Writer’s Wardrobe: Men Getting Dressed

Continuing with laying the foundations of clothing historical characters it’s time to look at what characters are actually wearing and why.  As noted in the previous blog in this series my personal experience with costuming is based in Euro-American 18th century so that is the terminology and clothing norms that I will be focusing on.  If you are writing a historical fiction in a different but close century this should still provide enough to give you the basics and a place to start from but I would definitely recommend doing research on your specific era to get a sense of fashionable silhouettes of that period (which could change even within the same century) and and other changes in style that would have happened over time.  Also, again, this will address primarily Euro-American 18th century trends as that is the area I have the most experience in researching.

Children

During not just the 18th century but most of Western history both boys and girls were dressed the same way for the first few years of their lives (so yes, some of this section will be very similar to the women’s article).  In fact today’s idea of distinctly male or female baby clothes is practically still in its infancy in the scope of history, pinpointing an exact date is difficult as every family would have their own preferences meaning that while one family might leap at a budding new trend their neighbors might stick with tradition until the next generation or longer but the separation option seems to start around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.  During the periods of unisex baby clothes children all wore dresses, usually referred to as gowns.  White seemed to be the most common but sashes or other splashes of color could be added and these gowns could be plain and almost boxy in shape or more elaborate and fitted to the child and reflecting the popular silhouettes of the current adult fashions.  Have fun exploring portraits of small children or garments in archival collections to see what best suits your character’s family status and specific time period.  There was no fixed, universal age for when a child would stop wearing gowns and switch to more gender specific styles but it would be highly unlikely to happen before the child was completely potty trained.  In fact many historians consider the need to change diapers to be the reason for dressing all young children in these gowns.  An open skirt provides much easier access to the diaper than garments using buttons or ties that require a higher level of dexterity.  This was a convenience for both the caretakers as well as children beginning the potty training process.  Young children are still developing their fine motor skills, after all, so the skirt avoided the risk of accidents caused by the child not being able to find a button or struggling with a knot. 

Whatever age the transition occurred, during the eighteenth century it was recognized as a sort of right of passage- especially for boys.  I imagine it was a notable time for a young girl but it was comparatively a much  more drastic and noticeable change for their brothers.  This was referred to as “breeching” or being “breeched” referring to breeches, which was the popular style of pants at the time.  How much ceremony was involved with a boy being breeched likely depended on different factors that would vary for each family.  Was he the first born son or the seventh?  Did it herald the arrival of a private tutor to begin the boy’s academic education or that he would soon be joining men laboring in the fields?  If you’re looking for a way to demonstrate the passage of time or display some family dynamics or slice-of-life scenes having a boy receive his first pair of breeches or referencing the shift would be a great detail to include in your story!

Children’s fashion also included safety features, essentially instead of baby-proofing the house many eighteenth century parents tried to danger-proof the baby.  Some gowns included “leading strings” or long strips of fabric attached to the back somewhere around the shoulders that an adult could hold on to, keeping the child from wandering off and possibly help stop a fall if they are just learning to walk.  “Pudding caps” might also be worn when a baby was starting to sit up and begin walking.  This was a round, padded hat fitted to the baby’s head that would cushion the impact if they were to fall or bump their head.  There were also baby stays, which were a little less snug than an adult woman’s stays but still made from a stiff material that would keep baby in a balanced posture and even add a little extra support to the back and core muscles.  Like the gown itself all of these features would be gender neutral.

Men

Once a boy was breeched he would wear essentially miniature versions of what the adult men of his social circles were wearing.  Before breaking down the pieces making up an outfit I should mention the possibility of characters wearing “livery.”  I have only ever seen references to men’s livery as it was worn specifically for jobs typically done by male servants.  Essentially livery is a work uniform provided to select servants- who could be free or enslaved.  Elite families would likely have a coat of arms or at the very least a set of colors associated with their family.  In terms of pieces making up the outfit they would be the same as the general clothing discussed below.  However livery was distinctive in that it would be identical amongst the people serving the same family, always using the same patterns with the family’s colors.  Livery was specifically intended for servants in highly visible roles such as coachmen, footmen, waiters, or posted at a door.  Because the clothing of these servants reflected the reputation of the family the wearer served they would often be highly elaborate with trims and ruffles and made from expensive materials.  Livery also frequently included a wig.

