The Regency period was saw significant societal changes throughout England. However, significant shifts also occurred across the globe. What was the biggest change? Technically just prior to the Regency in England, the French Revolution beginning in 1789 took all of Europe by storm. And although it never spread to England like many aristocrats feared, English society felt the ramifications for years. The resulting military campaigns, battles, and wars changed English life in more than one way. And the best way to see those changes affecting every day life? Fashion. Regency men’s fashion is a fascinating lens to look at the changes of the period, and to get lost in some fashion history.
The Regency period technically lasted from 1811 to 1820 when the Prince of Wales acted as a Regent for King George III. However, historians generally consider 1795 to 1837 the Regency, including the later parts of George’s reign, as well as those of his sons George IV and William IV. Social, architectural, and cultural trends spanned the longer period, and it wasn’t until Queen Victoria’s change that there was another significant shift. Jane Austen’s later life and published novels are emblematic of the Regency, and her characters are often used as shorthand for the Regency. Cue the Mr Darcy comments… (Just kidding, I’m firmly on Team Tilney)
Beau Brummell- Regency Tastemaker
If you recall from my Walking Tour of Bath post, Beau Nash was the uncrowned king of Bath. However, there was another Beau who held a significantly more prominent position in society- Beau Brummell. Brummell was a close friend of the Prince of Wales, and set the trends of men’s fashion that would last for decades. According to Sarah Downing’s Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen, “[t]he genus of the idea- the English country gentleman’s cut-away riding coat, tight pantaloons, tall boots and tall hat- had been batted back and forth from England to France for years but it was Beau Brummell who made it the only acceptable way for a fashionable gentleman to dress. Under his direction, the style… was drawn away from the discordant statment of the Revolution and into modernity, creating the ensemble that would be the basis of the male wardrobe for the next hundred years.” (Downing, Sarah Jane. Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen. Oxford: Shire Publications, 2010, p 29)
The suit above belonged to the Duke of St Albans, and dates to the 1830s. As the Fashion Museum notes, that although it is dated after the strict Regency period, it very much bears the marks of Brummell’s taste. These suits may look simpler than the elaborate suits worn by courtiers and aristocrats in the early and middle eighteenth century, but certainly weren’t any cheaper. “The Regency gentleman was no stranfer to colour; combinations of black, white and sage green; purple, white and yellow; or blue, crimson and canary were all thought to be in good taste”. (Downing, 29) This coat is particularly vibrant in person, and the black velvet collar is striking against the green coat.
Men’s Regency Fashion at the Jane Austen Centre in Bath
As you might imagine, the Jane Austen Centre in Bath largely focuses on the women’s fashion rather than the men’s. (You can see my post on Women’s Fashion at the Jane Austen Centre right here! However, they do have some men’s fashion to look at and learn about. The Napoleonic Wars dominated the period, and so it dominated fashion. Men’s fashion was often militaristic, as you can see in the coat above. However, you will notice that the cravat was a way for men to add a slight flair to their outfit that they wouldn’t otherwise have worn. “The cravat was a very important part of men’s dress. It was made of muslin, lawn or silk and worn wrapped around the neck, with the long ends of the material hanging down at the front and tied in a knot or bow.” (Exhibition info at the Jane Austen Centre). I chatted about the role of muslin in women’s fashion in my earlier post, but it is interesting to me that it also was worn by men.
Men’s Regency Fashion at the V&A
The V&A has the largest textile collection in the world, and you can find an example of pretty much anything there. Their fashion gallery is a timeline of the early modern to the present, and does contain some fascinating Regency pieces. This coat and waistcoat is from a court suit, dating 1810 to 1820. ”
By the decade 1810 to 1820, men’s court dress was becoming more subdued in colour and decoration. Once made of a lavishly embroidered silk or velvet, court coats of this decade were a dark-coloured wool, much like fashionable day wear. The colourfully embellished waistcoat characteristic of 18th-century court dress remains, retaining its old-fashioned ‘skirts’ and pockets. Splendid cut-steel buttons are the only decoration on the coat. (From the V&A collections)
The waistcoat itself clearly is quite embellished, but the coat is simple and plain. (Not to say that it is in any way cheap…) Brummell’s fashion edicts took hold quickly, and court dress remained as such through the reigns of George IV and William IV. You will notice that there is a sword, though. According to the exhibition information at the V&A, “[n]ormally men wore tailored wool coats and breeches or pantaloons, with a crisply laundere, carefully tied neck-cloth. But some royal events still required old fashioned, embroidered court dress, including swords and wigs.”
You can certainly see the colour combinations in these coats. While you might not normally associate pink with men’s suits today, you can see it on both here. (I can’t say that I would rock a green and pink coat/waistcoat combo, but a round of applause for this gentleman’s daring on the right.) The grey striped coat on the left is fairly sedate for the period, but the waistcoat does still make a statement. The silk covered buttons are also a signifier of both taste and wealth. You can also see fairly elaborate cravats on each of these mannequins- they are ostentatious and noticeable, as they should be! (Also note the walking stick on the left, for any country gentleman’s walks on his estate.)
What do you know of men’s Regency fashion? And do you think that it is generally accurate in period films/shows, or could use some help?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin’
