When it comes to 19th century clothing, gentlemen have it drastically easier than ladies. With a few exceptions, the cut and general stylings of men's clothing have not changed much over the past 120 years. Thus, the 19th century enthusiast may re-create a facsimile of late Victorian men's wear without too much trouble or expense. The following is an example of how one may "cheat" a basic outfit for use at Udrian events, etc. It is a "reasonable attempt" only. The interested gentleman with aspirations will, of course, wish to research more authentic clothing and either purchase or make same as time and money permit.

Vintage clothing is available from the period, but is often in fragile condition and may not be wearable. It is often better to merely study and appreciate it. Many companies are now producing reproduction clothing - particularly for use in American Civil War re-enactment settings or "Wild West" shooting clubs. We will list some of these later. For now, however, let us see what we can do to help Joe Slob become Daper Dan on the cheap.

Before hunting, it is essential to know your quarry. There are many varied styles of suits and other togs available in the Victorian era -- everything from formal suits with frock coat to evening wear to casual leisure suits to country hunting outfits.

For simplicity's sake, we shall center our search upon the basic late-period "sack suit". This is the middle-class work-a-day suit or upper class leisure suit which eventually evolved into the modern suit of today.

Our model, Mr. Munson, is shown here wearing his "cheat suit".



One may view the very large original photo by clicking upon that above. Thus one may fully appreciate the subject's demonic red eyes and the electrical cords in the corner. Oh, and the clothes.

Now let's re-create this outfit describing the various elements Mr. Munson used.


Underthings:

We shall assume modern briefs and undershirt for this exercise. However, the interested gentleman may explore the wearing of long underwear (particularly for winter), shirt sleeve garters and sock garters among other things.


Shirt:

For this outfit, Mr. Munson went to his local Burlington Coat Factory store and purchased a simple 100% cotton "tuxedo shirt". This is a common item in many retails stores and is used by many, many under-appreciated waiters and hopeful prom dates. Cost: about $15.00. It features French cuffs and an attached wing-tip collar.

In much of the Period, collars as well as cuffs were detachable and disposable (made of linen, paper or celluloid) which made looking fresh much easier. The wing-tip was a common style in the 19th and early 20th Centuries and is therefore appropriate. One may also purchase a dress shirt with a "spread collar" as there was a similar collar style in Period. (Make sure it is labeled as such and is not something with more modern, elongated collar points. Spread-collar shirts are still standard business wear available in any department store.) However, this may not give as drastically a Period look as one may desire.

One associate of the author recently experimented with such a shirt,. He wore the spread-collar up and folded down the tips at about a 45 degree angle. The result was not unlike what we see Mr. Wilde wearing in the photograph below!



Regardless of the collar, French cuffs are essential. When one is ready, one may pursue the making or purchasing of collarless shirts and detachable collars. Both can be bought online or from Amazon Drygoods catalogue . A modern banded collar shirt can be used if one sews a button to the back of the band to affix the collar. In Period, this was accomplished with a special stud. These may still be obtained if one hunts the antuque markets. There is also a British firm by the name of "Denny's" which provides shirts and detachable collars for the restaurant industry.


Cuff Links:

French cuffs (called English cuffs in France, it seems) require links. These are an important element for showing one's style and tastes. One may purchase them easily from flea markets, antique shops, etc. They range in price from $2.00 all the way up to $50 or more for real gold antiques.


Tie:

In Period, gentlemen had a far wider selection when it came to neck wear. Just look in the pages of a Sears catalogue from the day and you will find all sorts of options including some pre-tied ties with elastic bands! For this outfit, Mr. Munson is using a modern grey silk tie. He has chosen this as the solid color denotes more formality and offsets the black suit and the grey trousers (Mr. Munson has pretensions, you see).

The important thing about the tie is that it is tied very thickly using the wider, lower section of the fabric. If Mr. Munson's vest were open, one could see that the end of the tie extends only a few inches down. As this is silly looking, Mr. Munson keeps his tie where it belongs. In some cases, as with later period leisure outfits, one might fold the tie end in under the shirt opening.

