are usually worn with uniform, and are placed above the left breast pocket.

Medal ribbons may be sewn onto strips of buckram or similar material and then stitched on to the uniform or coat; or they may be sewn onto a brooch pin, allowing them to be detached from the coat or uniform as required.

*All British orders, decorations and medals may be represented on the ribbon bar with the exception of the Orders of the Garter and the Thistle, and the two Baronets’ Badges.

Arrangement

Ribbons are arranged side-by-side in strict accordance with the ‘order of wear’ with no gaps showing and no overlapping.

Dimensions of Ribbons

The depth of ribbons (i.e. from top to bottom) should measure 13mm for the Royal Navy; 9.5mm for the Royal Marines and the Army; and 1.1mm for the RAF.

Scanned from ‘A Manual for the Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals’, Andrew Hanham, 2005, Spink & Sons ltd, London, pg 37

So the width of ribbons on a panel are different depending on what outfit you are in… Maximum width: 51mm (Order of Merit)