Most 19th century gentlemen owned a top hat.
The 1800s -- or 19th century -- spans the Regency and Victorian periods, but men's clothing changed very little over the century. The Victorian era started in the 1840s, and it had the greatest influence. Overall, men's clothes during the 1800s were fairly sober in keeping with the Victorian preoccupation with industriousness.
Frock Coats
The frock coat is one of the distinguishing fashion items of the 19th century. In the early part of the century, the coat was cut away high in the front to waist level and worn unfastened to show the vest, shirt and pocket watch. The revers were wide across the chest area; at the back, the coat fell to the knees. The material was a light wool that gave the coat a soft, flowing movement. The later Victorian frock coat was the same length front and back but still had a seam at waist-height to give a fitted look. The collar was often velvet-trimmed.
Vests
Vests were a vital part of a gentleman's wardrobe. With coats being rather sober in color, a man used vests to ring the changes and express himself. Paisley patterns in silk and brocade were particularly fashionable. The paisley pattern is a feature of the Victorian period in both male and female fashion. The tear-shaped design originated in India and Persia, and the colonial British brought the pattern back. The Scottish town of Paisley became the most prolific producer of shawls with the design, resulting in the pattern being forever known as paisley. Vests usually had a single row of buttons, but double-breasted styles were also available. Some vests sported shawl collars while others were collarless or had notched collars.
Trousers
In the Regency period, trousers were very fitted and high at the waist. Because of the lack of belts and zippers, or even suspenders, they had what is called a "fall front" -- a flap on the front of the trousers buttons up with three buttons on either side. A Victorian gentleman's trousers were also cut very high on the waist, but were held up by suspenders. Trousers had a button fly and the waistband had buttons to attach the suspenders. Striped wool and checked cloth were popular.
Accessories
Gentlemen didn't go out anywhere without a hat. Top hats and Derby hats were the most popular, although a man might ring the changes with a coachman hat that has part of the styling of a top hat without being quite so formal. Neckwear was confined to cravats, ascots and bow ties. Again, the paisley pattern was favored for these items. Pocket watches and vests were made for each other, and many men took pride in displaying the chain that anchors the watch to his vest pocket. Gloves were commonly worn, and many outfits were finished with a walking stick or cane with an ornate handle.
Tags: 19th century, frock coat, high waist, paisley pattern, ring changes, trousers were
