Regency dress

Regency dress, style of clothing prevalent in Great Britain during the Regency period (1811–20) when George, prince of Wales, acted as regent for his father, George III. Many historians, however, define the Regency era more broadly as between the mid-1790s and mid-1830s. Often described as a transitional period between the Georgian and Victorian periods, the Regency era was indeed a transformative age, when the French Revolution (1787–99), the Napoleonic Wars (1800–15), and the first Industrial Revolution (c. mid-18th century–c. 1830) greatly impacted society, culture, and taste in England. Clothing shifted dramatically from the excesses of the 18th century and drew on Greco-Roman antiquity, privileging elegant proportion, clean lines, and a tasteful combination of restraint and opulence.

Women’s wear

Toward the turn of the 19th century, women’s dress had largely abandoned the heaviness of the 18th century. Gone were the skirts with exaggeratedly wide sides created by panniers, the heavily structured bodices (called stays) made with whalebone, and the ornate brocades. Instead women in the early decades of the 19th century favored a straight silhouette using lightweight fabrics that revealed the natural female figure.

Regency gowns are defined by their high waistlines (later called an empire waist) in which the bodice ends just under or at the bust. From there the skirt falls flat in front and is gathered in back, occasionally forming a long train. While other parts of the Regency dress varied throughout the 1800s to the 1830s in response to weather, modesty, or minor trends, the high waistline remained a steady characteristic. Another common feature, though not as consistent, was the era’s use of lightweight muslin and cotton fabrics. Fashions were supposedly based upon the classical dress of ancient Greece and Rome, and white or pale colors in imitation of garments depicted by white marble statuary were the most popular choices. Decoration in the early decades was restrained so as not to break with the classical form, but it eventually gained favor. Stays became less restrictive (and may have been given up entirely by the more daring women) in order to display the natural shape of the body. Most women, however, wore at least one petticoat for modesty under the nearly transparent fabric. Dresses were otherwise characterized by their low necklines, which could be v-shaped or square; fitted sleeves that gradually grew in volume at the shoulders; and tubular-shaped skirts that eventually became more triangular.

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The typical lightweight fabric of the Regency gown could be adjusted for cooler weather by using more durable cottons or wools. For additional warmth or modesty, the low neckline could also be tucked in with such accessories as a fichu, a type of small triangular shawl; a scarf; or a chemisette, a sleeveless undergarment sometimes featuring a collar or frill. Stoles were also popular to wear over the muslin dresses because they suggested the draping effect of classical sculptures. Kashmir shawls with a boteh pattern imported from India were very fashionable but were almost prohibitively expensive. Imitations were woven in Europe, notably in Paisley, Scotland, the name of which became associated with the teardrop-shaped floral motif. For outerwear women wore spencers, long-sleeved jackets cropped at the bust; pelisses, high-necked, long-sleeved coats with a high waist; and redingotes, a close-fitting garment based on the riding coat.

Hair was dressed in classical fashion, usually in a chignon bound with ribbons. Choices for millinery were abundant, from wide-brimmed bonnets during the day to silk turbans in the evening. The narrow skirts of the era also precluded women from wearing pockets beneath the dress, so they often carried a reticule, a small, drawstring handbag. Toward the 1830s fashion began to move away from the Neoclassical look to a more Romantic feel. More color came back in, as did tighter waistlines at a more natural level, fuller skirts, leg-of-mutton sleeves, and complex high coiffures surmounted by large-brimmed hats or bonnets.

Menswear

While women’s fashion in the 19th century became increasingly shaped by Paris, men’s was taken from London. It was during the Regency era that the English gentleman was established as the best-dressed in Europe, and the lead was set by elegants such as Beau Brummell. Brummell’s name came to be synonymous with the dandy, an important social figure who had emerged the previous century. The dandy was a man concerned with fashion, but he also shaped masculine ideals and conduct. Brummell’s attention to fit, simplicity, and cleanliness became the priorities of men’s dressing in the early 19th century.

Men’s attire during the Regency era was still characterized by the three-piece ensemble from earlier centuries—a waistcoat, a type of pant, and a kind of coat—but it moved away from the embroidery, lace trim, and colorful fabrics of the 18th century. Men instead highlighted their well-cut pieces by choosing unadorned fabrics in darker, more muted colors. Unlike the 21st century’s three-piece suit, the three elements were seldom the same color. The waistcoat, or vest, was the only part of a man’s wardrobe that had some subdued flourishes. It could be single or double-breasted and made from solid, patterned, or embroidered fabrics in such materials as wool or silk in any color. Waistcoats often had wide lapels and high collars. Pants came in a few styles: breeches were knee-length and were fastened at their ends with ties, buttons, or buckles; pantaloons reached the calf or ankle and were at first fastened at their ends but later had straps to place under the foot; and trousers resembled pantaloons but were looser-fitting. Men often chose a cream color for their pants, creating a nude effect meant to resemble the statues of ancient Greece and Rome. Men’s coats came in two main types that were based on the tailcoat: the dress coat, which had a cut-away front to show the waistcoat beneath, and the riding coat, whose waist-length front gently sloped back to the tails, which were shorter than the dress coat. Both types of coat were made from felted wool in dark colors.

The rest of the men’s ensembles included a shirt, usually made from white cotton or linen, with a high standing collar and a front that could be modestly decorated with frills or pleats, though such decoration fell out of fashion in later decades. Neckwear was the finishing touch of men’s attire. The most popular choice was the cravat, made from cotton or silk and impeccably tied in a variety of ways. Stories of Brummell’s keenness for the perfect knot abound. One account relates how a visitor came upon Brummell and his valet amid a heap of discarded cravats, and, when the visitor asked about them, the valet replied, “Those, sir, are our failures.”

In the early 19th century, men’s dress came to conform to a fixed pattern, etiquette having laid down detailed regulations for the attire to be worn for different occasions and for different times of day. During the daytime, men wore a waistcoat, any type of pant, from breeches to trousers, and the less-formal riding coat. Tricorne and bicorne hats were commonly worn, but top hats were the more stylish option. By the end of the 18th century, men had stopped powdering their hair and started to wear it short and tousled, resembling Roman sculptures, and indeed the style was called à la Titus or Brutus. Pantaloons and trousers were often tucked into boots during the day. The most popular type were Hessian boots, which were characterized by their tassels and cleft tops. They were inspired by German Hessian soldiers, who were hired by Great Britain to fight in such wars as the American Revolution (1775–83). Military influence was also one of the few decorative aspects of civilian men’s clothing, which could be adorned with braiding, Brandenburg buttons (a type of braided toggle), and tassels. These details could also be found in women’s outerwear. For the evening, men’s attire comprised a white waistcoat, cream breeches worn with stockings and leather shoes, a black or blue dress coat, and a cravat. Bicornes were a smart finish for evening and were carried under the arm.