How to Construct a Waistcoat

I was going to write and in dept study for construction of both styles of waistcoat however I have found some amazing blogs and websites which I was going to use as a reference however they cover it beautiful with wonderful pictures covered the construction extremely well.

18th Century Waistcoat:-
http://lynnmcmasters.com/18thCwestcoat.html
http://thedreamstress.com/2011/09/18th-century-menswear-the-waistcoat/

19th Century/Modern Waistcoat:-
https://teainateacup.wordpress.com/tag/waistcoat-construction/
http://fabric8online.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/making-waistcoat-and-adding-functional.html
Video refrences:-https://www.youtube.com/user/ny204193d/videos

1960s The Peacock Revolution

1960
On trousers until some of the wilder fashions of the 1960s and 1970s, zips on trousers continused to be 1970s, zips on trousers continued to be concealed by the fly front. The Mods also idolized rythm and blues and soul and had a passion for fashion. rockers, who maintained biker jacket, motor cycle and rock and roll music. Cultivated a 'clean' image exemplified by polo shirts, turtleneck sweaters, immaculate- prob white- trousers or clean jeans, Clark's suede Desert boots and double-vented, three-button jackets with narrow lapels and flap pockets. Mods heads were equally well dressed: hair was cut and carefully lacquered into the 'Perry Como' or 'French Crew' cuts. The ultimate in a style for the Mod male was a 'two-tone mohair suit.
Beatles Jacket:-

Four swapped their rebel outfits for sharp suits, crisp white shirts with rounded collars, necktie's and tie pins. By 1963 Beatlmania was sweeping the country and their style guaranteed sales of the low-necked, collarless jackets that had been designed by Pierre Cardin. The Beatles' version of the Beatle Jacket was made my a tailor. The Beatle boots or Chelsea boots took off with there pointed toe and high heel which were low-cut with elastic side vamps.

Dandy:-
The Dandy had returned because of the increase of colours available to mens fashion. Man who believed that waistcoats could be decorative  but suits must be plain. Men started to rebuild there small wardrobes, suits started to range again in fabrics and shapes. Men started to take more pride in there appearance and looks; The Peacocks were out and showing off there colours and imaginative fashion.















http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/style/fashion/trends-looks/100-years-of-mens-fashion.htm#page=6

1950s

1950
In the 1950s Chinos went to school; worn with loafers, a sweater and a tweed jacket they become the trademark of Joe College. This look wouldn't be revised until 1980s. Duffel coats became recognised as Britain school uniform coats until 1980s when popular bands like Mulberry would raise them to be the must haves of the season.

From this point on men's wear started to fall into more casual territory, shirts being worn outside of the trousers, braces were gone, suits were saved for work and more formal occasions. Teddy Boys however brought the English gentleman look back into Britain for a short period:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Boy
The outfit consisted of a long single-breasted jacket with high buttons, narrow shoulders and velvet-trimmed collars. Their narrow trousers were an off-duty version of the tight-fitting breeches worn by mounted Guards. To complete the look, the elegant man-about-town would wear a brocade waistcoat, a narrow-brimmed bowler hat, a Chesterfield overcoat, gloves and carry a silver-headed cane or a tightly-rolled black umbrella.The Neo-Edwardian style was also an attempt to maintain ideas about the natural order of British society and regretting the new casual, youth, rock and roll look coming in from American. This look was popular with the middle and upper classes. This era ended in 1953 because of bad duplicity when some street thuggs in London started to wear this outfit will mugging and vandalingt they were marked as 'cosh-boys'. A thigh-length four-button box-cut jacket with a full back (no central seam so that it fell better)- his drainpipe trousers and his enormous crepe-soled shoes, known politely as 'beetle crushers' and less so as 'brothel creepers', the Ted was as interested in fashion as youth rebellion. The Teds style was however influenced by America styles; borrowing the Slim Jim tie and the hair cut-heavily heavily greased.

Stylish Italians of the 1950s had removed all traces of their recent fashion past- the black and brown shirts that were the uniform of fascism- to develop an image consisting of narrow trousers (without pleats and in imitation of blue jeans in the arrangement and distribution of the pocket), pinkle-picker pointed shoes or loafers and the Roman Jacket which was short enough for the wearer to be seated on a Vespa or Lambretta motor scooter without the jacket hem touching the seat.Ready to wear market.


