Victorian Men’s Tuxedo, Tailcoats, Formalwear Guide

Where can you buy reproduction Victorian men’s formal wear such as a tuxedo? This is a topic I had to research for husbands Victorian wedding suit. Protocol in formalwear changed over the seven Victorian era decades but the general look and feel is the similar throughout and not entirely far off from today’s white-tie style. You can go through the time and expense of sewing or hire out a reproduction formal suit and accessories or you can use what is readily available to create an inspired look. The following guide should help you most with the latter option.

Victorian Men’s Tuxedo: The Tailcoat

Victorian Men’s Eveningwear

For the early part of the Victorian era men wore tailcoats, aka morning coats, all day. By the later half of the Victorian men’s tailcoats were mostly worn in the evening. Black was the only acceptable choice for evening wear because it had a slimming effect and thus made all men look handsome.  Besides color, evening coats were left open, to expose a nice white vest and shirt underneath. The appearance of single but usually double breasted buttons on either side of the jacket were purely ornamental.

Coat collars were notched in the V and M shapes for most of the Victorian era. The 1860’s introduced the shawl collar which remained fashionable for only a decade. The most common decoration on lapels were either facings in silk or velvet. Sometimes coat cuffs were trimmed in velvet too.

The length and cut of tailcoats changed from season to season. The main difference between Victorian and modern tailcoats is the fit. Today’s “One size fits all” fitting leaves tailcoats hanging loosely and boxy on the body. Victorian tailcoats were fit snugly on the body using the most advanced tailoring techniques (a lost art today.)
For authenticity, you will have to have one made for you. But for a “looks close enough” type suit- nearly any modern tailcoat will do. Stick to black for evening wear with notch collar and decorative buttons. Jos A Bank carries a very nice tuxedo tailcoat that features the higher cut and open front design more accurate of the Victorian era.

Formal Victorian Vest or Waistcoat

1894 white U collar formal waistcoat

Elaborately embroidered waistcoats in fine silk, satin and velvet were the eye candy of men’s Victorian suits. However by the 1860’s only simple cloth or silk black or white (Ivory) vests were the only options. Vests were cut straight across the bottom and featured low V or U shaped necks with or without a shawl collar. Vests were always single breasted with cloth covered or jeweled buttons.

Unfortunately finding formal white vests, especially with a shawl collar is next to impossible. Most men settle for a more modern white waiters vest with a deep cut and square lapels. Or they opt for a full white or ivory vest that covers the shirt.  Shop men’s vests/waistcoats. 

Formal Victorian Men’s Pants

1899 men’s formalwear suits and coats

Men’s formal pants haven’t changed too much in the last 100 years. The main difference is the height. Men’s Victorian pants went up and down from belly button to rib rage depending on the fashion of the year. Legs were fitted narrowly and tapered to the ankle. Out-seams featured ribbon braids, inspired by

military uniforms, for most of the Victorian era while a single ribbon stripe came about in the late Victorian era.

To make modern pants work for the Victorian era I bought regular flat fronted tuxedo pants, with a ribbon stripe down the sides. Since they need to fit very high on the waist you may want to buy one size up and hold them up with button on suspenders. If possible buy locally (or online with a very good return policy) and try on your pants with your vest. You should be able to move around, raise your arms, and not have a gap showing between your vest and pants. I like Jos A Bank for quality pants as well as tailcoats.

Victorian Men’s Formal Shirts

1880 men’s dress shirt

Plain front, button down white shirts will work well for your Victorian suit. Some earlier fancier formal shirts had lace frills along the front buttons but these styles are much harder to find today. The most important element of formal Victorian shirts is the collar. Stiffened upright collars appeared in the 1860s and began to display wing tips in the following decade.  Turndown collars were occasionally seen in the 1860s and early ’70s.

To replicate this look you could either buy a tall detachable collar made for collarless shirts or simply turn up the collar on a standard dress shirt. A modern wingtip tuxedo shirt (no pleats) will also work quite well and is probably the simplest option although harder to find than pleated shirts.

Formal Men’s Accessories

1896 black tie evening attire

Shoes– Black cap toe boots and oxford with white spats are the most formal. Find Victorian style men’s boots and shoes online here.

Hats– A tall black top hat made of beaver felt or silk were what every gentleman wore to formal events and parties. Most modern top hats are made of wool or synthetic felt. These will still work OK for formal events. Just remember to take your hat off indoors to be a true Victorian gentleman. Shop for hats here. 

Gloves– A pair of white or ivory gloves will formalize your outfit. Leave your gloves on at all time except while eating, smoking or using the restroom.

Bow tie- A white bow tie for formal and black bow tie for evenings were the only necktie options. Shop ties. 