Rectangular bow ties, cravats and such are all acceptable alternatives to this basic tie. There was even a "neck scarf" which one would wear by binding it in a "woggle" - a small metal ring (not unlike on the Boy Scout uniform). An excellent example of this may be seen worn by Mr. Gilbert in the film Topsy Turvy which is highly recommended for viewing 1880's fashions.


Tie Tack:

Mr. Munson is also wearing a small tie tack. Though the photo does not show it well, this is at the very top of the knot. It is another antique store item, though they may be found in regular jewelry stores or faked with an appropriate-looking woman's earring.


Vest/waistcoat:

Like no other garment, the vest separates the period from the modern. A suit was simply not complete without one! Mr. Munson is wearing his very best - a reproduction 1870's-80's vest his sister gave him. Similar items may be purchased at a variety of Old West Shooter's supply stores such as Colorado Junction. These traders also frequently carry frock coats, pants, shirts, etc. However, Caveat Emptor as to price and quality.

When selecting a vest off the rack, try to find one with lapels. Luckily, these seem to be coming back into fashion. The author bought one in a 'Today's Man' store recently. Vests with scalloped collars are also good. Mr. Munson recently saw four such vests in a local Salvation Army store - all formerly parts of formal wear outfits. If you have trouble finding a vest with a collar, try for one with many buttons and a high neck - this was a more common look. Again, many of these seem to be reappearing as "hip" new fashion items. The author bought a $150 suit last year which featured such a vest. By the by, even frock coats seem to be coming back. However, the modern ones have a decidedly modern, sleek cut.

Your vest need not match your pants and jacket in color (though one is tempted to advise against having all three being different colors!). It is another chance to show your style, taste, the season, mood, etc. Mr. Munson will usually choose a vest that compliments his trouser color and/or his tie. But this is a matter of practice. The sober business man will usually opt for sedate colors, just as a modern gentleman would.


Pocket Watch:

Of course, a pocket watch is expected. How else does one tell how long it will be till the dynamite goes off? Pocket watches are an item many men collect and cherish. They range widely in quality and price. Many working vintage watches are still around. Mr. Munson happens to be wearing his regular standby watch which is new in manufacture, though mechanical-wind. It came from The Sovietski Catalogue and cost about $40. Search E-Bay or use Google, and you will find many vendors selling reasonaly priced watches, both vintage and new.

In a pinch, if one is willing to have a battery-powered watch and is short of cash, he may find several options in department stores -- even (gasp) Wal-Mart! Wally-World has one meant for a Dad or Granddad for about $20. Again, these may also be found at flea markets, garage sales, etc.

A watch chain is important. Again, these are often collectibles and can cost a great deal but not always. The author recently purchsed a decent vintage silver watch chain at an antique show for about $25. Most new pocket watches will come with some sort of basic chain. It may be possible to make a nice looking chain from a lady's necklace and the application of some jump rings, but the author has yet to try this. Aspire to one day have a strong, elegant chain with an intriguing fob, cigar cutter or pocket knife on the end opposite your watch (in earlier years this end carried the watch key).


Sack Jacket:

This is a relatively short, usually single-breasted, suit jacket (short compared to a frock coat, that is). Mr. Munson has once again "lucked out" having found a linen sport coat at a Today's Man that has roughly the right look. The right look, by the way, is many buttons (four or more), small lapels, and flapped pockets. Again, this style is coming back for the time being, making our job easier. However, it should be noted that a suit jacket that has larger lapels and fewer buttons is not necessarily out of the question (three-button jackets are common right now, thankfully).




Above all, find a jacket that fits. You may add buttons later as desired. Try to aim for a jacket with a looser, longer line or "English" cut. One does not want an "Italian cut" suit jacket -- too modern. Take some time to examine period photos before invading the thrift store. Keep the images of what you want fresh in your mind. Look in the mirror at the store and trust your instincts.

Oh, and speaking of thrift stores, the author recently found a brown suit that fits him perfectly at the Salvation Army. He intends to modify it later with more buttons.


