The Prussian army formed the core of the Imperial German army after unification in 1870, and the first foot guards regiment was a Prussian unit, first raised in 1688. On parade it wore, as a mark of its special place in the army establishment, a MITRE cap instead of the otherwise ubiquitous Pickelhaube. This cap was an echo of army headwear from the eighteenth century.

The Line regiments all wore the Picklehaube, albeit with some variations in the helmet plates from one state to another. Parade uniforms were invariably Prussian blue and trousers white for summer. A horsehair plume was worn on the helmet as part of the parade uniform.