18th Century Men’s Suits

Last updated: Jan 7, 2024

See also breeches, waistcoats, and coats.

I’ve organized these roughly by type; the category designations may not be entirely accurate. (The categories are based on descriptions of the suits in the V&A’s collection, and seemed to work well for classifying other suits. Many of the plainer suits in the “evening ensembles” section certainly could have been “day wear,” though.)

Formal ensembles for day wear

• V&A T.250 to B-1934, a formal ensemble in red and green wool, United Kingdom, 1740-1750
• V&A T.73&A-1962, wool, lined with silk and backed with linen, United Kingdom, c. 1760
• V&A T.149 to B-1937, a formal ensemble in fine wool with a fine silver braid, United Kingdom, 1775-1785
• National Museum of American History 2012.0187, a three-piece plum (now brownish) silk suit made c. 1778 in France and worn by Benjamin Franklin
• Historic New England 1935.370A-C, a man’s formal suit in brown-gold wool, 1790

Dress ensembles for evening occasions

• V&A 938 to B-1902, dress suit and waistcoat, silk lined with silk, linen, and buckram, England or France, c. 1720-1735
• Man’s dress suit in red silk uncut velvet, France, 1750-1770
• V&A 657 to B-1898, cut and uncut yellow and purple silk velvet, United Kingdom, c. 1760
• Augusta 8.4820.132.272, gent's striped velvet coat and breeches, c. 1760; “Horizontally striped maroon silk velvet with cut, uncut and voided areas, narrow standing band collar, fitted sleeves with 4" cuff, deep, shaped pocket flaps, front cut with curve over chest, twenty five self fabric covered buttons on jacket and fifteenon breeches, breeches with homespun facings”
• LACMA M.2007.211.946a-c, a man’s suit in wool, with sequins and metal-thread embroidered appliqués & passementerie, France, c. 1760
• Met 1996.117a�c, Britain, c. 1760; “This magnificent suit remarkably survives complete with all of its components. Because elements of menswear were often retailored to accommodate changes in the wearer's size or in fashion, this ensemble in essentially unaltered condition is an exceedingly rare example. Characteristic of the fashion of this date, skintight breeches that buckle below the knee and a fitted waistcoat are almost entirely covered by a coat with collarless, narrow chest and stiffly flaring skirt that concentrates emphasis on the lower torso and thighs. The placement of the opulent applied decoration bolsters this effect. Although the coat retains stiffness reminiscent of the 1750s styles, the buttons do not meet below the upper chest and the angular opening anticipates the pronounced front curve and diminishing skirt of late decades. The color coordination of all three parts and the utilization of wool, both decidedly English elements that anticipate modern attire, were generally reserved for informal wear. Here, however, the suit is resplendent with an abundance of gold buttons and braid more closely associated with high-style occasions.”
• Augusta 8.4819.131.271, gent's 3-piece striped silk suit, 1760-1780; “Narrow striped silk satin in golden brown, light blue and black, each trimmed with covered self fabric buttons and two bifurcated linen pockets: coat with narrow standing collar, curves over chest, sleeves end in 5.5" cuff, shaped pocket flaps; 33" long sleeveless waistcoat, narrow stand collar, back lacing, one pocket lined in pigskin, coat and waistcoat with cream silk linings; breeches with narrow four button fall front, knee bands with buckles, napped flannel lining”
• Met 1994.405.1a-f, ensemble with yellow coat and white embroidered silk waistcoat, France, c. 1765
• V&A T.137 to B-1932, French silk, patterned in cerise and cream, lined with horsehair and silk, United Kingdom, c. 1765-1770
• Augusta 8.4818.129.215, gent's printed cream velvet suit, 1770s; “Two piece suit of horizontally ribbed silk velvet with pink and green dots: collarless coat with self covered button trim, 5.5" deep cuffs, shaped pocket flaps, cream silk lining; narrow fall-front breeches with cut steel buckles at knees, napped cotton-linen lining”
• V&A 858&A-1864, silk velvet with an embroidered waistcoat, United Kingdom, c. 1770-1780
• Met C.I.61.13.2a-c, silk embroidered “à la disposition, created in predetermined pattern shapes, thus to accord fully with the silhouette and outlines of the suit,” Paris, 1774-1792
• PMA 1935-16-2a--c, a man’s three-piece suit: coat, waistcoat, and breeches; silk faille with chainstitch and ribbon embroidery; France, c. 1775-1785
• Augusta 18.7922.87.87, “Coat & breeches putty faille, metallic bobbin lace trim, large cut-steel buttons on jacket, small self covered on breeches; cream satin sleeveless waistcoat w/ colorful floral embroidery”
• Met 26.56.14a, b, a suit of red silk, Italy, c. 1780
• Met 26.56.16a-c a suit of rose and blue silk changeant taffeta with red foil and hammered silver buttons and embroidery, Italy, fourth quarter of the 18th century
• Christie’s Lot 109 / Sale 5318, a gentleman’s court suit of green and grey velvet, lavishly embroidered in cut pastes and silks with borders of dripping wisteria florets, with matching breeches, 1780s
• FIT P83.19.10, a silk velvet suit with silk embroidery, France, c. 1785
• LACMA M.67.56.3a-c, a man’s three-piece suit, coat and breeches of cut and voided silk velvet, silk waistcoat with metal sequin embroidery; France, c. 1785-1789
• Met 2003.45a-c, man’s ensemble, three-piece men’s suit composed of tailcoat, waistcoat, and breeches of green silk velvet with green and yellow silk brocade and ivory silk twill and ivory linen lining, France, c. 1790
• A suit from the 1790s in seafoam and orange shot silk taffeta
• V&A 136, 137-1880, dress suit, cut and voided silk velvet, lined with silk, United Kingdom, 1790-1800

Court suits

• FIT 2013.3.3, wool with silver-gilt thread, purl, and sequins, Scotland, c. 1745
• V&A T.26&A-1950, watered plain woven silk, United Kingdom, 1760-1770
• MKG Hamburg 1882.62, an embroidery sample for a suit, Lyon, c. 1780