1700s Late Gentlemen’s Coats. A fitted coat was an essential part of a gentleman’s wardrobe in the late 1800s and were generally tailored and cut to fit tightly. Therefore, gentlemen needed a valet, or some other helper, to extricate himself and his shoulders from his glove-like coat. Breeches and a waistcoat in the same fabric usually completed the 18th century’s gentleman ensemble. Coats were generally worn long at the back and had elaborate decoration down the front openings, collars, and sleeve cuffs.
1805-1808 ca. Man’s three-part court suit of coat, waistcoat, and breeches, French. Wool broadcloth embroidered with silk and metallic threads, spangles, and glass. Plum colored broadcloth embroidered with plum colored and white silk and chenille, silver thread, spangles and brilliants. Supposed to have been worn by the Hon. James Bowdoin, U.S. Minister to Spain, 1805-1808, at a ball given by Napoleon at the Tuileries. Worn with 01.110 and 01.111. Said to have been worn by the Hon. James Bowdoin, U.S. Minister to Spain from 1805-1808; to his grand-nephew, James Bowdoin Winthrop by inheritance; to James Bowdoin Winthrop’s nephew, Robert C. Winthrop, Jr. by inheritance; gift of Robert C. Winthrop, Jr. to MFA, February 1, 1901.
DIMENSIONS Coat: center back (collar to bottom of coat): 106 cm (41 3/4 in.) Waistcoat: center front: 55.2 cm (21.75 in.) Breeches: center front: 67.9 cm (26.75 in.)
1812 Tailcoat of Blue Drap, French. White Nankin trousers with ankle openings, knotted white cravat, short hair with sideburns, black shoes, holding a black hat and walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien. By 1812, men no longer wore complicated styles and extravagant fabrics. Men’s fashion simplified and became more conservative. A well cut tailcoat, vest, pantaloons and a cravat, either elaborately tied or simply knotted. Clothes were a status symbol and indicated a man’s social position. These clothing items were the sort worn by Jane Austen’s male family and friends on a daily basis.
Definition Drap: French equivalent for the English word cloth or stuff and generally applied to fabrics of wool or silk.
Definition Nankeen Or Nankin: Durable, buff colored cloth, made of Chinese cotton which is naturally brownish yellow. Originally brought from Nanking.
1806 Gentleman With A Hand In His Pocket, French. Green cutaway coat, extra high white cravat, white striped breeches, yellow topped black boots, tan gloves, fob on the waistband, and long cane. Typical Gentleman’s outfit as worn by men to daytime activities, such as escorting his female family members to the shops in Bond Street,London,or for walking in the park in Jane Austen’s times. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1815 French Couple. Lady in evening dress with scooped neckline on low-cut pink bodice, floral headpiece and long white gloves. Gentleman in brown tailcoat and stirrup trousers, vest, and casual necktie. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
The sort of fashionable outfits and items worn or carried by Jane Austen and her contemporaries when out in public. Ladies outfits for evening were accessorized with gloves, headdresses and jewelry and often dresses were of this shorter length for dancing. Gentlemen were always heavily accessorized as well with the essential of gloves, coats, waistcoats and neatly tied cravats. For more about the fashions of 1815, take a look at History Notes Books 23 and 28 men’s and women’s regency Era fashions.
Fashion Women 1815-1819 History Notes Book 28 What did Jane Austen wear? What was fashionable for women at the end of the Regency Era in Britain and the reconstruction in Europe after the wars. Book 28 for 1815-1819 in History Notes Includes fashions for mourning, riding, dresses, hats, shoes, reticules or bags, underclothing, accessories.
Fashion Men 1800-1819 History Notes Book 23 What was fashionable for men in early 1800s, or Jane Austen’s time, or Regency Era? Suits, hats, shoes, underclothing, fashion accessories, military and bedroom fashions. French fashions and Georgian and Regency Era fashions from Great Britain were copied around the world.
