Finishing School: But What Were Bunson's Boys Wearing? with Gail Carriger

Upon the launch of Manners & Mutiny, here's a little glimpse for you, Fashionable Reader, regarding style for men in the 1850's. These are the kind of things that Felix Mersey and the Pistons were wearing.

 Suit  1845-1853  The Victoria & Albert Museum

shewhoworshipscarlin-tumblr Men’s fashion plate, 1891

Men’s fashion plate, 1856 via shewhoworshipscarlin tumblr

Fashion History: Dandyism

 Cravat  1850  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

"I tendered my resignation because I could not see eye to eye with his lordship in his desire to dine in dress trousers, a flannel shirt, and a shooting coat."
~ Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Stock  1840  The McCord Museum

Stock  1840s  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dress Shirt  1850  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Evening Vest  1850-1855  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Knut, or the Edwardian Man-About-Town

Vest  1845-1860  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

"What absolute rot!"
"Very good, sir."
"Perfectly blithering, my dear man!"
~ Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Dress Boots  1845  The Los Angeles County Museum of Art

 Pocket Watch  1840  Sotheby’s; Pocket Watch  1850  Christie’s

Pocket Watch  1855  Sotheby’s

Memorial Cufflink  1852  Christie’s

"Men didn’t mourn as thoroughly as women did simply because men had things to do.  Their mourning attire was limited to a simple black armband and hatband, and perhaps a piece of memorial jewelry like a ring, watch fob, or cufflinks." from OMG that Dress tumblr

1861 British walking and sporting costume-era_com

 And for Vieve and the sooties:

I often think about the young boy in Cranford.

Image from The Rush Blog.

Daguerreotype portrait of the Norton brothers, c. 1850′s. By Mathew Brady via chubachus-tumblr

Old Photos & Bacon @photosandbacon  Launch of the Great Eastern in 1858, London

And 40 years later? 

1890s man via shewhoworshipscarlin tumblr

"Oh, Jeeves," I said; "about that check suit."
"Yes, sir?"
"Is it really a frost?"
"A trifle too bizarre, sir, in my opinion."
"But lots of fellows have asked me who my tailor is."
"Doubtless in order to avoid him, sir."
~ Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse


Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

quotes Gail likes

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