Timeline of Evening Dress Jackets

[OC Richard]

Attachment 33338

Almost a Sheriffmuir doublet in a 1909 catalogue. Only the stand-up collar may be missing. However, it's simply described as a doublet and vest.

And another from about the same date.

Doublets like that appear in the 19th century too, the standard Doublet with each front edge decorated with a row of nonfunctional buttons. I posted an enlarged photo so we can see the one buttonhole at the top.

Doublets, Argylls, and non-Highland jackets in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were often cut to be buttoned only at the top and for the front edges of the jacket to sweep open. Since only the top button was capable of being buttoned, they decided to add some bling by putting nonfunctional buttons down both sides.

Doublets in the 19th century had bewildering variety, but they all shared the so-called Inverness skirts or tashes which seems to be the defining thing.

Here's a 19th century doublet designed to be buttoned only at the top and swing open- you couldn't button it shut.
It buttons so high the lapels are quite reduced.



Here's a similar doublet but with nonfunctional buttons down both front edges.



Here's one with nonfunctional buttons down both sides; I can't tell what sort of collar it has. (BTW the photo is American, with the distinctive five-lobe sporran cantle seen in America in the mid-19th century.)

[JohnE]

Here's a similar doublet but with nonfunctional buttons down both front edges.

The button only at the top is an interesting bit of early fashion. I wonder how that came in to being. Does anyone have some historical info on ths style?

[Profane James]

Here's a 19th century doublet designed to be buttoned only at the top and swing open- you couldn't button it shut.
It buttons so high the lapels are quite reduced.

I have admired this picture and style since I first saw it - btw, first saw it posted here, and by OCRichard!
While the flashy buttons are a little much, I think I could ‘casual’ this particular style up nicely.

[McMurdo]

Both thet velvet doublet and the horse hair sporran date to 1911. Just thought it might be a good addition to the thread

[FossilHunter]

Both thet velvet doublet and the horse hair sporran date to 1911. Just thought it might be a good addition to the thread

Would you consider that an early form of the modern balmoral doublet?

[McMurdo]

Would you consider that an early form of the modern balmoral doublet?

I suppose it could be described as such it certainly appears to be a similar cut to what is available now.

[OC Richard]

Shedding light on an earlier period, 1909, are the pages from a Forsyth calalogue showed on the House Of Labhran site.

(Since very few of my vintage catalogues have dates, these having to be inferred, I wonder how the 1909 attribution was arrived at.)

It shows a period before the Coatee (or Prince Charlie Coatee) was introduced, before the small pocket-shaped sealskin Evening Dress sporrans appeared.

We have two gents wearing the Doublet. This one shows the older more highly accessorised style. The overall look has changed little from the 1860s.



This Doublet-wearing fellow is sporting the new, pared-down, sleeker look which would define 20th century Evening Dress.



And here we have the Evening Argyll jacket, in velveteen and trimmed.

BTW there is nothing piper-specific about this costume; Argyll Evening Dress jackets are often seen in the mid-19th century.



Here's a photo of a gent wearing a not dissimilar outfit



Interesting to see the Day Dress/Outdoor Dress of the period. Here we do see the new small sporran, which tends to confirm the idea that Day sporrans underwent the change first, followed by Evening sporrans some time later. This sporran looks like a conscious revival of the 18th century sporran with hinged brass top, and made of deerskin.



Here is a virtually identical jacket and vest (vest, not waistcoat!) down to the cuff style.

[figheadair]

Given the date and civilian context, what's interesting about both these Campbell kilts is that they are box-pleated.

[Tobus]

Interesting to see the Day Dress/Outdoor Dress of the period. Here we do see the new small sporran, which tends to confirm the idea that Day sporrans underwent the change first, followed by Evening sporrans some time later. This sporran looks like a conscious revival of the 18th century sporran with hinged brass top, and made of deerskin.

I really like that example! It's interesting that they call it "undress". I assume the term "daywear" or "casual" weren't in the common lexicon at the time. This was an interesting transition period where, apparently, patterned hose were still de rigueur for all levels of Highland dress along with spats, even for a tweed shooting outfit. But as you said, the daywear sporran had transitioned away from hair sporrans to a simpler style (I notice it is still on a chain rather than a leather strap). Am I correct in saying that this transition period was from about 1900 to 1912-ish? As I recall, we don't see spats and patterned hose for daywear after WWI.

The tweed jacket piqued my interest. I like the simple cuff style, but it was the tweed pattern that caught my eye. It bears a very striking resemblance to my vintage Lanacburn tweed jacket (though the construction details are a bit different). It's a very bold pattern by today's standards, but it looks great in that catalog example. I wish we would see more of these "loud" tweed patterns in modern kilt jackets. It's a classic look.

I also like the cut of the waistcoat he's wearing. The high closure and fairly flat bottom work very well.

[Guthrumironhead]

The button only at the top is an interesting bit of early fashion. I wonder how that came in to being. Does anyone have some historical info on ths style?

It almost mimics late 18th century military dress, taking artistic license into account of course.