Victorian Waistcoats Batheaston
When you think about nineteenth century dress, one thing that likely comes to mind is stylish Victorian waistcoats. Batheaston customers can find the best choice of Victorian waistcoats at Farthingale Costumes. They are one of the many attractive and well-made historical garments and accessories that we stock. We have designs to suit all budgets and styles. For more information, look on our website, or contact us by using the details which are available on the website.
Although waistcoats are associated with Victorian fashion, they predate this time period. In fact, by the time that Queen Victorian was crowned, they had been a part of British fashion for over 150 years. In 1666, King Charles II decreed that waistcoats would be a part of the appropriate dress of a gentleman. As so often happened through history when a ruler or patron set a standard for dress and grooming, this was accepted as a way to dress at court, and soon it was normal for all well-to-do men to have a waistcoat at all times of day, whether out hunting or at a ball. With time, the labouring classes also adopted the use of waistcoats, though often of more hardwearing and less decorative material.
Initially, waistcoats were very decorative, at least for the wealthier members of society, and were longer than a modern design, even going down to the thighs. They often also had sleeves. The origin of the name is not clearly known. The most likely explanation is that the higher cut of the material compared to the fashion of knee-length jackets meant that it was literally a coat cut near the waist. An alternative theory is that the name was a ‘waste-coat’, or that the item could be made from material that was waste, in the sense that left over fabric could be used. This is not generally accepted, but it is a possibility.
By the time of Victorian England, waistcoats had become tighter and smaller. They were used almost as a form of undergarment to hold in the figure to appear slim under the outer jacket. Generally, plain fabric was used. This was partly because fancy waistcoats had been associated with the French Revolution. In some instances, ribbing was used to give rigidity and structure, like the corsets that women wore under their dresses. However, by the 1850s, waistcoats became once again a Victorian fashion statement. Victorian society leaders began to wear waistcoats more openly, with more bold colours and materials. Had you been able to travel in time to Batheaston in the later nineteenth century, you would have seen a variety of styles of fabric and buttons as individuals tried to imitate fashions or draw attention by bold styles.
For more information about our Victorian waistcoats, Batheaston customers should contact us. Our contact details are available on the website. Let us know what you are looking for, as we are happy to help you find the right choice. We take pride in making sure that our customers in Batheaston get exactly the right items every time.