Refrences:
Men's Fashion in the Twentieth Century from Frock coats to Intelligent Fibres by Maria Costantino
http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Teddy_Boy_Clothes
http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/style/fashion/trends-looks/100-years-of-mens-fashion.htm#page=5

1940s

1940
Clothing during early 1940s was limited by the rationing coupons. Fabric was rationed. Men were not allowed turn ups and it was a legal offence to ask your tailor to make your trousers longer so your wife could turn them up. Boys would wear shorts also. In Britain all citizens over the age of three years old were allotted with a card worth 66 points and decreed to 48. This allowed the purchase of garments according to the official rating of each item. The system was meant to be temporary but lasted until 1944; an overcoat cost 16 coupons, a pair of trousers was 8 coupons and a pair of shoes was 7 coupons. For those who still wished to have their suits made-to-measure, the cloth would cost 3 coupons for one yard of woollen cloth. This meant a very limited wardrobe and as simple as possible. Often clothes would be handed down in families. The only clothes that weren't rationed were boiler suits, brace overalls and wooden clogs. No more pleated or darted pockets, trouser pockets were limited to a single hip pocket with an ankle width no wider than then and a half inches. Garments were simplified was much as possible to cut labour costs and fabric required. This however made manufactures take care to make sure the garment would last for as long as possible as garments weren't perched as much. This also made them stop new comes from en-trying the clothing industry.

Artificial fabrics started to be used because of shortest of wool, viscose and rayon were used. The Royals encouraged this made do attitude to clothing by wearing there old suits again and repairing them when they got too shabby with there other clothes. The one style that seemed to stick around was the zazous and zoot-suiters. The word zoot came from the urban jazz culture of the 1930s but the actual origin of the highly distinctive style adopted by young urban black men. Zoot suits consisted of an over-sized, often double-breasted jacket worn with large padded shoulders and peg-top trousers which narrowed towards the ankle:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazou . Unfortunately these suits were a sign or believed to show people who were draft dodgers so they were given a lot of hostility and tension near navel bases. This style was to die out as the war progressed but its influence was to be seen on other silhouettes. Wide-shoulders, long, loose-fitting jackets and high-waisted tapering pants short enough not to break on the shoes.

Some of today's most popular garments- t-shirts, trench coats, flyng jackets, bomber jackets, duffel coat, pea-jackets, chino pants and even Ray Ban's Aviator style glasses all have their origins in combat wear.

After the war was over serving men were giving a uniform to wear when they returned to restart there lives. The Eisenhower was a fitted waist-length jacket with roomy sleeves and buttoned cuffs that was designed to be carefully poised between smart and informal and was the Generals preference when meeting troops. Both the Eisenhower and the duffel coat were to become highly prized items of clothing in post-war Europe. The troupes often left there jacket to youths they had befriended as parting gifts.

Refrences:
Men's Fashion in the Twentieth Century from Frock coats to Intelligent Fibres by Maria Costantino
http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Slideshow:1940s_Mens_Fashions
http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/style/fashion/trends-looks/100-years-of-mens-fashion.htm#page=4

1930s

1930
During this decade The Great Depression set off the trend for a more simple and sensible dress sense. Poor became the look to try and embrace this turn in fashion. It was at this time that the old traditions and ethical of changing your clothes during the day and night started to end. Everyone from every social back ground had to make a living making social classes a thing of the past.

The serious of work in the 1930s gave bitch to the business suit, a development of the lounge suit. Single breasted or double breasted the suit was dark even the name of the colours matched the times; steel grey, charcoal grey, slate blue. However to brighten the plainness herringbone weave, checks and vertical stripes were used.Striped ranged from single,double, triple stripes, pin stripes or chalk stripes which were to lengthen the male form and enhance the silhouette. The most stylish of the checks or plaid weaves was Glen Plaid which came from Scottish origins woven in saxony wool. This pattern owed its popularity to the future King Edward VIII. This check was difficult to work with: in order to allow for any imperfections in the weave and because the checks had to be matched up at the seams, three and a half metres of fabrics were required instead of three. The slightest cutting or fitting error would be obvious so more time was need to make the perfect suit. This made these suits far more expensive.

