Costuming Overview | Women's Costume | Men's Costume

Men's Costume

Men's clothes were beginning to resemble modern fashions. A Victorian man's casual suit for daywear was very similar to a modern, loose-fitting sports jacket over peg-top trousers. A Victorian gentleman dressed for evening could attend an opera opening today and hardly be noticed.

The gentleman of fashion dressed more simply than his female counterpart, but his garments, though less confining and restrictive, still managed to express his exalted station in life. Middle-class men generally wore the same garments as the upper class gentleman, though they were not as well cut or made out of such fine materials. The middle class also tended to dress more soberly and respectably than the upper class gentleman. The lower class men dressed in a manner more utilitarian than fashionable.

Trousers can be well-fitted (straight legged), thick corduroy or wool, plain in color or in checks and plaids. "Knickers" are a fine look as well. Waistcoats (vests) should meet your pants at the waist and be squared off at the bottom. There are four basic coat styles that work well: the morning coat, tail coat, frock coat, and sack coat.

Shirts can be white, colored, or striped. Collars were smaller than those of today and sometimes turned up. Cravats (neck ties) were colorful, and could be tied many different ways. Aprons and shawls (yes, men wore them too) go far to cover up costume sins and are perfect for tradesmen, clerks, and vendors.

Top hats, snap brims, walking sticks, and pocket watches with chains will complete your ensemble.

SHIRTS:

The men's basic shirt is very similar in almost all respects to the modern white dress shirt. The collar was part of the shirt and was worn turned up, with the neckstock or cravat tied over it and the collar points sometimes turned down at the corners over the cravat.

TROUSERS:

Trouser styles vary depending on the decade. In the 1840s they were narrow and tapered inward down to the instep with a strap going under the foot.

In the 1850s the strap disappeared and trousers became a little looser, though still snug to the leg. In the 1860s the "peg-top" trousers, wide at the top and tapering to the ankles, became fashionable. Formal evening trousers were always black, though for formal day wear they were usually a color that contrasted with the coat with white, fawn, and pale gray being the favored colors. For more casual wear (and for the more flamboyant), striped, check, and plaid fabrics were used.

DO NOT wear trousers that are flared, bell-bottomed, cuffed, or have visible pockets in the back.

WAISTCOATS:

Waistcoats (today called vests) were often the most colorful or lavishly trimmed part of a gentleman's attire. In the 1840s it was most often single-breasted; the double-breasted style became more popular in the 1850s and 60s.

The waistcoat was cut straight across the bottom and came a little below the natural waistline. It had at least two pockets, sometimes three or four. The collar and lapel were sometimes cut as one, sometimes separate with the usual notch between.

Waistcoats were made of wool (both tweed and plaid), satin, brocade (embroidered or plain), or velvet (often the cut or figured type).

COATS:

Styles included the frock coat, sack coat, morning coat, and tail coat.

The tail coat was most popular for evening wear, and the sack coat was considered suitable only for informal wear.

CAPES AND OUTER COATS:

All men wore overcoats and capes at night and in inclement weather. The long cloak was usually reserved for dressy evening occasions. Shorter capes were worn for travelling or country wear. Modern overcoats are very similar to the Victorian model.

HATS:

Men usually wore some kind of head covering when out-of-doors. The top hat was the style favored by gentlemen; the derby hat or cloth cap was favored by the lower classes.

ACCESSORIES:

Men's shoes were most often ankle boots. Gentlemen's stockings were knee length and almost universally black.

Gloves were worn by gentlemen and were wrist-length, buttoned at the wrist, and made of kid or other soft leather.

Gentlemen carried pocket watches on a chain in a watch pocket in his waistcoat.

Cravats were worn over a gentlemen's turned-up collar.

Other accessories included umbrellas, canes, walking sticks, mufflers, aprons, sleeve protectors, and handkerchiefs.

Photos/text from Victorian Costuming, © Other Times Productions.