Fashion in 1830s, new styles arise in the clothing that reflects the homeliness and virtue of this period, which is also called romance (in German Biedermeier). The men’s clothing gets close the shape that we now know.
Around 1830s, the male silhouette becomes more feminine: one wears a corset and padding to get a narrow waist and broad chest. Man wears a long and wide coat with a wide cap-shaped collar (the garrick or pardessus). The man wears low shoes, or boots with cover (pants in the boot). The hair is long and in a tail; in France (and later everywhere) short and tousled or curled, and with sideburns. A flat hat, two-piece, or bowler hat is worn on the head; later especially the high (stovepipe) hat.
Men’s fashion
Overview
In this time, men’s fashion plates continue to show an ideal silhouette with broad shoulders, and a narrow, tightly cinched waist.
Coats and waistcoats
Frock coats (in French redingotes) increasingly replaced tail coats for informal day wear. They were calf length, and might be double-breasted. Shoulder emphasis fell lower on the arm; shoulders were sloped and puffed sleeve heads gradually shrank and then disappeared. Waistcoats or vests were single- or double-breasted, with rolled shawl or (later) notched collars, and extremely tight through the waist. Waistcoats were sometimes worn two at time, in contrasting colors. Corsets or corset-like garments were worn by many men to draw in the waistline. The most fashionable coats had padded shoulders and chests, a feature that disappeared after about 1837.
Trousers
Full-length trousers began to have the modern fly-front closure, replacing the earlier fall-front. Breeches remained a requirement for formal functions at the British court (as they would be throughout the century). Breeches continued to be worn for horseback riding and other country pursuits, especially in Britain, with tall fitted boots.
Outerwear
Cloaks were worn with evening wear. Overcoats with wide sleeves were worn with day wear; these were often called greatcoats.
Hats and hairstyles
The crowns of tall hats were less curvy than in the previous period. Hair was generally parted to one side. Curled hair and sideburns remained fashionable, along with moustaches.
Style gallery
| 1 – 1830s |
2 – 1832 |
3 – 1833 |
4 – 1834 |
5 – 1834 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 – 1836 |
7 – 1838–40 |
8 – 1838 |
1.1830s fashion plate shows the small, high waist that was the ideal of French fashion in the 1830s. Frock coat (left) and morning coat (right).
2.Frederik Sødring wears a brocade waistcoat with a high black velvet shawl collar. The front flap of his fall-front trousers can be seen clearly in this 1832 portrait. Note the taper of the waistcoat toward the tight waist.
3.Antoine Julien Meffre-Rouzan of New Orleans painted in Paris, 1833, in evening wear. The puffs at the shoulder of his coat are smaller than those worn in the 1820s, and his waistcoat has a slight point at the front waist.
4.1834 portrait of Davy Crockett shows the fashionable dark cravat worn with a wide turn-over collar.
5.Portrait of John C. Calhoun in a sheer white formal cravat, dark coat, and fur-collared or lined overcoat, 1834.
6.Portrait of Hans Christian Andersen shows the depth and breadth of fashionable coat collars, 1836.
7.A gentleman of the Wilkes Family, 1838–40, wears a dark cravat. His tall coat collar is notched and spreads onto his shoulders. The sleeve has just a hint of fullness at the sleeve head.
8.Zoo proprietor Edward Cross wears a red and black patterned waistcoat with brown trousers and a black tailcoat, cravat, and top hat, 1838.