It's also a difficult pattern to wear as it makes shorter men looks short and only flatters athletic built men. The 19th century dandies were


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_plaid  completely gone and were replaced by a sharp looking business men. A famous men's tailor at this time was Frederick Scholte created a technique known as the 'Drape cute' or the 'London cut'. Scholte was the first London tailor to apply the technique of military uniforms to civilian dress were it had been previously used. The new suit cut was softer and more flexible in construction than the suits of the previous generation; extra fabric in the shoulder and armscye, light padding, a slightly nipped waist, and fuller sleeves tapered at the wrist resulted in a cut with folds, or "drapes," front and back that created the illusion of the broad-shoulders and tight-waist "V" figure of the very fit. Great website:- http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/drape-cut/

Officers greatcoats were wide-shoulders and high-belted while fine horizontal drapes narrowed as they fell from the arms to the waist. This gave birth to the triangle silhouette for men. Broad top half, narrow waist.
Three piece suits were still worn. Men who couldn't achieve the athletic build used shoulder pads, raised arm holes and sleeves which narrowed at the waists to give the illusion of broad shoulders aid to the illusion of broader shoulders. The most useful devices for broadening the chest were peaked or pointed lapels and wearing double breasted jackets.  Double breasted jackets started to play a key roll in mens fashion with styles like the pea-jacket or the reefer jacket. The most popular version was large, broad lapels which slopped downwards which accentuated the square-cut shoulders, six buttons (in two rows of three) and fell to straight, vent-less tails which hung at the hips. This became known as the Kent DB and later the Windsor DB. This jacket was often paired with long wide trousers to make wears look taller. This was when zips came into play in the manufacturing of trousers instead of luggage. Button flies survived through the second World War but zippers spread to sweaters and jackets and were often used to decorate instead of practical use. 

The beginning of the Hollywood film industry. Male actors were expected to provide their own wardrobes. In some instances contracts stipulated that the studios own tailors were to be used while the leading male stars were allowed to commission their own tailors and offset the costs against the studios' expenses. The result the clothes worn on-screen had an 'immediacy' in terms of fashion that could be admired and emulated by their fans. Shoulders were extra padded to make men seem even wider and heads appear smaller. In the case of Astaire he had his new clothes throw at a wall several times to 'knock out' the newness to create his casual elegance look. At the other end of the scale was James Stewart's informal look of V-neck sweater and cuffed pants was to become standard dress. One of the styles which was not greeted warmly by high society was the gangster look. Paul Munis portray of a bootlegging gangster sparked the look of a double breasted suit with exaggerated lapels and hat pulled down was popular with workmen and young. It was the first time lower classes were not following the dress patterns set by upper class role models. This revolt against 'good taste' was to be halted by the start of the Second World War. This thread wouldn't be picked up again until the 1950s for a revolt on style.

This was the time when holidays and going to resorts started to become popular thanks film. People seeing celebs in summer sun. one of the iconic outfits of this movement was the 'Palm Beach suit'. The jacket of this look could be both single or double breasted but instead of the business peacked lapel the Palm Beach had open-notched lapels or the America Lapel. It's success was thanks to the fabric they were constructed in which was lightweight fabrics like seersucker (puckered cotton imported from India), shantung (expensive Chinese wild silk) and linen. These fabrics were preferred over much more approbate synthetics fabric which wouldn't crease as easily. These jackets were worn with wide beach slacks or Bermuda shorts and Norwegian slippers were worn on foot also known as Loafers. With the breakout of the Second World War mens fashion was put on hold.



Good guide:- http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Fashion_of_the_1930s
Fabric:-  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seersucker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shantung_%28fabric%29

References:-
Men's Fashion in the Twentieth Century from Frock coats to Intelligent Fibres by Maria Costantino
http://www.esquire.com/style/style-evolution-0908#slide-4
http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Fashion_of_the_1930s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_suits
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collar_%28clothing%29
http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/style/fashion/trends-looks/100-years-of-mens-fashion.htm#page=3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drape_suit 

1920s

1920s
Edward The Prince of Wales in 1920 was still young and was seen as the example of the new generation. His clothing were comfortable and freedom of movement; sweaters, soft collars and wide trousers with large pockets- this was seen as a rebellion against the old suit dress. This was the era were suit collars form started to change. Soft and permanently attached to the shirt or stiff and detachable. Supporters of the stiff collar saw it a stand against the modern casual manner of dress that was being introduced by Americas massive import at the time. Soft collar won and became the normal shirt to way every day. In summer it was even worn without a tie, unbuttoned(scandals) and draped wide across the jackets lapels in what was known as a Byron collar. At night, wing collars remained chic with tails. The collar was now attached, semi-stiff, turn-down collar with dinner jacket or tuxedo.

