REGENCY

ERA
Great Britain
CONTENTS 01 INTRO TO REGENCY

02 CULTURAL INFLUENCE

03 MEN & WOMEN CLOTHING

04 ACCESSORIES
THE
REGENCY
The Regency Era officially began when the
Prince of Wales became Regent of England
after his father, George III, was declared unfit to
rule (1811 to 1820).
It was a transitional period that redefined
clothing norms. People wanted to be dressed in
clothes that were less restricted and
aristocratic post French Revolution.
Women's dresses got very light, airy, long, and
they fit loosely.
Colours on clothing got lighter-pale yellow,
sky blue, azure blue, apple green, lavender, etc.
NECKLINES
& SLEEVES
Necklines became wider and lower for
formal occasions. The day dresses had a
higher neckline and long sleeves.

Sleeves were fitted

Short
Puffed
Elbow length or long.
WAISTLINE
Waistline rose and was called the Empire-Line.
It had a fitted bodice ending
just below the bust, giving a high-waisted
appearance, and a gathered skirt.
It focused attention away from the natural waist,
and so counteracted against the tendency to
constrict the natural waist.
 STAYS
The corset was not the preferred undergarment
of choice for women.

Stays were short and soft, never heavily

boned, made of cotton, and flexible.
Their purpose was bust support, never
restriction.
While women during this period were
enjoying more comfortable fashions, it was
men who were turning to tight waisted looks.
Men’s clothes became tight-fitted yet
simpler and more stylized.

High quality fabric, attention to tailoring

detail and functionality defined men's
clothing.
Men's clothing witnessed abandonment
of lace, embroidery, and other
embellishment.

Breeches became longer.

Coats were cutaway in front with tails behind
and had tall standing collars.
The lapels featured an M-shaped.
Shirts were made of linen.
Waistcoats were relatively high-waisted.
NEO CLASSICAL
INFLUENCE
Increased leisure time: led to a greater emphasis on evening wear-ball gowns
and elegant accessories.

Rise of the middle class: led to greater democratization of fashion, as more

people had the means to purchase fashionable clothing.

Focus on comfort: with a trend towards lighter and more breathable fabrics,
such as muslin and silk.

Influence of British Empire: The exotic styles and fashions of colonial

territories, such as India and the East Indies, had a significant impact on British
fashion.
SIMPLE
SILHOUETTES
Neoclassicism emphasized the beauty of
simplicity, which was reflected in the
clean lines and unadorned silhouettes of
Regency clothing.
GENDER
DIFFERENTIATION
Neoclassicism celebrated the differences between the sexes,
with men embodying strength and authority and women
embodying grace and beauty. This gender differentiation was
reflected in Regency fashion, with men favoring structured and
formal attire and women opting for lighter and more decorative
garments.
CLASSICAL
MOTIFS
Neoclassical art and architecture were
characterized by classical motifs, such as
columns, pediments, and urns, and these
elements were incorporated into Regency
fashion through the use of Greek and
Roman-inspired embroidery and trim.
MATERIAL &
REFINEMENT
The neoclassical ideal of elegance and
refinement was reflected in the Regency
era's focus on simplicity and understated
luxury. It celebrated the beauty of natural
materials, such as muslin and silk.
WOMNEN'S
WEAR
"Undress” simply meant casual, informal
dress in the Regency period. This type of
dress was worn from early morning to
noon or perhaps as late as four or five, it
was more comfortable, more casual,
much warmer, and cheaper than Half
Dress or Full Dress.
“Half Dress” is one of the more difficult concepts of
Regency Fashion, it is any dress halfway between
Undress and Full Dress. In modern terms it might be
thought of as dressy casual or casual business attire in
terms of formality, if not style.
“Full Dress” was the most
formal kind of Regency
clothing. Full dress was worn
for the most formal
occasions — evening
concerts and card parties,
soirees, balls, and court
occasions. “Evening dress”
indicated outfits suitable only
at evening events, a specific
subset of “full dress”.
MEN'S WEAR
MORNING COATS

One finds a rounded, sloping edge on what we term as

“morning coats.” This edge can be found all the way
down from the collar to the tail. Also the buttons were
usually decorative only by Regency period. If they did
button, it would have been the top 1-3 only.

