Quote Originally Posted by piperdbh View Post
You might also factor in a bit of isolation between tailors, who could come up with personalized patterns, and the 19th century taste for ornamentation. And don't forget the desire to show off the wealth of the customer.
One of my Prince Charlies is quite different to those made now-a-days and it's only 40 years old. It's got the buttons in a different place, the shape seem to be more "downwards". It's quite diagonal from the front to the back (with a rise) and the sleeved are made to a shoter length (I realise generally you get short sleeves, regular sleeves and long sleeves) as the jacket was tailored to someone the exact same height with slightly longer arms than me and it still looks too short compared to a "modern equivilant" on me.
I think everyone has to do with both personal style and currently fashions at the time of tailoring.