India Hicks Home Chevron Placemats | Set of 4

In the olden days, what we now see as the gold shoulder braid on high-ranking officers—called an aiguillette (pronounced “egg-wee-let”)—was originally just rope and pegs. It was carried on the shoulder by a knight’s aide-de-camp, ready to tether the knight’s horse. The ornamental braided cords with decorative metal tips are now worn on uniforms by officers to distinguish special and senior appointments, but wouldn’t it be fun if they were still used to tether the occasional horse? This hand block printed Chevron patterned placemat set draws its inspiration from those striking gold braids.