1805-1810 ca. Double Breasted Tailcoat, South Carolina, U.S.A. Cotton, plain-woven (tabby woven), partly lined with cotton, plain-woven (tabby). Cutaway at the front waist and with a notched collar. via Colonial Williamsburg, USA. history.org
Tailcoat: A Regency Era, or early 1800s, gentleman was outfitted in more practical fabrics, such as wool, cotton and buckskin rather than the fussy brocades and silks of the late 1700s.
1819 January ‘Going to White’s’. By Richard Dighton. Lord Alvanley walks on the pavement going to White’s Club for gentlemen in London wearing a top-hat, double-breasted coat, strapped trousers, and the high collar of a dandy. Via British Museum, London, UK. britishmuseum.org (PD-Art)
White’s was an exclusive Gentlemen’s Club on St. James Street, London, U.K where well-dressed men, or Dandies, gathered at a special table in front of the large bow window looking out at the street. This became known as a seat of privilege and was used by London’s most famous Dandy, Beau Brummell. Other well-known dandies were William Arden, Joshua Allen, Thomas Raikes and Ball Hughes. Cartoonists loved to ridicule these high-in-the-instep gentlemen who wore the most fashionable clothes and set the fashion trends for the Regency years, and the years when Jane Austen was writing her famous novels.
What was fashionable for outer wear in past centuries? Different names in different countries: Pelisse, Redingote, Coat, Or Walking Dress. The Bridgertons and Jane Austen and her contemporaries wore long coats like these to keep warm when out and about, visiting, shopping etc. The thin muslin dresses worn in the early 1800s were little protection against European winters.   http://books2read.com/suzilovePelisse
1817 Dandy In Blue Tailcoat, French. White breeches tucked into black boots with tan leather high tops, fob at waist, high white cravat, red waistcoat, black top hat and walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Dandy: The author of The Hermit in London, a series of sketches published in 1819—1820 observed: ‘A distinguished Exquisite is padded all over to-day; and all the other foplings are, on the morrow, mere walking pin-cushions. A fat prince, or a fat dandy, requires confinement in his limbs; and all his subjects are immediately restrained within the same limits. One day, the back is to be as broad as an Irish chairman’s, and the shoulders to be bolstered up to imitate a hod-man; and the next, the shoulders are to be flat, and a man is to be pinched in and laced up until he resembles an earwig. All these are Master Snip’s maneuvers, who continues to make his bill equally long, whether the spencer or the box-coat be in vogue.
Beau Brummell was one of the most celebrated dandies of all time. Cartoonists ridiculed these high-in-the-instep gentlemen who wore the most fashionable clothes and set the fashion trends for the Regency years, the years when Jane Austen was writing her famous novels and the years when the Bridgerton series is set.
1800 Outfit Of A Young Man With Grey Cutaway Coat, French. Grey cutaway coat, red vest or waistcoat, high white cravat, yellow breeches with red fob at waist, yellow gloves, black boots with tassels, hat and walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
In the early years of the 19th century, men’s fashions changed dramatically. Coats were cut higher in the front and finished in long tails at the back. Waist length square-cut waistcoats were displayed beneath tailcoats. The lining of the shoulders and upper chest of the coat was sometimes quilted to improve the fit and some dandies wore boned corsets to give them a small waist. Trousers became increasingly fashionable in the first quarter of the 19th century as men gradually adopted long trousers rather than knee breeches. At first long length pants were only worn for day and informal dress and breeches were still required for court dress, but by the 1820s trousers were accepted as evening wear.Â
Typical menswear in the early 1800s included a tailcoat, a vest or waistcoat, either breeches, pants, or the newer trousers, stockings, shoes or boots, all worn with an overcoat and hat. This basic ensemble was accessorized with some form of neckcloth or cravat, gloves, walking stick, cane or riding crop, handkerchief, fobs, watch and perhaps a quizzing glass or eye glass. The tan hat from the late 18th century was worn and developed into the top hat which was worn for day and formal dress throughout the 19th century. Hair was carefully styled into a windswept look or worn short and curled.
Hessian Boots: In the 1790s, British Army officers wore boots called Hessians, named after German mercenaries who fought alongside the British in wars, including in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The soldiers from the German state of Hesse were called Hessians and their boots took their name from Hesse, where they were made. The Hessian boot was made from soft, highly polished calfskin, knee high, curved top and with a V cut at the front and often had a decorative tassel.
They were shaped like a stirrup so the rider could easily insert their feet into the stirrups and the feet were kept securely in place. But tassels on Hessian boots were designed for wearing with breeches and didn’t suit tight fitting and fashionable new trousers that dandies like Beau Brummell wore in 1800s and so were replaced by Wellington Boots.
In 1823, the New Monthly Magazine had a comical story about tight pantaloons and Hessian boots being a perfect pairing. ‘…. tight pantaloons without Hessian boots were as preposterous as a haunch of venison without currant-jelly, or a leg of pork without peas-pudding.’
https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
1800 ca. Brown Silk Trousers, French. Though these pants are French, the men in Jane Austen’s life would have worn similar trousers. Drop down front flap, or ‘fall’, buttoned waist front and back, extra fabric in the back for ease of movement and ties at calves to hold in place. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A.
1801 Typical Gentleman’s Suit, French. Normal outfit worn by men in the times of Jane Austen, or the Regency Era, or the early 1800s. Blue tailcoat with brass buttons, taupe breeches tied beneath the knees, white stockings, black dress shoes, black hat, gloves and cane. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Typical menswear in the early 1800s included a tailcoat, a vest or waistcoat, either breeches, pants, or the newer trousers, stockings, shoes or boots, all worn with an overcoat and hat. This basic ensemble was accessorized with some form of neckcloth or cravat, gloves, a walking stick, cane or riding crop, handkerchief, fobs, a watch and perhaps a quizzing glass or eye glass.
19th Century Early Typical Regency Era Men’s Pants With Drop Down Front Flap. Breeches, pantaloons and trousers usually opened by front flaps which dropped down and were fastened with buttons. No belts but pants were instead held up by tight-fitting waists and adjusted to fit snugly by ties or buckles in the back. Back seats were baggy to allow a man to sit and stand comfortably. Typical of a gentleman’s pants worn during the early 1800s, or the Regency Era, or Jane Austen’s times. They have a front flap, or fall, a back waist tie and buttons and ties to secure the breeches below the knee.
1808 Gentleman’s Ensemble, French. Drap Redingote or coat, black hessian boots with heart shaped front, black top hat. Fashion Plate via suzilove.com and Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. Typical gentleman’s outdoor ensemble as worn by men in Jane Austen’s time, or the Regency Era. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
Hessian Boots: Named after German mercenaries who fought alongside British. Soft, highly polished calfskin, knee high, heart-shaped top and decorated with tassel. Boot shaped like stirrup so rider could insert feet into stirrups and be kept securely in place. Tassels were designed to wear with breeches and didn’t suit tight fitting new trousers that dandies like Beau Brummell wore in 1800s so Hessians replaced by other boots e.g. Wellington.