Pants:

Very often, one will find trousers sold as part of a suit in Ye Olde Consignment Shoppe. Or, one may buy them separately. Preferred trousers are flat-front (no pleats). It is desirable to wear suspenders with them, but this is not necessary for this exercise. Creases are also not absolutely necessary so that some casual slacks such as Dockers may pass, though they are not ideal. Mr. Munson is wearing a pair of East German Army uniform pants. They are good, heavy wool with about the right cut (smooth and not baggy) and a button fly. The only drawback is that they are really too hot for summer. He had them for the whopping price of $11.00 for a set of three pairs via the HQ catalogue - a division of The Sportsman's Guide. (This is also where he aquired his pith helmet, but that is another story...)

Trousers can have personality. It may be seen that Mr. Munson's are grey while his suit is black. In period, trousers were just as likely to match the jacket as not. This varied over the years. Some were striped or even plaid! Victorians even fancied whole suits of plaid at times, such as in the 1880s. Oh, we mean here a basic plaid -- more of a "Black Watch" than a "Uncle Joe's Golfing Pants of Many Colors".





Shoes:

Basic black or brown leather dress shoes are a good start. Mr. Munson may be seen wearing a pair of black wingtips. The author is uncertain as to just when the wingtip came into fashion, but admits that the shoes look well. In the Edwardian period, two-tone oxfords were beginning to be seen as were spats. However predating both, and most common around the turn of the century, were men's walking boots as one may see in the photograph above. Vintage design reproduction shoes are available from a number of sources including Amazon Drygoods catalogue. However these are expensive. A good "cheat" option is this pair of men's boots available from the Blair Company which cost $50.00.



It should be noted that good shoes will require proper care. When one is ready to invest in wholelly accurate footwear, one will also require shoe molds to hep keep the leather uncreased. A good shoe polish is useful no matter what the cost of ones shoes.


Hats:

There are a wide variety of hats available for the Victorian or Edwardian gentleman. However, buying a good hat can be costly - anywhere from $30 to $250. The two most common types of hat one may see a gentleman about town sporting are the Bowler...



and the Homburg...




The reader may have encountered hats of these styles in shops carrying vintage apparel, or in costume shops. Avoid the latter at all costs! Cheap Halloween costume hats do not look well. Vintage hats tend to hold up better than other vintage articles of clothing. New hats may be purchased a number of places. Here is one particularly useful online store known approriately enough as The Village Hat Shop.

One should invest in a good hat, but if funds are limited, hunt the thrift stores one more time. Alternative hats include the "Greek Sailor"...



Which has the styling of a 19th Century engineer's hat. Many travelers and artists apparently favored this hat, including the noted Chicago architect, Louis Sullivan. Also the "News boy cap" which is actually a "Driver's cap"...



These can usually be found for around $15 to $40 and even the cheap ones look well. Certainly, these hats are more appropriate for leisurely outings, not in-town business, unless one is of the working class or an eccentric. Some other hats types to consider include a straw boater (such as the gentleman at the top of this article is wearing) or the deer stalker hunting cap made famous by Sherlock Holmes.

Of course, the top hat is most emblematic of this period. There were several styles of topper. Some were intended as day wear for the gentleman in town. Please note that we mean a proper gentleman, not a worker. Thus, such a top hat usually is only worn with a frock and therefore we do not recommend one for this sack-suit cheat. Others, such as the flashy silks ones we are familiar with from Fred Asatir were intended for evening dress and were worn with one's opera cape and tuxedo. There were also several short toppers which went by various names, but that is a topic for a sperate article. It is hard to find an affordable top hat, however the author does own one which is actually rather early period. It cost him about $50.


Walking stick:

When a man had completed his schooling, he was more or less officially considered to have entered the ranks of gentlemen. One symbol of adulthood was the carrying of a walking stick. Styles ranged widely over the period. By the Edwardian age, many were quite slim and made of strong bamboo with metal fittings. Heavier sticks were sometimes employed as weapons of self defense. A scan of the thrift stores and antique shops will net one several options ranging from elegant vintage items to recently discarded senior citizens' implements.


Thus ends our brief treatise on the faking of a basic Victorian suit of clothes for a gentleman. We hope it has been of some small use. Of course, this document is ever a work in progress. Rome was not built in a day! If the reader would care to know more of these matters, he is encouraged to write to the author at mokurai@destinyslobster.com, visit the home site of the VLS, or the Royal Udrian Embassy .

© Copyright 2003, Eric Munson. All rights reserved.