1805 Regency Group of Ladies and Gentlemen dressed as Jan Austen and her family and friends would have dressed. Ladies in dresses, bonnets, shawls, gloves, and carrying a reticule, or bag, and a parasol. Gentlemen in tailcoats, overcoats, trousers, vests, cravats, hats, boots and shoes and carrying walking sticks. via Men And Women In Costumes, 1804-1829. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division, The New York Public Library, U.S.A.
1800 Elegant Young French Gentleman. Pulling on his top coat over a long tan coat. Tan gloves, brown hat, brown boots, cane. Fashion Plate via suzilove.com and Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Overcoats: Called many names: Greatcoat, or Carrick, or Garrick, or Coachman’s, or Driving. Or Box Coat. Overcoats were voluminous and covered the other clothing. Usually with many capes, or collars, or pelerines covering the shoulders and with buttons down the front. Popular in the 19th century for riding, driving and travel as they kept the wearer warm and snow and rain off the body. Greatcoat: Overcoat with capes around the shoulders for men. Carrick or Garrick Coat: Other names for a gentleman’s inclement weather coat and worn for driving or travel.
1806 Young French Gentleman. Blue tailcoat under a short brown Castorine coat, cream cashmere breeches, white stockings, yellow gloves, black top hat and a cane. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
French fashions and Georgian and Regency Era fashions from Great Britain were copied around the world. This is the normal daily outfit for a gentleman in the early 1800s, or in the times of Jane Austen, for daily city and country life. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
1804-1829 ca. Two Gentlemen and A Lady, Italian. Dressed as ladies and gentlemen would be in the times of the Bridgerton family and Jane Austen and friends. Gentleman in a caped overcoat with black top hat and red umbrella. Lady in walking costume of lavender cape over red dress, red shawl, white bonnet and black walking shoes. Gentleman in blue opera cloak with red lining, black top hat and black shoes. Men And Women In Costumes, 1804-1829 The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division, The New York Public Library. nypl.org The sort of fashionable outfit and items worn or carried by Jane Austen and her contemporaries when out walking. Outfits were always heavily accessorized with coats, shawls, hats and parasols.
18th Century Late Women’s Fashions. A conical body shape was still fashionable while the shape of the skirts changed. The wide panniers which held the skirts out at the sides mostly disappeared by 1780 for all but the most formal court functions and false rumps, or bum-pads or hip-pads were worn for a time. A low-necked gown, usually called in French a robe, was worn over a petticoat and most gowns had skirts that opened in front to show the petticoat worn beneath. As part of the general simplification of dress, the open bodice with a separate stomacher was replaced by a bodice with edges that met center front. Strapless stays which still were cut high at the armpit, to encourage a woman to stand with her shoulders slightly back, a fashionable posture. The fashionable shape was a rather conical torso, with large hips. The waist was not particularly small. Stays were usually laced snugly, but comfortably. Shoes had high, curved heels (the origin of modern “louis heels”) and were made of fabric or leather. Shoe buckles remained fashionable until they were abandoned along with high-heeled footwear and other aristocratic fashions in the years after the French Revolution,
18th Century Late Men’s Fashions. A man’s outfit consisted of a knee-length coat, knee breeches, a vest or long waistcoat, a linen shirt with frills and linen under drawers. Lower legs showed and were an important part of life. Men wore stockings and leather shoes with stacked heels of low or medium height. The whole ensemble would have been topped by a shoulder-length wig and a tricorne, or three-cornered, hat an upturned brim. By end of the 18th century, wigs were out of fashion except for the most formal occasions. Undergarments and knee breeches did not change very much. Coats gradually became less full and die front was cut in a curve towards the back. Waistcoats became shorter. The upper leg began to show more and more and by the end of the century breeches fitted better because they were often made of knitted silk. Shoes became low-heeled with pointed toes and were fastened with a detachable strap or ribbon on the front.
