Old Guard is a term for a group within the gay BDSM community that operates under strict military-style protocols. The term is believed to have originated in the leather S&M clubs of the late 1940s and '50s. Leather continued to be worn throughout the history of the Old Guard. The group was very secretive, as it arose at a time when anything concerning homosexuality or BDSM was considered taboo. Many members of the Old Guard were World War II veterans, and this helped inform the group’s military-style disciplinary measures. There was also overlap with the biker scene. Members also wore a sort of "uniform," which initially included a motorcycle jacket and leather chaps, gloves, cap and pants, and later expanded to include other elements like body harnesses, arm bands and leather vests.
