Trousers thumbnail 1
Trousers thumbnail 2
Not on display

Trousers

1810-1820 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Trousers were working-class dress in 18th-century Britain, worn mainly by sailors and miners. They were also worn by little boys during the period 1750-1800 as part of a boy’s ‘skeleton suit’. However, when the Prince of Wales (from 1820 George IV) wore a pair to stroll in along the beach at the new seaside resort of Brighton, Sussex, trousers became fashionable informal daywear for men. This pair retains the fall-front closing found on 18th-century breeches. By the 1820s trousers were acceptable formal daywear for men and remain an essential element of the male wardrobe.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Cotton, hand-sewn
Brief description
1810-1820s, English; Beige cotton
Credit line
Given by Messrs Harrods Ltd.
Summary
Trousers were working-class dress in 18th-century Britain, worn mainly by sailors and miners. They were also worn by little boys during the period 1750-1800 as part of a boy’s ‘skeleton suit’. However, when the Prince of Wales (from 1820 George IV) wore a pair to stroll in along the beach at the new seaside resort of Brighton, Sussex, trousers became fashionable informal daywear for men. This pair retains the fall-front closing found on 18th-century breeches. By the 1820s trousers were acceptable formal daywear for men and remain an essential element of the male wardrobe.
Collection
Accession number
T.738A-1913

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Record createdMarch 1, 2003
Record URL
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