what did english noblemen wear in the 1820's?

Answer 1

You need page 3 from the above; the first two pages of illustrations are too early - late 18th century to well before 1820.
Page 3: http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/men3.html (go right to the bottom for a picture, then click on the links)

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1820s_in_fashion

Some caricatures of the nipped-in waist and top hats:
http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppbrokil.html#endregency

Pantaloons also appeared early in the 1800s (onwards from breeches):
http://dept.kent.edu/museum/exhibit/menswear/pants.htm (scroll down and look at the dates. General idea.)

Men's clothes did not change so much a women's did, except that they tended to become darker and gloomier.

"The same tendency towards increasing squareness was almost as pronounced in men's clothing as it was in women's. The sleeves of the coat were made very full at the top and gathered on to the shoulder, often padded [see caricatures]. The trousers were full and padded at the hips, tapering off to a tightness at the ankle achieved by the new method of fastening the bottom with straps under the shoes. These new trousers were called 'peg-top' trousers and were exceedingly fashionable during the 1820s. The added width of shoulder and hips gave the waist an unnatural appearance of slimness, which in some cases [the extreme followers of fashion!] was accentuated by the wearing of stays [corsets]. As the hips grew in size so the tails of the coat had to be cut out to accommodate them. Hats were much larger and varied considerably during this decade. Although the top hat was the standard motif for practically every shape, one could add a few inches here and there. About 1820, the cravat was succeeded for a short while by a sort of stiff collar made of coloured silk and worn over the high white collar - with or without a bow tie. It seems to be a fashion just for this decade, as a few years later the cravat and bow was once more the usual neckwear."

http://www.victoriana.com/Mens-Clothing/mens-clothing-1.html (scroll down a bit and look at the dates!)

Hope this isn't too long and detailed!

NB this wasn't the Regency period, if you're thinking heroes of that period! Fashions in 1820 had changed to this more elaborate style from the more romantic tighter breeches and boots (silk stockings and shoes for evening wear). The actual Regency period was 1811-1820.

Answer 2

I'd recomend you look at the meuseum replicas catalog. They sell many reproductions of these outfits so you'll get pictures as well as discriptions. Tunics were worn by both men and women. Tights are purely for modern show . Tights like modern people wear weren't around during those times. They wore pants that usually tied at the bottom to prevent insects from climbing up. A noblemans jerkin often covered the tunic. I'm a mideval reinactor and blacksmith so I'm more than familar with the styles but there's too much to explain. Look for a book on costume designs in the period your looking for.

Answer 3

Men's Nightgown, c. 1815-1822 and Cossack Trousers, c. 1820s


"Nightgown, cream flannel with black wool tufts imitating ermine ... [English] There are two pocket holes let into the side seams set close to the centre back pleat. The buttons are covered in linen. The edges trimmed with cream silk twill ... [This nightgown was originally owned by] Thomas Coutts (1735-1822), founder of Coutts Bank .... `Cossack' Trousers, unbleached linen [English] ... The trousers are cut full, tapered to the ankles, and kept taut by buttoned straps under the instep. They are attached to a deep waistband and evenly gathered at the front. `Cossack' trousers were introduced after 1814 when the Czar came to London for the peace celebrations and brought Cossack soldiers with his entourage" (149-50).

The nightgown is a type of dress men no longer have, sort of a combination of lounge wear, pajamas, and bathrobe. The fact that the nightgown is imitation ermine is interesting since men rarely wear fur today. While her husband wore such an outfit as this, a lady would probably wear morning dress.

Double-Breasted Nightgown, quilted blue satin, English, late 18th early 19th century The matching waistcoat fronts are stitched to the inside of the gown. Pocket holes are let into the side seams at hip level. There is a pleat at the centre of the back.

Nightgowns of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries were acknowledged items of informal dress worn over the shirt and breeches or trousers for comfort and warmth. Made in a variety of styles and often of exotic textiles, their cut and style was influenced by clothes and textiles brought back to Europe by traders of the English, French and Dutch East India Companies in the 17th and 18th centuries" (149).

This lovely quilted robe would be the perfect thing to dress a regency romance hero in for an informal breakfast. The hero could button in the waistcoat and add breaches if going outside the bedroom to eat. The versatility of the nightgown to serve as what we might call "lounge wear" today is not something men still have--in fact, men today would never have a "nightgown," only a nightshirt! The female equivalent would be morning dress.

Answer 4

http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/men.html