1804 December 2nd. Danish Ambassador’s Suit made for the crowning of Napoleon Bonaparte as emperor in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Christopher Wilhelm Dreyer (1737-1810), attended the pompous event as a representative of the Danish diplomatic corps. Lavishly decorated clothes probably made for occasion but not used as Napoleon wanted special clothing worn. natmus.dk/historisk-viden
Love the Bridgerton Series? Fan of Jane Austen? What did men wear in the early 1800s? Suits, hats, shoes, underclothing, military and bedroom fashions. #Bridgerton #RegencyFashion #JaneAusten #BritishHistory.
The Regency Era saw a wide variety of acceptable pants for men. Breeches were worn as part of a man’s daily outfit during the early 1800s and were necessary for formal occasions, such as court appearances, during the entire Regency Era. However, younger gentlemen moved away from breeches for daytime wear around 1807 and adopted a variety of long pants called trousers, pantaloons, buckskins or inexpressables. Knee-length breeches, worn with stockings, continued to be worn by older gentlemen through the entire Regency Era.
Around 1807, upper class gentlemen wore trousers held up by suspenders or pantaloons, which were closely fitted and worn with tall boots. Buckskins, made from deerskin, were comfortable to wear for riding. Inexpressibles were very tight leggings that left little to the imagination of young ladies. Every Regency man’s outfit included a hat, gloves, shoes or boots, and a selection of added accessories from a walking stick, watch on a chain, fobs, coin purse and a handkerchief.
1808 Fashionable English Couple, Dressed As In Jane Austen’s times. Lady in a white dress with pointed hem decorations, fitted white hat tied under her chin with yellow ribbon, yellow shawl and pink slippers. Gentleman in formal dress of blue tailcoat, black knee breeches, white stockings, black shoes, black bicorn hat, curly hair style and sideburns and a sword. Interestingly, this is English style fashions from a French magazine. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1802-1812 ca. Dancing Or La Dansomanie Series. Four women being instructed in dancing before a mirror by a master playing a violin. Le Bon Genre Description Plate 12. Via British Museum, London, UK. britishmuseum.org (PD-Art)
1800-1817 ca. Black Wool Suit, British. An ensemble made from black wool has been the uniform of the middle-class professional – doctor, lawyer, clergyman, academic, merchant, businessmen – since the late 16th century. This tradition continued through the 19th century and well into the 20th. The sombre color of this suit befits the sober profession of its wearer, Thomas Coutts (1735-1822), the founder of Coutts Bank. The notched collar and cut-away front of the coat reflect early-19th-century fashions. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
This is the sort of suit that professional men in Jane Austen’s times would have worn, doctors, lawyers and clergymen. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
1812 June Couple In Fashionable Jane Austen style Walking Dress, English. Lady wears a green cape and hat over a high-waisted, or Empire style, white dress with a pink parasol. Man wears a tailcoat over fawn breeches,
yellow gloves, black shoes and hat and a walking stick. Fashion Plate via The Lady’s Magazine Or Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex.
By the end of the 18th century, tailored garments for both men and women were replaced by styles made for ease and comfort, resulting in the neoclassical style of the 1780s. Inspired in part by the statuary of ancient Greece and Rome, the new fashion was epitomized by light cotton gowns falling around the body in an unstructured way, held around the high waist with a simple sash and accompanied by a soft shawl draped around exposed shoulders. This style was ideal for the Indian imports like Kashmiri shawls and Bengali muslin, as used in this embroidered gown.
1810 Couple In Walking Dress, French. Lady in a jade green Redingote, or coat, with paisley skirt, worn over a white dress with sleeves caught up, and hat tied under her chin. Man in a brown tailcoat, tight white pants that button down the sides, black hat and shoes and carrying a walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
The sort of outfits a lady and gentleman in Jane Austen’s times would have worn while out walking, shopping, or going to visit friends.
Pelisse, or Walking Dress, or Redingote. The Fashion Dictionary description of a Redingote is (réd’ing-göt; red ing gote). Pronounced: red ing gote Woman’s long, fitted coat often cut Princess style and worn open in front to show off the dress underneath. Sometimes cut away in front. Originally made for men with several capes and trimmed with large buttons. French word developed from English words, riding coat. reefer. Single- or double-breasted, fitted, tailored, over-all coat usually made from sturdy fabric but in the British Regency Era a Pelisse was often made from a lighter fabric, such as cotton.
1810 Gentleman’s Relaxed Daily Outfit. Green tailcoat, double-breasted white waistcoat, knotted white cravat, striped Nankin trousers with straps under the foot and red fob at the waist, holding a top hat and a walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
In the early 1800s, men no longer wore complicated styles and extravagant fabrics. Men’s fashion simplified and became more conservative. A well cut tailcoat, vest, pantaloons and an immaculate cravat of beautiful white linen in the style of George Bryan, or Beau, Brummell. 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.
1810 Pale Blue Suit For Formal Court Wear, France. Suit with a frilled vest, or waistcoat, white stockings and a bicorn, or two-cornered, hat. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. The exception to the more relaxed style of early 19th century fashion for men was court dress, which was dictated by the royals in each European country and so retained elements of pomp and ceremony not seen in general dress by men. These outfits remained very formal and therefore little different to court dress of the 18th Century.
A court ensemble meant a coat, often of dark figured velvet although brighter colors could still be seen, breeches, a waistcoat with short skirts, a shirt and elaborately tied cravat, white stockings, and black evening shoes. These court outfits still featured a lot of decoration, such as gold braiding and elaborate embroidery. Court dress was accessorized with jewelry, such as expensive cravat pins and fobs and if the occasion was very formal, a sword was worn at the hip.
Typical of the type of outfit a gentleman in the Georgian Era would wear to a wedding or important event. The jacket flares from the waist into multiple folds to give easier movement and the front has a long line of matching buttons. The breeches have a buttoning front flap. Part of the costume collection at Ham House, Surrey, UK. Part of the National Trust, UK. nationaltrustimages.org.uk