Men's trousers became the opposite other the previous era, going from being straight legged or knickerbockers to baggy wide legged trousers often with a turn up also called Oxford Bags. The fashion of loose fitted trousers would last until the advent of denim jeans 30 years later. The bottoms of these trousers measured 28"-40" and were worn by Oxford university students. Golfs old knickerbocker trousers were replaced by fuller cut trousers that allowed the fabric to fall 42 below the knees thus giving them the name "plus-fours". This type of mens wear led to a widely-worn suits that were better for sport and travelling for all ages. The look kept people looking classic but comfortable. The Prince of Wales yet again helped to spur this trend on by starting to have his jacket shoulders cut half an inch wider so they sat off the natural shoulder. He also embraced the American trend of wearing a belt instead of braces. Pullovers were introduced as a none sportswear item. The French defined three types of knitwear. First was 'le sweater', made of fine wool, lightweight and he coolest type of knitwear. Next came 'le pullover', the name referring to the way in which it was put on over the head, which was slightly heavier and warmer than 'le sweater'. These started to be worn with the suit trousers, shirt, tie and suit jacket. The necklines varied from circle to V-necks.

Fabrics ranged in design and style. Grom sheer linen and thick silks for shirts and woollens for trousers.
Colours were still very muted but patterns like check and strips started to be used more and more in formal and work wear. Tweed started to take a transformation, they started to come up with lighter weight tweed to be worn every day suits. Harris Tweed became the most popular but it was not water-proof like other Tweeds. It was dyed using heather, seaweeds and lichens and finished in the Outer Hebridean Islands of Lewis-Harris which insured it was a genuine Harris Tweed with it's stamp. This however meant that he fabric was far from inexpensive. Another popular fabric was flannel which used to be used for underwear during the 19th century. They then started to use this fabric was trousers often in white/cream, teamed with a navy/brown blazer jacket. Flannel often went baggy, shiny and discoloured when worn for long periods. One of the iconic items from this time as based around these trousers paired with a white open-neck shirt, a brightly striped flannel blazer and draw boater.

Colours started become more obvious in he 1920s as people started to experiment with strong colours and wilder patterns to accent clothes they were wearing. Was in the 1920s often a luxurious full-length silk, velvet or brocade affair was worn to relax in at home in the evenings after men had removed their jackets, simpler to the smoking jackets worn in the 1910s.


References:-
Men's Fashion in the Twentieth Century from Frock coats to Intelligent Fibres by Maria Costantino
http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Category:Mens_Historical_Clothing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_suits
http://www.costumegallery.com/1922/Rubber/index.html
http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/style/fashion/trends-looks/100-years-of-mens-fashion.htm#page=2
http://www.costumegallery.com/1923/Men/
http://www.costumegallery.com/1923/Uniforms/
http://bespokeunit.com/the-waistcoat-the-history-background/ 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collar_%28clothing%29

Edwardian 20th Centuary

Fabric and Details
Fabrics stayed the same as the Victorian era with the addition of top-stitching being used on jackets to show off the shape better.

Shirt
Shirt shapes stayed the same as the Victorian era. 
 
Jacket
The correct dress for men during social events was a black frock coat and black silk top hat. On an ordinary day to events such as the races, tweed suits were wore. Prince of Wales disliked how constricting clothes were such as in the military. As he got larger he asked his tailor to make an open version of the frock coat were the sides were attached together by a chain on each side which was far more comfortable. It also highlighted the beautiful waistcoats details.

This suit style went into decline to be replaced by morning coat. Frock coats moved into formal and church wear. Morning coats became popular as they were semi-formal and could be worn through out the day. This did not last long however because by the beginning of the new centenary lounge suits were most worn. This is the suit shape that most modern suits are based on. It was not fitted at the waist unlike the jackets before it, and it was wide at the shoulders with small lapels and for buttons down the front. Chesterfield was considered to be the most elegant of town overcoat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesterfield_coat

This was often a single breasted coat, fly-fronted coat with a velvet collar. In both town and country an Ulster, a loose fitting, calf-length, double-buttoning tweed coat with either a half or full belt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overcoat

A MacFarlane was a cape-style coat of the sort that Sherlock Holmes would have worn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_coat

By the early twentieth century the Mackintosh made its original head-to-toe 'tent' designed to keep the wearer completely shielded from the weather. This was one of the most popular styles of jacket in the early part of this century.

The lounge jacket became the men's formal wear jacket of choice. This shorter jacket was to later influence evening clothing to create the dinner jacket. When and how Dinner jackets were invented remains open to debate as the English claim it comes from the era of Smoking jackets worn by gentleman when they would smoke cigars in the billiard room as seen in picture to the right. These jackets were heavily brocade or quilted to help take in the odours of the smoke so that when they rejoin the ladies it would not offend their noses...
Another competitor is the American with there claim that it was based of the Tuxedo which was born in Tuxedo Park Club in 1886. It was worn by Criswold Lorillard who cased a scandal as he was in such "informal dress" but he gained many followers as a result.
The French claim the jacket was their own Monte Carlo who wear it to the casino in Riviera during the summer evenings. Agruements aside the dinner jacket was considered the first casual wear for men. The jacket style was always black and was worn at informal family dinners, intimate parties and theatres.The true evening for main still remained top be the black tail coat, waistcoat (white or black), white shirt and white tie. Black ties were worn with dinner jackets. Black trousers and patent leather shoes were worn with both. Over the course of the first decade, dinner jackets started to replace tailcoats which became reserved for only the most formal of occasions.

