Following Prince Albert's death in 1861, Queen Victoria plunged into mourning and wore black for the rest of her life. Her son, Prince Edward, was heir apparent but given no real political duties. As Prince of Wales, "Bertie" traveled around the world and became known as a playboy and an arbiter of fashion, bringing new styles to popularity.

As times continued to change and new social classes emerged, fashion and proper comportment was of the utmost importance to those climbing up through the middle classes. Displaying wealth through clothing and possessions showed that one had arrived in society.

Late Victorian Coats - The frock coat, with its seamed waist, narrow "skirt" falling to mid to low thigh, and slimmer fit now in the 1870s, continued to be a standard "uniform" for more formal daywear, and was mostly found in black, gray and other darks. The increasingly popular and less formal choice at this time for daywear, however, was the cutaway (also called the morning coat, or later, the "English walking coat",) which could be single or double breasted, cut longer in a dark wool for more formal occasions, or stripes, herringbones or tweeds in a shorter length for more casual or sporting occasions.

Overcoats or "top frocks", worn in this period include the Chesterfield, the Inverness, and the Ulster, the latter two often featuring capes (as sported by Sherlock Holmes in illustrations). Coats were often knee length through the 1870s, lengthening through the later decades, while the Inverness coat shed its sleeves the become the Inverness cape, eventually becoming the most stylish of evening and opera wear around the turn of the 20th century.

Last, but not least, as the era progressed, the shorter, less structured sack coat became the most favored and fashionable choice for informal day wear , appropriate for appointments and casual social calls. Sack coats were often paired with a matching waistcoat and trousers to make a coordinated suit (the origin of the modern three-piece suit as we know it today), and in this period were even spotted in a variety of plaids, checks and tweed - a way for a man to mix things up a bit. A variety of the sack jacket, the "Norfolk", marked by a pleated back and belt at the waist, and paired with loose knee-breeches/knickers, was a popular choice for country activities, shooting, and the increasingly popular leisure pastime of bicycling.

For formal events, the distinctive tailcoat was still the benchmark for elegance and good breeding, with the modish addition of the satin-lined roll or "shawl" collar in the 1880s. However, it was the daring debut of the Tuxedo Coat that caused quite the shakeup in high society style in this era. There is some dispute as to its origins, but, in the late 1860s, Bertie, the fashionable Prince of Wales, asked his tailor to cut him a short coat he could wear for casual dinners at the palace. The moniker "Tuxedo Coat" is said to have originated in the 1880s at the Autumn Ball in the fashionable social scene of Tuxedo Park, NY. A group of dashing young men arrived in dinner jackets and bright red satin vests rather than tailcoats and white vests, and thus, a new fashion trend began.

Victorian Vests - Commonly called waistcoats, the vest remained a staple of the male wardrobe for all classes - shirts were considered undergarments and a man dared not be seen in "bare shirtsleeves" by anyone other than his wife or close family. For business and conservative affairs, and because jackets of the 1870s and 1880s frequently buttoned up much higher, vests frequently matched the dark color of the coat. However, men of affluence and bon vivants would often don colorful silk, brocade and embroidered vests made from imported fabrics, especially in the last decade of the century, when jackets were more frequently left open as a matter of fashion. Even farmers, railroad workers and hired hands wore practical vests made of denims and heavy twills as they went about their business. Although in occupational photos of the era, some workers are seen in shirt sleeves

Victorian Shirts - During the late Victorian era, strides in manufacturing and distribution brought ready-to-wear to the public. While a gentleman could pick up a new shirt quite affordably, it was still quite an ordeal to have it laundered frequently. Detachable white collars and cuffs became affordable for the middle class, and a proper gentleman would stock his wardrobe with at least six collars and sets of cuffs to last a full year. These cuffs and collars were the only part of a shirt that really showed, thus keeping a neat and tidy appearance - and the remainder of the dirty shirt hidden from public scrutiny until laundry day.

As the overall silhouette for men became longer and slimmer in this period, collars became taller - it was during the 1890s that the stand collar reached a towering 3 inches in height!

Though plain white shirts were the standard, men also enjoyed patterned, striped and bright shirts to offset the starched white collars and cuffs. Collar styles varied from simple fold down to wing tip to rounded banker collars and high stand collars and a man could swap out on his shirts, as desired. Flannel shirts were only for country wear and typically featured a half-placket with collar-band.

Victorian Trousers - Black, or gray were the basic colors for trousers, but light colored or patterned pants were also gaining a leg up for more casual or sporting occasions. As the modern-day zipper wasn't yet invented, pants featured button flies and suspender rivets as belts did not gain popularity until the 1920s. For rugged, outdoor endeavors, such as hunting, woolen breeches were worn and knickers were appropriate for sporting events. The biggest innovation in trousers came in 1873 when Levi Strauss offered blue jeans to prospectors in San Francisco.

Victorian Hats - Tall black top hats continued to be required for formal daywear and evening occasions, and were worn with frock coats, fancier morning coats and evening tailcoats, but beyond that many different hat styles were available. Derby hats became increasingly popular in the late Victorian period, eventually replacing top hats entirely for daywear by the turn of the century. The stiff Homburg had its moment during the 1880s among gentlemen and businessmen (not least Bertie, Prince of Wales). The Fedora, a center-creased, soft brimmed hat that would become standard issue daywear in the early 20th century, also begins to be seen at the end of this period. A straw boater hat with a grosgrain band would often be spotted on a gentleman during warm weather months.

Victorian Ties - Bowties were popular during the late Victorian era, but the "four in hand" and ascot both gained popularity as the century progressed. Other types of ties including the English square, silk puff and silk imperial were fancied for their availability in abundant designs and patterns, and "Teck" Ties, with their convenient pre-tied straps, also gained favor. Mens' fashion was quite a bit less ornate than that of female counterparts; however, neckwear was an accepted way to express a bit of sartorial style.

As Victoria's reign ended and Edward ascended to the throne, men's fashion began to reflect his style even more. His preference for tweedy Norfolk jackets and Homburg hats figure prominently in men's fashion at the turn of the century. Visit our Edwardian Style Guide for more on turn-of-the-century styles.