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1800
Short-fronted tailcoats- Entering the nineteenth century, men were no longer wearing the fancy fabrics and trimmings that characterized their clothing in the 1700s. Instead — under the influence of George Bryan “Beau” Brummel — men’s fashion was gradually moving toward the restrained, conservative costumes that would set the tone for the rest of the century. -
1810
Knee Breeches-
For evening dress, gentlemen wore knee breeches of black or light-colored satin or velvet with white stockings, a white waistcoat, and a dark tail-coat. -
1830
Cossack Trousers-
Some gentlemen preferred loose-fitting Cossack trousers. Inspired by the trousers worn by Cossack soldiers who visited London with Alexander I of Russia in 1814, Cossack trousers were pleated at the waist and full in the hips and thighs. -
1820
Vests-
By the 1820s, the silhouette of gentlemen’s fashion was beginning to change. Coat sleeves began to puff at the shoulders, chests swelled out, and waistlines narrowed to an often extreme degree. This hourglass silhouette — frequently enhanced with padding and corsetry — would remain fashionable into the early 1830s. -
1840
Cravat Tie-
Moving into the 1840s, the Victorian era was well and truly underway. In her 2001 book Pantaloons and Power, fashion historian Gayle Fischer states that this was the decade when: “Men gave up their claims to ornamentation, colors, and lace, and adopted a more uniform style of dress, thereby making fashion and all its accoutrements the sole province of women.” -
1850
Low-waisted frock coats-
Meanwhile, sack coats grew in popularity, with many of them being made to match a gentleman’s trousers. Frock coats and tailcoats were also occasionally made to match, as illustrated by the black trousers and coat seen below.
