Timeline of Evening Dress Jackets

[OC Richard]

I can't help but notice that the doublet wearing older gentleman has a light waistcoat. I wonder if it could be red.

Could be red, buff, or yellow, long-popular waistcoat colours.

Here's a yellow (or perhaps buff) waistcoat with tweed Day Dress c1900



Scarlet waistcoats in the 1860s

[macmanjim]

What is the difference in terms who would wear what when between a doublet and class A honor guard jacket?

[OC Richard]

What is the difference in terms who would wear what when between a doublet and class A honor guard jacket?

Hmmm I'm not sure I understand.

Civilian Highland Dress has doublets, since around 1900 confined to Evening Dress.

Military Highland Dress has doublets, since around the third quarter of the 19th century confined to Full Dress or Number One Dress.

The "class A honor guard jacket" sounds like an American thing. Highland Dress is a Scottish thing. So there's not much common ground to base a comparison on.

[macmanjim]

Hmmm I'm not sure I understand.

Civilian Highland Dress has doublets, since around 1900 confined to Evening Dress.

Military Highland Dress has doublets, since around the third quarter of the 19th century confined to Full Dress or Number One Dress.

The "class A honor guard jacket" sounds like an American thing. Highland Dress is a Scottish thing. So there's not much common ground to base a comparison on.

This: https://www.jhiggins.net/class-a-hon...ket-black-red/

[MacRobert's Reply]

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.

[Nathan]

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.

Which catelogues are these from and what are they called in those documents, Iain?

[MacRobert's Reply]

Which catelogues are these from and what are they called in those documents, Iain?

The first from R W Forsyth's catalogue and simply described as a doublet. The second, if I remember correctly, is a museum artifact and no name is given to the doublet.

[OC Richard]

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.