Lounge suit lost its leisure associations and became the practical base of the modern business suit and wardrobe for white collar workers worldwide. It was only available in dark and muted colours however. This was aided to being popular by the arrival of ready to wear suits. 

Waistcoat
The Prince of Wales Edward made the decision to leave is mark on men's fashion yet again. He decided to lower the height of the waistcoat to revel more of the shirt at the front. The only down side this caused was it meant the starched fronts were more like to get stained. This lower neckline was loved by the Prince as it made it less constricted. The prince on normal waistcoats used to undo the top button of his waistcoat when feeling bloated, this is still a fashion detail that people ahear to today but more so then. As in the Victorian the range of pockets were still widely use with the addiction of ticket pockets and pockets set into a panel seam. Jackets became more commonly single-breasted and the waistcoats started to match the trouser fabric during this era. Wrist straps with buckles or buttons were added to the back to ensure the best fit after manufacturing so that it didn't need to be permanently altered so it could be worn for longer. This ensured waistcoats in men's fashion; both as informal evening wear and leisurewear from the 1960s onwards.

http://bespokeunit.com/the-waistcoat-the-history-background/

Trousers

At the beginning on this century physical exercise and sports became an part of peoples lives; the Prince of Wales again stepped up and promoted a wardrobe which combined practicality and elegance. Because of this he is credited with introducing the Norfolk jacket and wearing of trousers with a crease and turn-ups. He also encourage people of this class to stop changing four times a day to now change twice which to him was more than enough- shooting tweeds for day and dinner. The Norfolk jacket to begin with started to be paired with knickerbocker trousers. These were worn for shooting parties and became adapted for middle classes as a weekend in the country wear.

                      http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2010/08/norfolk-jacket.html

Trouser cuffs became very popular in this century because it was practical and stylish. Again supported by the Prince of Wales. Tailors started to disagree of whether the cuff of the trouser should break straight across the top of the shoe or  be cut lower to drop over the heel. Oh the struggles of fashion...

Another legend involving the Prince consented his trousers. He was caught in the rain and asked a village tailor to dry then. When they were returned they had a crease pressed into both legs. Before the creases had only been from the knee down but by 1900 long, straight, waist-high creases at the front made available by the arrival of the specially-designed trouser press had become popular.
 
Accessories 


Until the beginning of the 20th century Top hats were the standard dress code for hats, they had there own etiquette and maintenance attached to them.:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_hat
http://www.wikihow.com/Practice-Male-Hat-Etiquette

At the beginning of the 20th century the Topper (centre) became replace by the bowler or derby (top right). Other popular hats include the Homburg (top left), the Panama and the Boater (bottom left). Boaters became popular with a stripped blazer and flannel trousers became part of the sporting look in 1910s and 1920s.

Ties were allowed to have some colour however any 'peacocky' ornamentation was viewed with suspicion as a possible threat to masculine values.

At the beginning of the 1910s mens fashion entered a new phase called "the speed up" which was a movement of young men who wanted to no longer look like there Victorian fathers. In it's place was a single-breasted jacket with two or three closely spaced buttons, a high, slightly nipped in waist and naturally sloping shoulders, which was worn with narrow, cuffed trousers cut short above the ankle to reveal boots. This became extremely popular. Shoes toes were more rounded. This was when broguing (a decorative pattern of punched holes) became popular. men began to have slight heels and wider laces. Men's body shapes began to change also for a more athletic being the more preferred look.

Notes on Tailoring
In the traditional tailoring trade each garment was made separately by a single worker, a practise known as the 'complete garment system' that continues today in the bespoke tailors of London's Savile Row. In medieval Europe, tailors had been among the first independent craftsmen and had set up their own guilds and associations. Travelling tailors also called at villages and farms, making clothes for entire households before moving to the next village. Know they died out in the 19 century the concept still remained as it was cheaper than owning a store.  Introduction of sewing machine and fabric cutter machinery made it possible to mass produce credible copies of garments that previously, because of the skills required and cost of labour, could only be produced in tailors' workshops. This caused many divisions between tailors and semi-skilled factory workers.

