New to history and I've noticed how almost every military had bright uniforms prior to WW1 and I even heard about how French Soldiers were easy to pick off in WW1 because of their blue outfit. So why was it that no one had blander more natural colours until WW1?
Identification and morale, as the dimensions of combat in the days of musketry aren't quite the same as the ones of today. And sometimes, just outright fashion. u/StoryWonker and u/dandan_noodles explain further in this thread. As always, should anyone have more insight to contribute, further posts are always welcome!