paintings

Richard 'Beau' Nash, arbiter of dress and conduct in Bath, England, in the first half of the eighteenth century, was appalled at seeing men wearing morning gowns and caps in the presence of ladies when going to take the waters of this exclusive equivalent of the modern spa. Although wearing such informal garments in public settings was growing increasingly popular, he toiled to stop this lack of propriety and decorum in his fair city. He confronted country squires who wore riding boots at all times with, "Sir, you have forgot your horse!" thus hoping to improve their conduct.

By the mid eighteenth century, this kind of behavior extended beyond English borders. In France, signs of what was to be called "Anglomania" began affecting dress and complemented Rousseau's popular philosophy that preached a return to nature and simpler ways. High on the list of influential behaviors was the English obsession for sports such as riding, hunting, racing, and driving. For these outdoor activities, unadorned coats of common cloth such as wool, buckskin breeches and boots were appropriate. The English country coat with no cuffs or side-pleats called a "frock" evolved into the riding coat, which was cut across the waist and had narrow front skirts that eventually lengthened to become "tails." It also was double-breasted with a high collar and revers. At the height of Anglomania in the 1780s, this coat style was transposed into silk in the hands of French tailors who hoped to turn the fraque into something acceptable to the French for fashionable wear. First limited to young factions, the fascination with English clothing and behavior gained greater acceptance, even in the midst of war with England, and spoke volumes. Smelling of the stables and shocking in its informality and simplicity, what was first perceived as a sign of impertinence became an outward sign of the social and political changes that were to lead to the French Revolution of 1789.

The Age of Reason had failed and was replaced by its antithesis. Nature and sentiment were embraced. The rediscovery of Herculaneum in 1738 and Pompeii in 1748 had contributed to the quest for Greek and Roman ideals, which were to impact the new liberal and democratic approach to life and the aesthetics of dress. Although transitional trends were to blossom and young extremists such as the Macaronis looked backwards while the Incroyables leaped forward, the general male population adopted a style imbued with British and Classical elements.

With the love of nature and classical statuary, the young male body became prized. British tailoring enabled better fit and thus could reveal the new athletic ideal. The lower body was encased in extremely fitted coverings that left little to the imagination. The impression of nakedness was further aided by light-colored vests and breeches, the latter often cut in buckskin or jersey. Skin was in. The abandonment of wigs, which had begun in the second half of the eighteenth century, also complemented the natural look. Wearing one's own hair in its original color also contributed to greater individuality and a more youthful masculine ideal. Through these Classical influences, hair became cropped and worn in popular wind-swept styles named after celebrated Roman heroes.

A wide variety of breeches, pantaloons and trousers and hat styles were fashionable in the first third of the nineteenth century. Knee breeches, or culottes, had been used as a symbol of the French ancient régime and were seldom worn outside mandated court styles. A longer style of tight-fitting breeches reaching the calves, the pantaloons, became extremely popular. Trousers were also becoming fashionable. Revolutionaries known as sans-culottes had adopted working-class trousers as a sign of political allegiance. Their acceptance was also aided by the earlier trend of looser trouser styles for boys, promoted by Rousseau, and adopted by certain individuals in the upper echelons. Another great item that emerged in this period was the wide-brimmed riding hat, which would go through numerous changes before becoming the ubiquitous top hat of the second half of the nineteenth century.

Anglomania
1770s-1800

frock coats

breeches,
pantaloons & trousers