A Primer on Regency Era Men’s Fashion

Last week’s post covered Regency Era Women’s Fashions. So this week we’ll focus on Regency Era Men’s Fashion. These lists aren’t exhaustive and represent fashions men of the upper classes rather than working class wore. However, they should help you recognize what an author means and why they’re so focused on their characters being fashion conscious.

Last week, we covered the terms “Undress”, “Half Dress” and “Full Dress”. For men, “Undress” included having his jacket and cravat removed, something that was not done in polite or mixed company if the gentleman could avoid it. Dressing gowns and robes also fit this bill for gentlemen lounging at home. “Half Dress” for men meant less elaborate knots in their neck cloths, and more casual styles of clothing. “Full Dress” and “Evening Dress” are the equivalent of today’s black tie affairs. Therefore, Almack’s was a special case, where gentlemen of the ton were expected to wear breeches instead of trousers.

Regency Era Men’s Fashions

If you haven’t seen the movie, Beau Brummell – This Charming Man (affiliate link)with James Purefoy and Hugh Bonneville, let me whet your appetite with this clip of the opening. It tells the story of Beau Brummel and his influence on all matters sartorial.

I’ll wait if you want to replay it in full screen mode.

Ok, back now? Good. Most importantly, did you notice the anachronism? There’s a big, glaring one. It’s much more dramatic looking when James Puerfoy’s shirt opens all the way down the front instead of only partway down from the neck. So, good cinematic choice, bad historical detail.

The clip reminds me that author Kalen Hughes has a great post over at Word Wenches where she goes through the steps of dressing your Regency hero from the skin out. If you visit that post, you’ll get better idea of how long it took to dress and the order everything goes on or off in. In the same vein, Jessamyn’s Regency Costume Companion has a fabulous page that describes and details a number of men’s Regency Era fashions.

Underclothes

Small Clothes/Smalls/Drawers

short drawers (more like modern boxers) or long drawers (basically what we think of as long johns)

Stockings and Garters

Calf-high, usually cotton or silk.

Gentlemen, like ladies, possessed a variety of outfits considered appropriate to a specific activity. So for example, one required specific jackets more suited to riding, but overall the emphasis and time spent on dressing for the next activity was not as time-consuming for men as it was for women. Isn’t that always the case?

Basic Upper Body Garments

Shirts

Typically made from white muslin, shirts pulled on and off over the head and did not button all the way up the front like modern dress shirts and the one in the video above. Collars would have been high enough to reach the chin when starched and standing up. Similary, the neck and sleeves might have ruffles or not.

Waist Coat

What we’d think of today as a vest, these had a high collar and could be double breasted but were usually single breasted. Properly pronounced as “wes-kit”.

Tailcoat/jacket/coat

Likewise, men’s tailcoats could be double or single breasted, with a distinctive “M” shape to the tails.

Basic Lower Body Garments

Pants

Men enjoyed a variety of pants of different lengths and snugness. Rather than a modern zipper, Regency breeches opened with a flap called a “fall” that opened in the front and fastened with an elaborate series of buttons. The width of the front panel determined if one was wearing “broad fall” or “narrow fall” breeches. The Historical Hussies have a great post on Regency Men’s Pants that includes a great illustration of this construction.

Breeches

Knee length pants worn with stockings during this period. Considered old-fashioned, breeches were de rigueur at Almack’s.

Trousers with braces (suspenders)

Originally worn by the working class, trousers became an option for the upper classes around 1807. Regency men did not wear belts due to the construction of their pants and the cut of their coats. Instead, suspenders or braces kept their pants in place.

Pantaloons

Cut on the bias to achieve a much closer fit and typically worn with highly polished tall boots, pantaloons extended to mid calf or below.

Inexpressibles

Scandalously tight leggings that left little to the imagination.

Buckskins

Made from deerskin and considered the equivalent of denim jeans in their day, comfortable and practical.

Outerwear

Great Coat

Think of a great coat as the flamboyant and dashing trenchcoat of its day, not all were as fancy as to have capes attached, but many were simple coats to keep one warm or dry.

Shoes

Worn for informal occasions and evening events, usually made of leather.

Boots

Typically Hessians were acceptable during the day but not at night. Top boots were another popular choice.

Accessories

Cravat/stock

Elevated by George “Beau” Brummel, this long rectangular piece of cloth became quite the showpiece. Depending on the man’s rank and skill of his valet, the cravat was starched and folded and then tied in one of numerous ways, ranging from simple to complicated knots. Get more information at Regency Reproductions and also a free pattern to make a cravat.

Gloves, Canes, Pocket Watches, Watch Fobs, Quizzing Glasses

All indicators of wealth and status. However, they were also functional and practical as well as examples of fine craftsmanship.

Wallets or Purses

Made of leather or fabric to hold notes and coins

Hats

Several styles to choose from: topper (what we call a top hat), beaver hat

In the Bedchamber

Nightclothes/Nightshirt

Basically a loose, ankle-length nightgown with a floppy open collar — all those heroes must be freezing in their birthday suits!

Nightcap

A knitted silk hat with a tassel on the end

Banyan/Robe/Dressing Gown

A dressing gown was a loose, wraparound, floor-length bathrobe sort of garment. Banyans reached knee-length and fitted more closely to the body. Most preferred rich-colored, luxurious fabrics, such as satin, velvet, or silk damask.