1805 ca. Leather Breeches, French. Buttoned and adjustable waist and narrow drop down front flap, back waist gusset for ease of movement, fitted cuffs on legs with many buttons to fasten and hold in place. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org The style of men’s breeches worn by men at the end of the 1700s and early 1800s, or in Jane Austen’ lifetime.
1800 Riding Dress of A Young French Man. Blue cutaway coat with wide collar, loose pants tucked into high black riding boots, high white cravat, brown gloves, riding crop and a very small black hat. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
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.
1815 The First Quadrille at Almack’s Assembly Rooms, London. Left to Right: Marquis of Worcester, Lady Jersey, Clanronald MacDonald and Lady Worcester. “It was not until 1815 that Lady Jersey introduced from Paris the favourite quadrille, which has so long remained popular. I recollect the persons who formed the very first quadrille that was ever danced at Almack’s: they were Lady Jersey, Lady Harriett Butler, Lady Susan Ryde, and Miss Montgomery; the men being the Count St Aldegonde, Mr Montgomery, Mr Montague, and Charles Standish.” From The Reminiscences of Captain Gronow 1810-1860.
The patronesses of Almack’s controlled a lot of a young lady’s acceptance into English society in Jane Austen’s times. To be given a voucher and admitted to an assembly, there was an introduction into London’s polite society.
19th Century Early Cotton Trousers, British. Buttons at waist, drop down front flap with buttons and cut with excess material to allow easy movement. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org.
Trousers: In the early 19th century, trousers were sewn with a flap in front called a fall front and was held in place by two or three buttons. Trousers were held up by tight-fitting waists which were adjusted by gusset ties in back of the waist. Seats were baggy to allow a man to rise comfortably from a sitting position.
1790 British Consul’s Tan Leather Pants, Boston. Tan buckskin, fall front, brass and self covered buttons, breeches have leather ties at waist and at leg hems. via Augusta Auction ~ augusta-auction.com
1804 Men’s Fashions In The Time Of Jane Austen. From the finish of the 18th century until 1820, men’s fashions in European and European-influenced countries moved away from the formal wear of brocades, lace, wigs and powder to more informal and relaxed styles. Focus was on undress rather than formal dress. 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.
In 1806, the Journal des Dames et des Modes stated, ‘The informal outfit for a young man includes a coat of similar style, snug pantaloons which are probably knitted, and a striped waistcoat.’
Skirted coats were replaced with short-fronted, or cutaway, tailcoats worn over fitted waistcoats and plain, white linen shirts. Knee breeches were gradually replaced by tight-fitting pantaloons and later trousers, decorative shoes with buckles were replaced with a variety of boot styles, and fussy and ruffled neckwear gave way to intricately tied, white linen neck cloths. 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.
What was fashionable in the late 1700s? Extravagant colors and fabrics and outrageous styles were all seen in these flamboyant fashions. Take a look at their dresses, suits, hats, shoes and bedroom fashions. books2read.com/suziloveFashWomen1700s
books2read.com/suziloveFashMen1700s
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.
1800 Young Dandy’s Morning Outfit, French. Brown, doublebreated, cutaway coat, striped trousers tucked into high black boots with tassels, gloves, small jaunty hat and a walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
From the finish of the 18th century until 1820, men’s fashions in European and European-influenced countries moved away from the formal wear of brocades, lace, wigs and powder to more informal and relaxed styles. Focus was on undress rather than formal dress. 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.
Skirted coats were replaced with short-fronted, or cutaway, tailcoats worn over fitted waistcoats and plain, white linen shirts. Knee breeches were gradually replaced by tight-fitting pantaloons and later trousers, decorative shoes with buckles were replaced with a variety of boot styles, and fussy and ruffled neckwear gave way to intricately tied, white linen neck cloths. 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.
1806 Young French Gentleman. Brown Castorine Coat Over Blue Tailcoat, French. White cashmere breeches, white stockings, yellow gloves, black 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.
Le Beau Monde magazine made suggestions for men’s fashion in November 1806.
“The neckcloth should, by no means, be too greatly puffed out; but should be neatly united in front with a large unspread bow. Dark bottle green coats will be as generally worn this season, as those of brown colours were last winter.
“For morning dress frock coats will be prevalent: those of an olive hue, with a black velvet collar, will be the most universal. Fancied waistcoats of all manufactures may be worn with this kind of coat; but fashion ordains the invariable use of dark blue or light-coloured kerseymere pantaloons, and half-boots. The boots must rise somewhat higher in the leg than has recently been the custom, and the toes of them should be formed into a perfect semi-cirlce.
“Full dress coats will likewise be made of dark green cloth, double-breasted, and will possess the similar ornament of a black velvet collar. Single-breasted white waistcoats, and light-coloured kerseymere breeches will be in much estimation. Either flesh-coloured or now-white silk stockings fashion now considered as elegant.
“The hair, for morning dress, should be cut à la Titus; for full dress, it should be powdered. Buckles for the shoes are employed in full dress; but ribbands are allowed in afternoon or dinner dress.”
