Page 16 - Layout 1

Styling the
19th

Century

Gentleman

By Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher

n the 19th century, men, like women, literally were often worn to add color and variety to the outfit. This style continued until the 20th
wore their wealth on their sleeves. From the century and became identified as the city businessman’s suit of black coat, striped trousers,
Icut of the cloth to the numerous accessories and bowler hat (replacing the top hat).
that styled the “look,” a man’s fashion sense easily The lounge suit became popular during the 1860s because of its easy comfort. It originated
distinguished him as a gentleman in the from the “lounging jacket,” which was cut to fit the waist without a
eyes of others; someone of wealth and waist (most similar to what we know as a suit jacket). By the 1870s, the
status. This look was also his calling card jacket was worn with a matching waistcoat and trousers and had become
for entree into all the best drawing rooms popular for informal wear. In the early 20th century, it replaced the
and men’s clubs in his social class. As a frock coat and the morning coat.
result, the 19th-century gentleman was as As the fashions evolved, so did the numerous head-to-toe accessories
slavishly devoted to the appropriateness required to pull off the look. From hats to spats, every occasion,
of his attire as his wife. time of day, and season had a look and style all its own, and the
Social society had a strict fashion 19th-century closet needed room to house it all.
code in the 19th century. “Looks”
were prescribed for all activities and Vintage Beaver Top Hats
times of the day. Even color, material, Top Hat ca. There has never been a more sophisticated and dominating hat
and fabric choices were dictated by 1880 in fashion than the top hat. When the first top hat was worn by the
fashion trends. And, ladies’ fashion magazines photo: 1stdibs.com haberdasher John Hetherington in 1797, it caused a near riot.
were dedicated to helping a wife accessorize According to a newspaper account, “passersby panicked at the
her husband as the ideal of a well-dressed and sight. Several women fainted, children screamed, dogs yelped,
refined gentleman. and an errand boy’s arm was broken when he was trampled by the mob.”
As it is today, fashion was fluid throughout the So, Hetherington was taken to court for wearing “a tall structure having a shining luster
19th century. Knee breeches, an 18th-century calculated to frighten timid people.”
colonial hold-over, were lengthened in favor of What Hetherington designed was a modified riding hat of the day, widening the brim and
trousers in the first half of the 19th century, first lengthening the top area. In 1823, Antoine Gibus came along and modified it even more to
only worn for informal day dress but within a collapsible opera hat, which made traveling with it much easier and during the opera could
decades, acceptable for evening wear and then be stored flat, under the seat.
formal day wear.
By mid-century, formal gentleman’s daywear
revolved around the frock coat, usually of black A black formal opera pop-up top hat
or blue-black wool, and the cut-away coat, and
straight trousers. The jacket, trousers, and
waistcoat that comprised the suit could be of one
color and were then known as “dittos.”
Alternatively, contrasting waistcoats and trousers

Title image: Carte-de-visite photograph of Queen Victoria
(1819-1901) and Prince Albert, Prince Consort (1819-61)
standing together, in outdoor clothes. The Queen wears
a tartan dress, cape and bonnet and the Prince
wears a morning suit, tartan waistcoat and top hat.

14 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles