Victorian/Edwardian

[Rathko]

I realize it isn’t technically FL’s era, but has anybody else looked into repro Victorian clothing? Personally, I love just about all clothing post-French Revolution and still grieve over the fact that I can’t wear a navy tail coat and buff breeches in public. I wondered just how early one could go without overstepping that fine and fuzzy line between clothing and costume and started looking at some of the Civil War Re-enactment suppliers. So I finally took the plunge and ordered a pair of trousers from the River Junction Trade Company. Pure wool in a herringbone/check with button fly, high waist, rear points and suspender buttons for $75. Got them today and I’m loving them. A little narrow in the leg for the 20th century, but I prefer them that way – think Daniel Plainview from ‘There Will Be Blood’.


RATHKO

 

[Widebrim]

I have almost always loved Regency/Victorian/Edwardian clothing, but have never worn any (except for a Civil War repro uniform once for a photograph). As you say, there is a fine line between clothing and costume, and most 19th century attire crosses that line in favor of the latter. It's been stated on the Lounge, and accurately so, that clothing has not changed as much from 1939 to 2009 as it did from 1869 to 1939. In other words, putting on a 1955 suit and necktie may get you a few looks, but wearing a 1905 equivalent will likely get you many stares. Be that as it may, enjoy your new trousers; if you wear your clothing with confidence, you can get away with almost anything...

 

[BellyTank]

River Junction make great gear!
Those trousers are fine for Victorian 20thC but that's only a matter of months.
Skinny leged trousers are OK for Edwardian- 1901-1910, although folks tend to stretch "Edwardian" to post-WW1/1920.


B
T

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"I love the look of a Club/Eton/Golf collar, i had a few with short sleeves for summer, a few years back!"

A Young Hugh Grant

There was feature on these collars in the NY Times a few weeks back

 

[Creeping Past]

The wool trousers I got from River Junction are poorly made from unsuitable fabric and badly constructed with weak stitching. They started sagging after a couple of times wearing them and the seat seam came undone.

The calico shirt's good, though. I wear it often.

 

[BellyTank]

The wool trousers I got from River Junction are poorly made from unsuitable fabric and badly constructed with weak stitching. They started sagging after a couple of times wearing them and the seat seam came undone.

The calico shirt's good, though. I wear it often.

That's really terrible- the trousers disaster- did you complain to RJ?
Was the cloth not heavy enough, then?

Definitely something for Rathko to consider.
I hope we hear a review when he gets his pants in.
I have dealt with River Junction and have, otherwise, heard good reports from others...until now.

Sorry for your misfortune, CP but it's always good to hear an honest
review, good or bad.


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

Currently, they don't appear to offer the type of wool that I had on their wool trousers page. They also boast "NEW STRONGER SEAM CONSTRUCTION". Maybe others had similar problems with their wool pants.

Aside from the fabric on my pair being too light and the seat seam giving out, the cut is terrible. The cinch at the back is placed more or less over the v-back, just underneath the braces/suspender buttons. Very poor.

As I remember — this was a couple of years ago — it took double the stated lead time for the pants to be made. Maybe the problem was with a the pants-maker they were using back then. The shirt was ready very quickly, but everything was held up by the pants. (Now there's an image to conjure with. ) I didn't mention my 'issues' with RJ at the time, because I'd had enough of all the emailing back and forth, asking in vain for a postage date, and was all tired out. Plus I copped a massive customs charge on the package when it finally arrived.

I've no doubt that had I mentioned it to them, they'd have dealt satisfactorily with my complaint. They obviously enjoy what they do. But at the time I ordered communication seemed to be on the back-burner.

Given the quality of the red calico shirt I have, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of those again.

 

[Lokar]

I actually developed my interest in suits and hats from a love of late Victorian & Edwardian clothing. I do love snap brim hats, but not as much as bowlers and topperss - I wear snap brims more often just because they're not as much of a costume.

As it's stupendously cold where I am from October - April, I can pull of wearing my circa 1900 frock coat in public without it looking like a costume - it's pretty modern for a vintage frock coat, and apart from the construction of a tail rather than just a simple vent, so doesn't look particularly different to a black overcoat at a glance (and 50%+ of Swedes here wear a plain black knee-length overcoat).

I've not got the guts to wear my bowler much, or my top hat at all (although that's partially fear of some idiot ruining a silk top hat). One day, perhaps...

 

[Rathko]

Glad to hear it, Lokar. Sounds very Ibsen-esque (yes, I know he's Norwegian - sorry). Late Victorian/Edwardian stuff is absolutely wearable. It's only really the dramatically curved jacket fronts that might seem unusual.