Victorian men's wear
The following blog will focus on the changes in men's clothing for different occasions and classes during the Victorian period and their corresponding characteristics, as well as the impact of these changes on men's clothing in the early 20th century. If you want to skip the history and learn how to style a Victorian man's outfit, then this is the article for you.
Different characteristics at different times.
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From1810s to the 1830s，Bright colors, frills, and fine handwork were extremely popular.
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From the 1840s to1890s，Early Victorian Men's Fashion was muted compared with the excesses of the Regency period [2]. Meanwhile, during this period, class and occasion had a huge impact on the way men dressed.
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If you are a professional working in an office, then a long black shirt, trousers, and a white shirt are standard for a uniform dress code.
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For the vast majority of workers, a very common way of dressing is in casual clothes, such as a short jacket.
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If there is some important event, such as a horse race or a wedding. Upper-class gentlemen tended to wear full-dress, including plain, waistcoats, silk high hats, and dark ties.
[4] Early Victorian full daytime dress
[1] 1853 Men's short jacket suit.
[3] 1847. Les Modes Parisiennes, pretty pink gown and parasol.
In particular, it was very common in the nineteenth century for men to wear a plain in a full-dress.
As can be seen in this photograph, it was mostly in the form of a double row with four to six buttons on each side, and the plain may have been longer than just below the knee.
[5] Rupert Friend and Emily Blunt in The Young Victoria. Costumes designed by Sandy Powell.
And in the 1890s, the blazer was suddenly introduced and the modern men's suit gradually took shape.
The four-piece system we see today consisting of shirt + waistcoat + jacket + coat probably developed from this period. It has to be said, however, that in the early days, such suits were usually used for sporting and other leisure activities.
Bibliography
[6] Tommy is ready to expand the gang, with an ambition to create a legal family business.
A profound impact.
When we discuss the influence aspect, a familiar example is Peaky Blinders. This was a BBC drama about gang life in Birmingham in the 1920s. In terms of fashion, the show's popularity around the world stimulated interest in vintage menswear from the early 1920s.
An important role in the play is Tom Shelby, the pioneer of the family. And when we focus on Tom Shelby's style of dress, it is easy to see that it was a standard grey suit wear, the only difference being their characteristic newsboy hats.
It was on the basis of the four-piece system of the late Victorian period that the men's suits of this period gradually developed and matured. Many of the characteristics of Victorian men's clothing can be seen in both the matching of clothes and the choice of materials used for clothing.
[7] The original Birmingham gang was famous for sewing razor blades into their caps.
[8] Tommy takes Danny (Samuel Edward-Cook) to the canal.
The Victorian period was a period of flourishing culture and it is fair to say that each piece of clothing probably has its own story behind it, which makes each piece of clothing unique and its collectability, historical value and influence on future generations of men's clothing is significant and meaningful.
Bibliography
[1] Pinterest. 2021. Pin by Mark on History CE 1850 to 1859 | Victorian mens fashion, Fashion history, Victorian man. [online] Available at: <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/107734616071885955/> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
[2] Pinterest. 2021. 1847. Les Modes Parisiennes, pretty pink gown and parasol. | Fashion plates, Victorian fashion, Victorian mens fashion. [online] Available at: <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/554153929144725299?lp=true> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
[3] Gentleman's Gazette. 2021. Early Victorian - Black Dominates 1840s - 1880s. [online] Available at: <https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/tuxedo-black-tie-guide/black-tie-tuxedo-history/early-victorian-black-dominates/> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
[4] Gentleman's Gazette. 2021. Early Victorian - Black Dominates 1840s - 1880s. [online] Available at: <https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/tuxedo-black-tie-guide/black-tie-tuxedo-history/early-victorian-black-dominates/> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
[5] Historicalsewing.com. 2021. The Magic of a Drool-Worthy Costume – Historical Sewing. [online] Available at: <https://historicalsewing.com/the-magic-drool-worthy-costume> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
[6] BBC. 2021. BBC One - Peaky Blinders, Series 2, "Time to make some real money" - Shelby Brothers Ltd. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p028d9jw/p028d93t> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
[7] BBC. 2021. BBC One - Peaky Blinders, Series 2, "Time to make some real money" - The Peaky Blinders were real. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p028d9jw/p028d8xb> [Accessed 14 December 2021].
[8] BBC. 2021. BBC One - Peaky Blinders, Series 1, Episode 1, Episode One - Episode One. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01gkymg/p01gkx72> [Accessed 14 December 2021].