References:-
Men's Fashion in the Twentieth Century from Frock coats to Intelligent Fibres by Maria Costantino
http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/style/fashion/trends-looks/100-years-of-mens-fashion.htm#page=1
http://www.costumegallery.com/1910/Men/Suits/
http://www.periodclothing.co.uk/Edwardian_Fashion.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_suits
http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Smoking_Jacket_for_Men
http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/style/fashion/trends-looks/100-years-of-mens-fashion.htm#page=2
http://bespokeunit.com/the-waistcoat-the-history-background/ 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collar_%28clothing%29
http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/style/fashion/trends-looks/100-years-of-mens-fashion.htm#page=1

Victorian 19th Centuary

Early:-
Fabric and details
Lots of the fabrics from the Regency stuck around during this time because industry and import from other countries were heavily used in this time; silks, tweed, cottons, linens, velvet, demask, woollen blends, muslin, tafftas etc. The same kinds of print were used however in much more fregent such as small check in small, bold print fabric and stripped fabric which is used as a design detail for contrast colour fabric collar, revers, cuffs and now linings as well. The details used on most garments were very sutle until the other eras before them, less was more in this time. Different types of pockets became the detail piece of this period; bound pockets, slanted flap pockets,breast pocket with button and flap pocket. Again the decorative braid was in and used on hats but also to make a strip down the side of trousers. Buttons again were also used large buttons and button trim on jackets such as at the back or on the cuff.

Shirt
Shirts were made of linen and were often coloured either white, grey or black. One of the key items worn by men were cravat tied in different ways with a turn-down starched wing collar. Shirts started to have pleats inserted into the button stands and removable stiff fronts (bibs) started to be worn for formal occasions with high stand collars to be worn with bow ties. Bibs were reversible to allow a man to hide any unsightly stains which allowed them to keep a neat appearance without requiring the shirt to be laundered.Victorian shirts were cut much more fully than modern shirts but the general shape of modern shirts was starting to show for example things like button cuffs, wing collars (either attachable or detachable), fitted shoulders and no gathered sleeves.

Jacket
All jackets in this era had a centre back seam and one other curved seam into the arm holes which helped to shape the waistline in. Sleeves were close fitted with often a cuff and a gathered sleeve head.This centenary was heavily dominated by the frock coat which was a man’s coat with full skirt both front and back that reached just above the knee.  It was common for both day and evening wear through the 1880’s, making it the most versatile coat of the Victorian wardrobe. Often these coats would have a box pleat or normal pleat at the back to help with fullness in the back of the jacket. Tailcoats which were coats similar to the George high front jacket which swooped back to a vent at the back as seen in the picture bellow in the middle. This was the most popular jacket worn for parties and formal events.  Like today, the styling included single and double breasted as well as straight and pointed fronts.
Please note that with straight cut coats, gentlemen often wore vests that were cut longer, allowing the bottom of the vest to show beneath the coat.
In the 1870’s the sack suit briefly grew in popularity.  The suit was cut in a large box like shape and no middle seam, which allowed the suit to hang loosely on the body. This jacket was quickly replaced in 1880 to became more fitted and a middle seam directly above the coat pockets, there edges started to round off instead of being angled.
Another jacket which grow in popularity and stayed for many years was the smoking jackets. They are short, made of velvet or silk, and feature a shawl collar and turned up cuffs. They fasten with toggle buttons. The jackets were quilted and, in a nod to their dressing-gown origins, can be fastened with rope ties. The jacket looked more like a jacket and less like a silk bathrobe however with its tight-fitting sleeves, velvet collar and buttons.

Waistcoat
Waistcoats started to cut on the bias and began to have an array of collar types as should in the picture. For formal wear cummerbunds were introduced to stop the gap appearing between the trousers waistband and the shirt. Cummerbunds are a strip of wide fabric often pleated t provide shape which are clasped at the back with a hook and bar. This also helped to nip in the waist which was one of the main aspects of men's fashion at the time. Waistcoats had often a great deal of embroidered or were made of damask fabric for contract with the outer jacket. Waistcoats during this time were either single or double breasted depending on the occasion and time of dress. Formal wear waistcoats started to have a pointed front to draw the attention of the eye in and down thus making the wearer appear slimmer. Pockets started to appear on waistcoats as a practical aspect and a decorative, flap pockets being the most popular for this. The more pockets on the waist coats outside the more casual the occasion you were going to. For example waist coats with two longer lockets were often used as evening or formal wear whereas waistcoats with three or four were for day to day wear or work.

