European Men's Wear 1850–1900
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Glasgow Museums has a collection of over 40 mid-to-late nineteenth century men's wear main garments, predominately waistcoats, but also a few coats, shirts and trousers, dating from 1850 to 1900.
This group covers the mid-late Victorian period of the reign of Queen Victoria (1819–1901). The waistcoats include examples with plain, woven patterned and embroidered fronts, including examples made by tailors Smart & Roland, MacEwan & Co., Henry Poole and Smalpage & Son.
Men's wear during this period normally consisted of a frock coat with thigh-length skirts or a coat without a waistseam and skirt, worn over a waistcoat and linen shirt, with trousers. There were subtle changes to the cut and cloth as fashions changed over the details. In the 1850s-60s coats and waistcoats were often made of the same material, with checks and stripes worn by the most fashionable. In the later decades the three-piece suit started to emerge with coats, waistcoats and trousers matching.
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