For all men the outfit begins with the shirt.  This would typically be a white linen or cotton loose fitting shirt.  Plain white was the most common and fashionable though checked patterns were an option for working men.  A gentleman’s shirt might include ruffles around the sleeves or front of the collar.  Unlike most “shirts” today this base layer would be fairly long, with the body reaching somewhere between the lower thighs and knees.  Like a woman’s shift described in the previous article most men would sleep in their shirts only and then add the outer layers over it when they got dressed for the day.  Stockings could come in a variety of designs ranging from solid colors to patterns or “clocked” referring to having some kind of design around the ankles so I would recommend looking for paintings depicting men in the social class and settings your characters will find themselves in.  They would also require garters which could be made from ribbon or similar bands of cloth but would likely be fairly plain as they were not generally intended to be seen according to European fashion standards.  Leather garters with metal buckles were an option though they are only likely to be used if your character is in the military or possibly certain horseback riding activities, probably not just a casual ride into town but perhaps when hunting or similar intensive riding activity.

Next, would come the pants.  As discussed above breeches were a very common and popular type of legwear.  Breeches refers to the distinctive knee length design, while they might appear somewhat baggy around the top they would become more closely fitted as they traveled down the leg, ending securely fitted by a band just below the knee with the fastened with a small metal buckle (essentially a miniature of the same buckles used on shoes) or buttons.  These buckles could be plain and practical in common metals or ornate and made from precious metals depending on what your character can afford and his expected activities for the day.  Breeches upper fastenings come in a number of different styles usually involving numerous buttons around the front and adjustable with strings laced between panels in the back.  In most cases in your writing it would probably suffice to just reference buttons in general but if your story requires more precise descriptions the two most common styles were referred to as “fall front” and “button-” or “fly-front.”

Breeches were the most fashionable legwear option, meaning that a gentleman would likely wear them exclusively.  Livery would also almost always consist of breeches and enslaved men working in public view would most likely be expected to wear breeches.  However they could be made from a wide range of materials, from fine silk to sturdy homespun or even leather making them an option for nearly every social rank.  With the calf only covered by the stockings and even the upper leg tightly fitted a gentleman’s leg muscles would be clearly defined, putting them on full display when stepping forward to bow in greeting.  A man with well defined calf muscles demonstrated that he was active in things like dancing and horseback riding- gentlemanly activities meant to impress.  However, working men did have alternative options if they wished, or in the case of enslaved men if their enslaver chose to provide.  Trousers were essentially long pants, stretching down to around the man’s ankles.  These would generally only be worn by working men or sometimes as part of military uniform.  Trousers would be loose enough fitting to not need any fastening at the bottom of the leg but like breeches would have multiple buttons at the waist front and strings laced in the back.

Whether wearing breeches or trousers the shirt that formed the base layer would generally be tucked in to the pants.  Next would come the outer layers for the upper body.  Full formal wear would include at least three additional pieces.  First the waistcoat, this would be a close fitted garment similar to a vest as they often only covered the core body with no sleeves, though sleeved waistcoats were not unheard of, and would end somewhere around the hips.  Waistcoats closed in the front with buttons and it would be very unusual to see a man with an unbuttoned waistcoat.  However if a gentleman was wearing a ruffled shirt he might leave some of the top buttons undone to allow the ruffles to “pop” out and be displayed.  Working men might make due with just the waistcoat, especially if they don’t expect to be seen while doing their tasks such as a tradesman in his workshop or other intensive physical labor.  A man might wear a sleeved waistcoat if he expected to be seen but did not want an additional layer.