Pocket Square – A white silk pocket square held in your chest pocket (never use it) will complete your coordinated look.

Find gloves, pocket squares and other accessories here. 

Here are some more men’s formal clothing choices for your Victorian to modern day needs:

Scroll down for more history and etiquette of Victorian formal wear:

Formal Etiquette

The Gentlemen’s Guide to Etiquette, 1986

On Fashion

“For all evening wear—black cloth trousers.

“But the tortures of evening dress do not end with our lower limbs. Of all the iniquities perpetrated under the Reign of Terror, none has lasted so long as that of the strait-jacket, which was palmed off on the people as a ‘habit de compagnie.’ If it were necessary to sing a hymn of praise to Robespierre, Marat, and Co., I would rather take the guillotine as my subject to extol than the swallow tail. And yet we endure the stiffness, unsightliness, uncomfortableness, and want of grace of the latter, with more resignation than that with which Charlotte Corday put her beautiful neck into the ‘trou d’enfer’ of the former. Fortunately modern republicanism has triumphed over ancient etiquette, and the tail-coat of to-day is looser and more easy than it was twenty years ago. I can only say, let us never strive to make it bearable, till we have abolished it. Let us abjure such vulgarities as silk collars, white silk linings, and so forth, which attempt to beautify this monstrosity, as a hangman might wreathe his gallows with roses. The plainer the manner in which you wear your misery, the better.

{147}“Then, again, the black waistcoat, stiff, tight, and comfortless. Fancy Falstaff in a ball-dress such as we now wear. No amount of embroidery, gold-trimmings, or jewel-buttons will render such an infliction grateful to the mass. The best plan is to wear thorough mourning for your wretchedness. In France and America, the cooler white waistcoat is admitted. However, as we have it, let us make the best of it, and not parade our misery by hideous ornamentation. The only evening waistcoat for all purposes for a man of taste is one of simple black, with the simplest possible buttons.

“These three items never vary for dinner-party, muffin-worry, or ball. The only distinction allowed is in the neck-tie. For dinner, the opera, and balls, this must be white, and the smaller the better. It should be too, of a washable texture, not silk, nor netted, nor hanging down, nor of any foppish production, but a simple, white tie, without embroidery. The black tie is admitted for evening parties, and should be equally simple. The shirt-front, which figures under the tie should be plain, with unpretending small plaits. The glove must be white, not yellow. Recently, indeed, a fashion has sprung up of wearing lavender gloves in the evening. They are economical, and as all economy is an abomination, must be avoided. Gloves should always be worn at a ball. At a dinner-party in town they should be worn on entering the room, and drawn off for dinner. While, on the one hand, we must avoid the awkwardness of a gallant sea-captain who, wearing no gloves at a dance, excused himself to his partner by saying, ‘Never mind, miss, I can wash my hands when I’ve done dancing,’{148} we have no need, in the present day, to copy the Roman gentleman mentioned by Athenæus, who wore gloves at dinner that he might pick his meat from the hot dishes more rapidly than the bare-handed guests. As to gloves at tea-parties and so forth, we are generally safer with than without them. If it is quite a small party, we may leave them in our pocket, and in the country they are scarcely expected to be worn; but ‘touch not a cat but with a glove;’ you are always safer with them.

On Etiquette for balls to parties 

If you are to act as escort to a lady, you must call at the hour she chooses to name, and the most elegant way is to take a carriage for her. If you wish to present a bouquet, you may do so with perfect propriety, even if you have but a slight acquaintance with her.

When you reach the house of your hostess for the evening, escort your companion to the dressing-room, and leave her at the door. After you have deposited your own hat and great-coat in the gentlemen’s dressing-room, return to the ladies’ door and wait for your companion. Offer her your right arm, and lead her to the drawing-room, and, at once, to the hostess, then take her to a seat, and remain with her until she has other companions, before you seek any of your own friends in the room.

There is much more real enjoyment and sociability in a well-arranged party, than in a ball, though many of the points of etiquette to be observed in the latter are equally applicable to the former. There is more time allowed for conversation, and, as there are not so many people collected, there is also more opportunity for forming acquaintances. At a soirée, par excellence, music, dancing, and conversation are all admissible, and if the hostess has tact and discretion this variety is very pleasing. As there are many times when there is no pianist or music engaged for dancing, you will do well, if you are a performer on the piano-forte, to learn some quadrilles, and round dances, that you may volunteer your services as orchestra. Do not, in this case, wait to be solicited to play, but offer your services to the hostess, or, if there is a lady at the piano, ask permission to relieve her. To turn the leaves for another, and sometimes call figures, are also good natured and well-bred actions.

