Jester like? Say that to one of them I dare ya. The Guard wears a uniform. Jester's wear motley, or multi color, specifically because it is un-uniform or un-affiliated. But since the uniform is so colorful and old in style I guess I can see the allusion. When the Guard first came to Rome in 1506, there was no such thing as a uniform. The Swiss Guard, like most "armies" of that time were mercenaries and might be fighting for one side one day and the other the next,Members of a unit might wear a specific hat,feather, flower, or even a twig to identify themselves. Uniforms were just beginning to become popular, clothes in general were more colorful, multi-colored, and, to our eyes, overly decorated. Uniforms usually were in the colors of the coat of arms of there family the unit served.The Swiss Guards were shod and dressed, at the Pope's expense, Julius II, Pope in 15063-13, family was della Rovere, whose family colors were blue and yellow, and the coat of arms included an oak twig and leaves. The next pope 1513-21 was LeoX, a Medici whose family colors included red,yellow, and blue and red was added to the uniform. The Guard's uniform changed over the years, in early 19th century it was "Napoleonic" ( picture American Revolution uniforms )with cocked hat and knee britches but remained yellow, blue, and red. Today the Guard's regular day to day uniform is dark blue with red and yellow shoulder boards, collar tabs and trimmings and looks like most other European cop uniforms. There is a more formal uniform of dark blue robe, knee britches and stockings worn by more ceremonial sentries. The current full ceremonial uniform ( the jester like one?) only dates back to around 1915! Commandant Jules Repond designed it with inspiration from Raphael, THE artist of the 1500's. It is in the colors of the Medicis and the helmet, or morion ( maybe familiar from pics of the Spanish Conquistadores of America) has an engraved oak twig of the Rovere's. Pics? Court jesters http://images.google.com/images?q=court+jester&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&start=0&sa=N Swiss Guard uniform http://images.google.com/images?q=swiss+guard&ie=ISO-8859-1&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images Swiss cheese http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=swiss+cheese&btnG=Search Cheese guard http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=cheese+guard&btnG=Search Swiss army knife http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=swiss+army+knife&btnG=Search Swiss navy knife http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=swiss+army+knife&btnG=Search ( !!!!)

The funny uniforms were designed by Raphael. also, the swiss guard are known as the most loyal bodyguards in the world, although the Popes real security comes from undercover plain-clothed agents who follow him

The Swiss Guard (Papal guards and guards of the Vatican) had their uniform designed by Michelangelo over 500 years ago. The only change since that time happened in the 1970's when they were issued gas masks. The Swiss Guard have been responsible for guarding the smallest city-state in the world for centuries.