Unfortunately, the urban legend that Michelangelo designed the Swiss Guard uniform was just that- a legend. But the history of the Swiss Guard uniform is compelling even without the association with the Renaissance master.
The colorful military dress was actually created in 1914 by Jules Repond. A single uniform is made of 154 pieces and must be custom tailored for each guard.
If you walk by the Porto Pio entrance to Vatican City, you might catch a glimpse of the Swiss Guards wearing night uniforms during the day. Porto Pio is the only entrance that admits cars, and the guards wear less intricate plain blue uniforms because the 154 pieces of the dress uniform have a tendency to get snagged on passing car mirrors, ruining the beautiful Swiss Guard uniforms.
To see the guards for yourself, and learn more about their history, come on our Vatican Museum Tour!