We Make History - Men's Clothing of the Early Victorian Era

Unlike the 17th and 18th centuries when men and women both often dressed quite colorfully, in the 19th century men’s clothing became more conservative (with the possible exception of the vest or waistcoat), the idea being that men served as a suitable backdrop to the beauty and display of the women. By the early Victorian era this meant that black, browns, greys and blues had become the predominant colors in men’s fashion with black and white firmly entrenched for formal wear. Other colors such as green and burgundy were still sometimes worn but almost always in a muted shade. Brightness and color for the most part belonged to the ladies.

Trousers - Most trousers (pants) were made of wool though heavy cotton, linen or even hemp were also used. They were cut with a waist that was somewhat higher than the modern garment and were made to be worn with cotton, linen or leather suspenders. Trousers earlier in the century were of the “drop front” variety but by this time the great majority of men wore the “fly front” style. All trousers buttoned shut as zippers were not yet in use.

Coat - Virtually all men wore coats in public, regardless of the time of year, unless actively engaged in actual physical labor. The coat was most often made of wool and could be lined with wool, polished cotton, cotton or silk. Most varieties could be made either single or double breasted. The buttons could be pewter, brass or more likely, fabric covered. Velvet trim in a contrasting color was a fairly common added option.

The frock coat became the most popular and dominant coat during this period. It was the rough equivalent of today’s suit jacket and was worn by upper class men as daywear, business wear and sometimes evening wear. It could be worn by middle class men for any occasion. The frock coat could be either quite plain or very dressy depending upon the quality of materials used.

The tailcoat was used for both day and evening wear from the 1790s into the 1850s. From the Civil War era until the present it has been most associated with more formal evening wear. The version common to the Early Victorian era was either single or double breasted, fit the body snugly, cut straight back at the same level as the bottom of the waistcoat and had a long tail in the back which may or may not have been split. When used for daywear the tailcoat had been made in a number of usually darker colors (black, brown, blue, green, grey, burgundy) but for evening wear black was the accepted choice.

The cutaway coat (often confused with the tailcoat) was similar to the frock coat except that the front was cut so that it flared back rather than having the more straight cut of the frock coat.

Vest (Waistcoat) - The vest of the time had a “shawl” collar or a “notched” collar, could be single or double breasted and could be made from any of a variety of fabrics. Therefore silk, wool, cotton, polished cotton and linen are all possibilities. These fabrics could be solids, stripes, checks, prints or brocades. The vest front was typically straight across at the bottom unlike the later era when it was often cut flared open at the front center bottom. If a man desired a bright color this would be the only garment (other than some military uniforms) where such would generally be permissible. For formal occasions most vests would be either black or white.

Shirt - The shirt would most often be made of cotton though linen was common and silk was also known to be used. White shirts were ubiquitous but solid colors, stripes and checks were all worn. Buttons could be made of pewter, brass, gold, bone, porcelain, mother of pearl, thread over wire or fabric over a metal form. Most shirt collars were of the “turn down” variety but for formal wear the standing collar similar to that made popular during the Regency era remained in vogue. A man wearing only trousers and a shirt was considered to be “undressed”.

Undergarments - Men’s undergarments were in two pieces (thus no “long johns”, a later invention) and were usually made of cotton though linen and silk were also available.

Shoes and Boots - Boots were always made of leather as were most shoes. They were nearly always black. The brogan was a common shoe for soldiers, labor and general wear. Fashionable smooth leather, lace up styles became popular circa 1801 with the Jefferson presidency and continued on with little change for many decades.

Hats - A great array of hat and cap styles were available. The top hat, slouch hat and planter’s hat were all common. Wool felt and straw were the most often used basic materials. The hat would be touched for a man you were acquainted with or for any man who appeared worthy of the courtesy. The hat would be actually tipped or removed for a lady. Hats were not generally worn indoors and certainly not if ladies were present.

Cravate - The cravate (or necktie) was a necessary part of any man’s wardrobe and no gentleman would go out in public without one. Silk, polished cotton and cotton prints were all used. Many styles of tying were in fashion including the bow, the Windsor (from circa 1860 on) and what we might call the “Colonel Sanders” style. Black was the most common color. For formal occasions either a white or black bow tie was most appropriate though during the 1860s white was beginning to be preferred.

Accessories - Canes, pocket watches, leather or fabric wallets and handkerchiefs of silk, linen or cotton were all widely used. White gloves would be worn for Balls and other social occasions.

Hair - Not until our own time would there again be such diversity of accepted hair and facial hair styles for men as there was circa the 1860s. The hair could be worn long, medium, short or cropped. It could be parted on one side, brushed up high, or combed back. A man could wear no facial hair, only sideburns, only a moustache, only a beard or any combination of beard, moustache and sideburns. Goatees were worn in various shapes and styles. Beards could range anywhere from mere stubble to incredible length and were even known to be forked

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