1804-1814 ca. Breeches, French. Cream silk and linen. Buttoned waist, drop down front flap, or fall, extra fullness in the back for ease of movement, ties at the knees to keep in place. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A. metmuseum.org
Definition Pants – Breeches: Men’s close-fitting pants that fastened just below the knees or above the ankles with buttons, drawstrings, or buckles. They had a horizontal front flap called a ‘fall’ which unbuttoned to drop down. Some falls were narrow and some wide. Breeches were worn with stockings. In Jane Austen’s times, or the Regency Era, breeches were worn tighter to show off a gentleman’s manly physique, often leaving nothing to the imagination.
1809 September. Garden Promenade Dresses. Empire style gowns, shawls, hats, and parasols for walking in the park, to see and be seen, in London or at fashionable resorts. More elegant than walking dresses, which are usually morning dresses with outerwear and more elaborate headdresses. These are the sort of ensembles that Jane Austen and her family and friends would have gone walking in. Foreground lady has a silk shawl mantelet trimmed with an amber silk fringe and fastened on the bosom with a pebble brooch, amber hoop earrings, white Morocco leather shoes, York tan gloves and a blue parasol with a fringe. Straw hat with flowers. Background lady wears a Nun’s hood that falls over her shoulders and holds a purple parasol. Fashion Plate via John Belle’s La Belle Assemblée or, Bell’s Court and Fashionable Magazine, London.
1800-1815 ca. Unusual Skirt and Over Gown As Worn In Europe In Jane Austen’s Lifetime. From Holland. Gathered underdress and overdress with short puffed sleeves. via Dutch Museum – Gemeentemuseum Den Haag
The dresses worn in Holland and other parts of Europe were the same style as dresses worn by Jane Austen and her contemporaries. Empire waist gown defined women’s fashion during the Regency Era. ‘Empire’ is the name given to the loose gowns adopted by the aristocracy as a symbol of turning away from the fussy, elaborate and expensive clothing worn in the 1700s in France to the period when Napoleon built his French Empire.
1808 Gentleman’s Ball Outfit, French. Long tailcoat, black knee breeches, white stockings, high white cravat, white stockings, black shoes and gloves. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. Typical Gentleman’s outfit as worn by men to balls and evening events in Jane Austen’s Times.
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.
1805-1810 ca. Blue Silk Slippers With Silk Bow and Ribbon Ankle Ties. Woven square pattern and round toes. via Manchester City Galleries, UK.
Shoes in the early 1800s were flat or low heeled and occasionally decorated with a bow or floral embellishments and it wasn’t until the 1820s that square, rather than rounded or pointed toes became fashionable. Made of silk, soft kid or cloth, these delicate shoes were flimsy and wore out quickly. There was often no difference between a left or right shoe, so when one slipper had a hole it was easily replaced. Slippers were often bought in multiples at a time so there were spares.
11805 January 1st Worcester and London Royal Mail Coach. The sort of mail coach that Jane Austen and famioy would have either ridden in or sent mail through. Publisher: William Miller, Albermarle Street, London, U.K. Hand colored print. Coach is grey and purple with red wheels and drawn by four white horses. Below the mail guard it is printed, ‘N.17’. Via British Postal Museum, London, U.K. postalmuseum.org
1807 June Couple In Morning Dress, English. Lady in white dress with lemon cape and an interesting white hat with a tassel. Gentleman in black tailcoat, white shirt and cravat, breeches tucked into high black boots with tan tops, fob and watch chain at his waist, black top hat and cane. via Le Beau Monde, or Literary and Fashionable Magazine, London, U.K.
Definition Morning Dress: Comfortable outfits worn either at home, out shopping, or for walking in the park or country. Presentable but not overly accessorized. For women it was often an Empire style, high-waisted, gown made from sprigged or plain muslin, cotton, or wool and either a Spencer or a coat to cover it for warmth, plus shoes and a bonnet. For men it was breeches or trousers, shirt, cravat, coat, boots and hat. This couple is dressed as a lady and gentleman of Jane Austen’s acquaintance would dress for a morning outing to a village, for shopping, or visiting friends.
1806 Gentleman’s Daily Outfit, French. Bottle green tailcoat, knee breeches, snowy white cravat, white stockings, flat black shoes. 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
1800 ca. Gentleman’s White Dimity Waistcoat, England. This vest is typical of the move away from the 18th Century’s formal styles and fussy fabrics and matched the shift of women’s fashions towards lighter and airier styles and fabrics. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com
Waistcoats worn at the very beginning of the early 19th century generally had a straight bottom, double-breasted and with wide lapels. Not long after this, waistcoats began to be cut higher up to the waist in front so men during Jane Austen’s lifetime would have worn both styles.
1810-1814 ca. Muslin Dress, Canada. White muslin embroidered in white cotton with a delicate all-over design of sprigs and sheaves of wheat worked in stem stitch and long and short stitch. Unboned high-waisted bodice with draw-tape casing at square neckline, back draw-tapes at neck and waist, extra-long sleeves, puffed sleeves with flounce and whitework embroidery, straight-cut skirt gathered in back, hem trimmed with crocheted loops in white cotton. Embroidered in white cotton sprigs and wheat sheaves. In 1810s, draw-tapes often replaced drawstrings for bodice adjustment. Skirts changed to flaring around 1815.
1810-1814 ca. White Muslin Dress, Canada. Sleeve View. via McCord Museum, Canada. musee-mccord.qc.ca1810-1814 ca. White Muslin Dress And Shawl, Canada. Back View. via McCord Museum, Canada. musee-mccord.qc.ca1810-1814 ca. White Muslin Dress Embroidered With White Sheaves Of Wheat, Canada. #Regency #JaneAusten #Fashion
The fit of this unboned bodice is controlled by a draw-tape in a casing at the square neckline. The back closure is controlled by draw-tapes at neckline and waist. The extra long sleeves have a narrow shoulder strap, are puffed and end with a flounce. Under the puff is a narrow horizontal insertion of whitework embroidery. The straight-cut skirt is fitted smoothly to the bodice in front, but is gathered to it in back. The hemline is trimmed with crocheted loops in white cotton. Lightweight muslin dresses like this one offered little warmth, so a stole was often needed to cover the shoulders. This dress was originally owned by the De Witt family of Quebec City. via McCord Museum, Canada. musee-mccord.qc.ca
