The Dawn of the XIXth Century in England: A social sketch of the timesAshton, John
History
The Dawn of the XIXth Century in England: A social sketch of the times
Ashton, John
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
OF DRESS, either of men, or women, there is little to chronicle during
this ten years. The mutations during a similar period, at the close
of the previous century, had been so numerous, and radical, as to be
sufficient to satisfy any ordinary being; so that, with the exception
of the ordinary changes of fashion, which tailors, and milliners will
impose upon their victims, there is little to record.
At the commencement of the year 1800, men wore what were then called
“Jean de Bry” coats, so named from a French statesman, who was somewhat
prominent during the French Revolution—born 1760, died 1834. The
accompanying illustration is somewhat exaggerated, not so much as
regards the padding on the shoulders, as to the Hessian boots, which
latter might, almost, have passed a critical examination, had it not
have been that they are furnished with bells, instead of tassels.
The coat was padded at the shoulders, to give breadth, and buttoned
tight to show the slimness of the waist; yet, as this, under ordinary
circumstances, would have hidden the waistcoat—the coat had to be made
short-waisted.
[Illustration: A JEAN DE BRY.]
Then, the same year, only towards its close, came a craze for short
coats, or jackets, resembling the Spencers, but they did not last long,
being only fashionable at Brighton, Cheltenham, &c. There seems to have
been very little change until 1802, when a modification of the Jean de
Bry coat was worn, with the collar increasing very much in height, and
boots were discarded in walking.
The portrait of Colonel Duff, afterwards Lord Fyfe, on the next page,
is only introduced as an exemplar of costume, and not as a “Bond
Street Lounger,” of whom we hear so much, and, as not only may many
of my readers like to know something about him, but his character is
so amusingly sketched by a contemporary, and the account gives such a
vivid picture of the manners of the times, that I transcribe it. It
is from the _Morning Post_ of the 6th of February, 1800; and, after
premising that the Lounger is comfortably settled at an hotel, the
following instructions are given him, as being necessary to establish
his character as a young man of fashion. “In short, find fault with
every _single_ article, without exception, d———— n the _waiter_ at
almost regular intervals, and never let him stand _one moment still_,
but ‘keep him _eternally_ moving;’ having it in remembrance that he
is only an _unfortunate_, and _wretched_ subordinate, of course, a
_stranger_ to feelings which are an ornament to Human Nature; with
this recollection on your part that the more illiberal the abuse he
has from _you_, the greater will be his admiration of your _superior_
abilities, and _Gentleman_-like qualifications.
[Illustration: ALL BOND STREET TREMBLED AS HE STRODE.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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