Detail showing 1770s working

pocket (the flap, if present
at all, would have been
merely decorative for our
era).
DRESS COATS
The most common men’s coat of the Regency was the dress
coat (also referred to as the “tail coat”). It was open and cut
away in the front and had “tails” in the back. Most were single
breasted, but double breasted dress coats were worn. Generally,
these were made from wool of varying colors, but most often in a
solid color. That being said, some were made of linen and of
various patterns and plaids. Blue coats are invariably shown with
brass/gold buttons, all others with self fabric covered buttons.
SHOOTING
COATS
Men also had jackets worn purely for outdoor use.
Shooting jackets were cut along the same lines as
what we now call a “barn coat.” These were usually
double breasted, and could be worn open, with the
sides folded back on themselves or buttoned up.
SHIRT POINTS
Shirt points were collars starched to the absolute limit
and then pointed up so they rested on the face. Most
of the time, these collars would rest along the jaw line
or lower cheek, but some men insisted on taking this
bit of fashion to the limit and would wear shirt points
that landed right below the ears
CRAVATS
Somewhere between a scarf and a modern necktie, a
cravat is a long piece of fabric that would be tied around
the shirt points and tucked into the shirt itself. They were
popular throughout the nineteenth century, thanks to the
father of dandies himself, Beau Brummell. For many years,
Brummell was considered the arbiter of men’s fashion,
and he was a devotee of the starched white cravat.
STOCKS
For those who wanted something even more formal, an
alternative to the cravat was the stock. These were much
smaller pieces of cloth tied or hooked at the back of the
neck, often with a buckle. Some stocks were simple
rectangular bits of pleated fabric that fit tightly on the
neck while others were a bit more like pre-tied cravats
complete with front knots and ruffles. Stocks were
considered much more formal than the cravat,
FASHION
ACCESSORIES
The Regency period was a grand one for
accessories, as it gave them a chance to shine
next to the understated dresses. These special
touches are what I think make the time period so
special.
FANS
First and foremost, one of the most vital accessories
would be a fan. The fan serves the important duty of
keeping you cool in the summer and in stifling over
heated ballrooms. It also provides a method of hiding
maidenly blushes, for sharing private conversations or to
signal your thoughts to an admirer. Fans could be made of
bone, wood or ivory and are often carved and
embellished with jewels, lace, tiny paintings, feathers and
mirrors
PARASOLS
Parasols made of cotton, silk or linen, were carried to
prevent one’s complexion from the sun and to help
prevent freckles. The word “Para Sol” translates in Italian
“For the Sun” and had been in use since the early
Renaissance. Parasols could indicate status by the
materials with which it was made, by jeweled handles and
fashionable motifs. Essential for the promenade
RETICULES
Reticules or small drawstring purses, were carried by all
ladies during the regency. This small but essential
accessory would carry your mirror, handkerchief, coins,
powder and any other necessity you might need during
your shopping, promenade, afternoon visit, or when
attending a ball. Given its many uses, these small reticules
would be made of many different materials, silk, net, kid
leather and decorated with lace, tassels, beads, pearls or
elaborate embroidery.
SHAWLS
Shawls, like fans, served a dual purpose in that they were
worn for the expediency of keeping warm and for
displaying one’s wealth and taste. These shawls were
often imported from India or the Far East and were made
of materials such as cashmere (Kashmir) wool or silk and
elaborately embroidered or trimmed. English
manufacturers began to make shawls of wool, cotton,
lace, and fur. Norwich and Paisley became famous for
their shawls that were manufactured
SHOES
Shoes of the period were generally low heeled or flat
pumps made of soft leather, kid, or cloth, designed to be
worn in the evening or indoors. Out of doors a regency
lady would wear half boots or boots made in a variety of
materials such as leather, kid or fabric dyed to match
your gown or pelisse. Silk or satin slippers were de rigueur
for the ball room, often trimmed with spangles, beads and
tied with ribbons or buttons of ivory.
GLOVES
By night ladies wore the longest of gloves reaching right
to the tiny sleeves. By day short gloves that matched
dresses were best.
MILLINERY
Millinery was essential to the elegant Regency lady and
was generally designed in one of four main styles
Caps (generally worn by older married ladies) which
were often made of lace or fine lawn
Bonnets – liberally trimmed with feathers and
designed to be worn out of doors, or made of straw
and simply trimmed with ribbons
Turbans – made of rich fabrics, feathers or accented
with jewel brooches and worn in several styles in the
ever present neo-classical mode;
Hats – made to protect the complexion on sunny
days, were often lavishly trimmed and feathered.
THANK YOU