Interactive: Man's Beige Wool Suit, by Unknown Maker, 1775-85

This hand-sewn wool ensemble illustrates fashionable formal dress for men in the late 1770s or early 1780s. The fine wool with a very narrow silver braid indicates that it was probably worn during the day - for visiting friends for tea, walking in a park or shopping. By the late 1770s the waistcoat is ending at the top of the thigh. The skirts are narrow and fall between the side and back seam of the coat. The cut of the sleeves is quite tight and the cuffs narrow. By 1780 the small stand-up collar that appeared two decades earlier has evolved into a turn-down style. The pale shade of the ensemble signals a trend towards more subdued colours in men’s fashion.

Museum No. T.149-1937