There is one piece of rudeness very common at parties, against which I would caution you. Young people very{224} often form a group, and indulge in the most boisterous merriment and loud laughter, for jests known only to themselves. Do not join such a group. A well-bred man, while he is cheerful and gay, will avoid any appearance of romping in society.

If dancing is to be the amusement for the evening, your first dance should be with the lady whom you accompanied, then, invite your hostess, and, if there are several ladies in the family you must invite each of them once, in the course of the evening. If you go alone, invite the ladies of the house before dancing with any of your other lady friends.

Never attempt any dance with which you are not perfectly familiar. Nothing is more awkward and annoying than to have one dancer, by his ignorance of the figures, confuse all the others in the set, and certainly no man wants to show off his ignorance of the steps of a round dance before a room full of company.

Do not devote yourself too much to one lady. A party is meant to promote sociability, and a man who persists in a tête-à-tête for the evening, destroys this intention. Besides you prevent others from enjoying the pleasure of intercourse with the lady you thus monopolize.

Avoid any affectation of great intimacy with any lady present; and even if you really enjoy such intimacy, or she is a relative, do not appear to have confidential conversation, or, in any other way, affect airs of secrecy or great familiarity.

Dance easily and gracefully, keeping perfect time, but not taking too great pains with your steps. If your{225} whole attention is given to your feet or carriage, you will probably be mistaken for a dancing master.

When you conduct your partner to a seat after a dance, you may sit or stand beside her to converse, unless you see that another gentleman is waiting to invite her to dance.

Do not take the vacant seat next a lady unless you are acquainted with her.

After dancing, do not offer your hand, but your arm, to conduct your partner to her seat.

If music is called for and you are able to play or sing, do so when first invited, or, if you refuse then, do not afterwards comply. If you refuse, and then alter your mind you will either be considered a vain coxcomb, who likes to be urged; or some will conclude that you refused at first from mere caprice, for, if you had a good reason for declining, why change your mind?

Never offer to turn the leaves of music for any one playing, unless you can read the notes, for you run the risk of confusing them, by turning too soon or too late.

If you sing a good second, never sing with a lady unless she herself invites you. Her friends may wish to hear you sing together, when she herself may not wish to sing with one to whose voice and time she is unaccustomed.

Do not start a conversation whilst any one is either playing or singing, and if another person commences one, speak in a tone that will not prevent others from listening to the music.

If you play yourself, do not wait for silence in the room before you begin. If you play well, those really fond of music will cease to converse, and listen to you; and those who do not care for it, will not stop talking if you wait upon the piano stool until day dawn.

Relatives should avoid each other at a party, as they can enjoy one another’s society at home, and it is the constantly changing intercourse, and complete sociability that make a party pleasant.

Private concerts and amateur theatricals are very often the occasions for evening parties, and make a very pleasant variety on the usual dancing and small talk. An English writer, speaking of them, says:

“Private concerts and amateur theatricals ought to be very good to be successful. Professionals alone should be engaged for the former, none but real amateurs for the latter. Both ought to be, but rarely are, followed by a supper, since they are generally very fatiguing, if not positively trying. In any case, refreshments and ices should be handed between the songs and the acts. Private concerts are often given in the ‘morning,’ that is, from two to six P. M.; in the evening their hours are from eight to eleven. The rooms should be arranged in the same manner as for a reception, the guests should be seated, and as music is the avowed object, a general silence preserved while it lasts. Between the songs the conversation ebbs back again, and the party takes the general form of a reception. For private theatricals, however, where there is no special theatre, and where the curtain is hung, as is most common, between the folding-doors, the audience-room must be filled with chairs and benches in rows, and, if possible, the back rows raised higher than the others. These are often removed when{227} the performance is over, and the guests then converse, or, sometimes, even dance. During the acting it is rude to talk, except in a very low tone, and, be it good or bad, you would never think of hissing.”

If you are alone, and obliged to retire early from an evening party, do not take leave of your hostess, but slip away unperceived.

If you have escorted a lady, her time must be yours, and she will tell you when she is ready to go. See whether the carriage has arrived before she goes to the dressing-room, and return to the parlor to tell her. If the weather was pleasant when you left home, and you walked, ascertain whether it is still pleasant; if not, procure a carriage for your companion. When it is at the door, join her in the drawing-room, and offer your arm to lead her to the hostess for leave-taking, making your own parting bow at the same time, then take your companion to the door of the ladies’ dressing-room, get your own hat and wait in the entry until she comes out.

When you reach your companion’s house, do not accept her invitation to enter, but ask permission to call in the morning, or the following evening, and make that call.