The Elegant: Men’s Fashion of the 18th and 19th Century

Men’s Waistcoat
France/the Netherlands, 1740–50

The likewise long vest, or veste, incorporated the slightly tapered silhouette of the justeaucorps. This hip-length waistcoat has a long and slightly curved shape that was fashionable up until 1750.

Magnificently designed waistcoats were an essential part of the fashionable man’s wardrobe. This waistcoat has an artistic embroidery of ascending vines with exotic flowers and fruit clusters which was inspired by Delftware designs that can be traced back to Asian motifs.

Men’s Nightgown - Banyan
England, ca. 1730

Nightgowns, which were worn over a shirt, breeches and waistcoat, provided elegance and comfort for men in indoors. The name Banyan points to this article’s Indian origin, they had been imported from India by the East India companies of England, France and the Netherlands since the 17th century.

The simple design, derived from the Japanese kimono, highlights the large repeat pattern of the bottle green silk damask. This housecoat was previously owned by ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev (1938–1993).

Men’s Waistcoat
France, ca. 1760

This collarless waistcoat with its à disposition woven decoration demonstrates the artistry of the French silk industry. The course of the arching guided edges, the measurements of the future owner and all other components of this piece—even the pocket flaps—had to be taken into consideration before the weaving process began.

This remarkable pattern includes flower stems and coloured silk and leaves made of flattened silver wire that are held by a ribbon, also woven from flattened silver wire.

A matching variation of the pattern appears on the pocket flaps.

Three-piece Men’s Suit
France, ca. 1765

Between 1730 and 1750 the jacket tails were cut to be less voluminous and the vest was truncated. Around the middle of the century the term justeaucorps was abolished, and the jacket was now named for the full ensemble: habit. It was worked to be continuously slimmer and tighter and the front components were cut back more and more.

Silk fabric with a small repeating pattern, or so-called droguet, was a popular material for elegant suits in the 1760’s because its pattern need not be considered when tailoring the various suit parts.

Men’s Waistcoat
France, ca. 1780

Waistcoats were worn increasingly shorter and straighter during the second half of the 18th century. Of particular splendour is this sleeveless waistcoat made from gold lamé, a fabric in which metal filaments, or flattened metal wires, are worked from selvedge to selvedge.

The front edges of the waistcoat and the pocket flaps are set down simply, but very effectively, with a red and white striped trim made of faceted glass stones and contoured in curves made of blue sequins.

Men’s Waistcoat – Gilet
France, 1775–90

After 1780, white vests, now called gilet, with multi-coloured embroidery became fashionable. In 1787 The Baroness d’Oberkirch said of the fashion of the many various vests that: “It was absolutely trendy to own dozens, even hundreds of gilets if one wanted to be fashionable. They were masterfully embroidered ...” (Oberkirch 2010: 652)

Pattern drawers drafted new motifs, by which pattern pieces were created and presented in the capitals of Europe each year and customers could thus always order the newest designs. The design for this embroidery pattern has been preserved and is located in the Musée des Tissus et des Arts Décoratifs in Lyon.

Three-piece Men’s Suit
France, 1785–90

During the second half of the century also rich border embroidery on hems, pocket flaps, sleeve cuffs and buttons of the habit à la française was established.

With every movement, such suits reflected the ambient candlelight and granted their wearers a befittingly grand entrance into the highest society.

The Habit de Ville

Three-piece Men’s Suit
France, ca. 1790

This simple suit of iridescent silk velvet shows the colour scheme popular in the late 1780s, bottle-green and bronze. Its stylish cut with high, upright collar, deeply drawn neckline and far set tails shows it to be a so-called half suit, habit de ville.

Men’s Waistcoat with Pinwheels Adorned
France/Italy, ca. 1790

During the 1780s men’s fashion became more narrow and slender. The waistcoats, now called gilets, were no longer coordinated with the suit, but were now stylishly independent items of négligé clothing.

From 1790 on the stand-up collars, which initially remained short, became higher and gilets were provided with small lapels.

The front panels were entirely decorated with small-scale patterns and the bottom portions were accented with special illustrations. Subjects were diverse, important political and social events were depicted as well as motifs from theatre, opera and antiquity.

Bead-Embroidered Braces
England, 1830–40

With the arrival of long trousers, or so-called pantaloons, braces for men became fashionable.

Self-embroidered, they were a popular gift from young brides to their future husbands. The romantic flower pattern of roses and lilies as a sign of love and purity was deliberately chosen as symbol fitting commitment.