Trousers
The biggest difference between the trousers of today and those of the 1800’s is the waistline.   Men wore their pants higher with the top of the trouser or just below the belly button.
Men wore trousers that were either stripes or checks which they often paired with different jackets which was sometime patterned also. Men did not wear their trousers pressed with a crease, but rather with a flat front.  Lengths of trousers  did vary slightly over the decades, from the shortest cut that caused the trousers to hang completely straight to the longest, in which the trouser hung to the bottom of the heel of the boot and in some cases were coat under neither, they were all however slim fitted. Loads of the trousers at this time refactored a decorative strip down the side of the leg in either fabric, embroidery or braid. To help shape these high-waisted trousers tucks or pleats were introduced at the waist to give more shape. Another shape that was introduced to trousers was the fly-front fastening which to start with used buttons to seal the opening. Belts weren’t used however suspenders or braces of leather or canvas were commonly used to hold up the trousers over the shoulders.

Hat
The two most common types of hat worn during this time were top hat which varied in high depending of the decade and occasion. The brim of the top hat also varied sometimes curling up at the edges were as others remained flat. Tall top hats were worn for formal occasions also with tail coat, white bow tie and waistcoat. Another hat that started to appear later in this era was the bowler hat sometimes called The Derby.

Shoes
Shoes of this time were now all made in soft leather or sued. They were often boots with flat heels often with a toe caps detail at the front or a flat pump shoe also made of leather which was worn for formal dress.

Accessories 
Accessories of this time included things such as walking sticks, leather gloves (later becoming driving gloves),  fur collars sitting of a jacket during winter , shoulder cape for evenings, silk hankie in a pocket. 

Late:-
Jacket/Waistcoat
The general shape of waistcoats didn't alter however some of there features changed over the decade. Flap pockets were replaced by patch pockets on the more casual waistcoats. The backs of the waist coats became more fitted thanks to curved seams on the back wile falling straighter at the front. White waistcoats however were still widely worn for evening events.
The three-piece lounge suit grew in popularity and regularly worn from the 1890s onwards. Frock coats were still worn, but generally by older or more conservative men. Straps started to be worn on jackets much as at the cuffs and the top of vents similar to the trench coats of today, there were often paired with buttons. Side pleats at the backs of jackets started to turn into centre back vents so that the jacket wouldn't become creased when men sat down. Long coat of heavy wool tweed became popular and  astrakhan collars with wool trim became widely worn as seen in the picture. Shorter jackets started to come into fashion with darts to pull in at the waists paired with wide rounded roll collars and revers.

 





















Hat
Shallow bowler hats like Porkpie Hats were widely worn by working class to work. Deer-stalker hat started to be worn in the country side or during traveling. On the streets straw boater and felt trilby started to make an appearance.

Shoes
Felt spats started to be worn over boots to protect them from dirt as keeping shoes clean wasn't easy. Leather boots with dark suede toe-caps or shiny when worn for formal wear were worn more frequently. The classic work shoe of today started to a peer with its pointed toe and lace up front.

Accessories
Cravats started to be knotted like the ties of todays often with a tie pin. Pocket watches were worn attached at the button of the waistcoat and into the pocket of the coat or waistcoat as time was very important now because of working and industry. Walking cane with silver knob were used for the higher class members of sociality.

References:
Fashion in Detail: 1700 - 2000 by Claire Wilcox

Nineteenth Century Fashion in Detail by Lucy Johnston

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/h/history-of-fashion-1840-1900/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_suits
http://www.costumegallery.com/1882/Etiquette/
http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Smoking_Jacket_for_Men 
http://www.periodclothing.co.uk/Victorian_Fashion.htm 
http://www.victoriana.com/Mens-Clothing/
http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/victorian-clothing-guide.php
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/0-9/reading-list-19th-century-fashion/
Amazing attractions for the Victorian era:- http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/g/great-exhibition/
http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/i/industrial-revolution/

Costume Design Links

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/d/designing-stage-costumes/
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/m/making-stage-costumes/
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/r/reflecting-historical-periods-in-stage-costume/
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/cut-and-structure/
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/d/dance-costume-design/

Change of shape and Style over 1890-1930

Tailoring of the Belle Epoque by W.D.F. Vincent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regency 18th Centuary

Fabrics and Techniques
Fabrics during this item period were mainly made within the UK. Fabrics were made of linen, cotton, wool and silks. Weaves started to made fabrics in check, strip and damask fabric.

Shirts
The shirt was usually of linen or cotton. They were again long and loose fitting, with  the sleeves set off the shoulder. Collars were often high standing collars that extended up sometimes even above the jaw line, when this got irritating the wing collar was created. Sometimes the shirt had pleats and gathered to add fullness, ruffles were added at the chest. The sleeve cuffs were greatly reduced to a small frill or a straight band pecking out under the jacket. The shirt had a slit in the front and pulled on over the head. It was mid-thigh to knee length and was quite often the only undergarment. As seen in the Pride and Prejudice series in it's most iconic scene.