However the majority of men would not consider themselves fully dressed without an additional coat or jacket.  A long coat would extend anywhere from the calves to knees and though still fitted to suit the wearer’s size and build it would be a looser fit than the waistcoat, particularly around the sleeves.  If the man’s shirt had ruffled sleeves the lace or ruffled material would be pulled past the coat’s sleeves to be fully visible.  The coat would always have buttons, sometimes multiple rows for wealthy gentleman, but whether it was actually closed or not would be up to the wearer’s personal preference.  Typically some portion would be left open enough to make sure the waistcoat was still visible.  Some alternatives to the long coat include hunting frocks or jackets, which would often be made from leather or canvas, loose fitting sometimes closed with ties around the waist and with extra layers or flaps that might be neatly hemmed or with loose strands on the edges that draped over the shoulders

The combination of waistcoat and coat or jacket still allowed for a number of options for personal taste and financial situation.  Plain, solid colors would be the most affordable and was a typical style for everyday wear, the waistcoat and coat could be of matching material or different.  However it was also popular, when possible, to use patterned fabrics or add embroidery or other trimmings.  Buttons also came in a variety of styles and materials to add extra flair or keep them simple, which was not only more affordable but also easier to replace than an ornate, unique shape or design.  Men would also be expected to wear some form a neckwear, most typically a cravat which would be a strip of cloth wrapped around the throat and tied so that the ends fell over the chest.  However for working men neckerchiefs or smaller tied pieces of cloth might be acceptable.  To be seen without some kind of neckwear would be unheard of for formal wear and really only acceptable for laboring men.  Gentlemen and liveried servants would be expected to wear all these garments neatly but for the middling sort and lower classes men would have a little more leeway.  As long as fashion and propriety is not particularly important to your character you can get creative with leaving off some garments or wearing them in looser and more varied styles. 

To top off the outfit, literally, your hero will have to figure out what to do with his hair.  If a man kept his natural hair he would typically grow it out to a little past shoulder length.  The most casual style would be tied back into a low ponytail or braided.  This would be tied in place with either ribbon (black was by far the most common, so much so evidence of other colors being worn by men is almost impossible to find) or a piece of leather.  Powder could be used to change hair color for certain occasions.  White was expected for men working in law or other positions of authority and would often be seen for formal occasions.  For such formal occasions they would also likely utilize more elaborate styles, giving the hair more body or adding rows of circular curls around the sides and back of the head.  If your character would prefer not to sit still for long hours having his own hair styled wigs were extremely popular during the 18th century.  For a properly fitted wig though a man would have to shave off all his hair, meaning he would have to always wear the wig whenever in public.  Wigs would still need maintenance and styling but could be done by either the local wigmaker or a servant while the man went about other business, though he would probably want a second wig to wear while doing so.  Wigs made from human hair would be the most expensive but horsehair would also be an option.  Finally the vast majority of men would wear a hat of some kind.  The tri-corn hats often associated with this period were certainly popular but not the only option.  Hats with the brims left extended, instead of tucked into the cornered style, offered maximum protection from sun glare and burn as would straw hats.  Wool caps were warm and mildly waterproof and could fit snugly on the head, finally a cloth kerchief could also be wrapped around the head.  For the wealthy head coverings were a matter of propriety for working men it ensured hair would be kept out of the way of their vision and kept clean, requiring less frequent washing.

Finally men’s shoes were typically made from leather with buckles, which like those on the breeches would reflect the wearer’s wealth and status based on design and materials used.  Boots were also available, some for specific purposes like horseback riding, which would not be ideal to walk significant distances in, or just for the sake of more durable footwear.  Spats were an optional addition to shoes.  Often made of felt they would be shaped to drape over the top and sides of the shoe and up to just above the wearer’s ankle and held in place by buttons.  Spats were generally considered more practical than fashionable as they would protect the shoes from mud splatter.  They could often be seen as part of military uniform, especially for rank and file soldiers who would be expected to be walking long distances in all sorts of terrain.

And their you have a basic overview of your male presenting character’s wardrobe’s from head to toe!  It is worth mentioning specific jobs such as sailors, religious leaders, military, or government offices to name a few could often have more unique looks, developed to either maintain the symbolism of their role or developed as practicality and necessity demanded. If your character has a unique job or specific role you want them to embody I would suggest using this article as a starting point for some of the terminology and common arrangements but do look specifically for artwork or surviving garments that are specifically associated with that profession or lifestyle.