Waistcoats
The waistcoats were made from wool, linen and silk. They could be a solid colour but were often a brocade, stripe or other pattern like check which was coming into fashion. The waistcoat ends at the actual waist now, the front however low cut into shapes such as shawl collar and rever collars. Double breasted fastenings on waist coat became very popular now, mirroring the military fastenings from the Colonial period. Revers faced or collar were often in contract fabric or lining.  The waistcoat extended below the front of the tailcoat and covered the top of the trousers or breeches.

Coat
There were three types of coats featured in this time frock-coats, tail coats and over coats. First came the tail coat from the Georgian coats which had started to slope back, the front's straightened off and started to be worn for formal occasions or my the richer people. It was high in the back of the neck, fitted in the back, chest and abdomen, had long tails and the wide “M notch” lapels so distinctive of the period. It could be either single or double breasted and could be worn open or closed. The tailcoat was usually made of wool though sometimes of linen for warm climates and seasons. Tight sleeves with gathered sleeve heads were the most common type of sleeve in this time for all types of jacket, small button vent cuffs started to be seen. There were many colour options for day wear but for evenings conservative darker ones such as black and navy were most fashionable. Buttons could be self-fabric covered or of brass or pewter.
Frock coats fell to the knee and often had wide collars, wide pointed revers, flap pockets and pleated detail with open vent. Narrow shoulders were common on all coats and waist coats which helped to show off the gathered shirt sleeves when coats were removed. Capes were often worn over an over coat for extra warmth.


  
Breeches/Trousers

Breeches started to change into the trousers that we now see today for men's formal wear. Silk stockings were still worn with beeches for awhile before being replace by boots. Trousers/breeches started to have pockets. Breeches were gradually fading out during this period. For a time they remained the proper item for evening wear then were relegated to only very formal occasions and then survived only as “court” apparel for certain royal occasions. Breeches could be made of wool, cotton, linen or silk with the latter best for the most formal events. They tended to have a higher waist in front and a little less baggy seat than the late 18th century version. However, they still had a drop front, were fitted in the thighs and buckled or buttoned just below the knees.Narrow cut trousers, ankle length with stirrrup under foot started to be worn. Trousers became commonplace during the Regency era. The trousers had a high waist line the came all the way up to the belly button. They were drop fronted and were held up by braces.Trousers were made of wool, linen or cotton. Though initially only appropriate for day wear they eventually gained acceptance for evening attire as well. There was a case were The Duke of Wellington was kicked out of a high class French club because he wore trousers instead of breeches.

Shoes
Buckled shoes gradually went out. Light slip on shoes with the buckle were popular however. Most shoes would be black and made of leather. Both low cut slip on shoes and ankle high boots were worn. Boots were high and of black or brown leather. "Bluchers," "Wellingtons" and a style very like modern English riding boots were all used.Toe caps started to come into fashion towards the end of this era which welcomed in the Victorian period.

Accessories
Deep cravats and bow ties,Typical of this era was a long, narrow strip of linen or silk which wrapped several times around the neck and was then tied in front. Many forms of tying were popular, some considered more formal and others most suitable for casual wear. Leather gloves, walking cane and  pocket watches were all very common during this time.

Hats
A very tall, straight top hat with a narrow curled up brim was the height of fashion during this period. The bicorn was high, wide and of shallow depth. It was popularized as a military fashion and was worn by Napoleon, though some civilians wore it too. Many specialized types of headgear were in use as well such as the flat, round hats of sailors.

Civil War Influence on Fashion:-
http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/1812-french-mens-clothing
http://mens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Civil_War_Fashion

References:-
Costume 1066-1990s by John Peacock
 Fashion History: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century by Akiki Fukai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_suits
http://www.songsmyth.com/menday.html
http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/what-men-wore-at-regency-assembly-balls/
http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/regency-fashion-mens-breeches-pantaloons-and-trousers/
http://www.wemakehistory.com/Fashion/Regency/RegencyMen/RegencyMen.htm
https://mmbennetts.wordpress.com/tag/regency-menswear/
http://www.regencyassembly.co.uk/Dress.html
http://www.periodclothing.co.uk/Regency_Fashion.htm
 http://www.wemakehistory.com/Fashion/Regency/RegencyMen/RegencyMen.htm
Recreation of the Ball in Pride and Prejudice(TV show)