How an English dandy and moto came up with a men's suit

It is difficult to imagine a modern business man without a strict business suit. Its history spans several centuries. The costume came to Europe in the Middle Ages thanks to the crusaders. From distant wanderings they brought a caftan with buttons. It was he who became the prototype of the future jacket. These items of clothing gladly accepted the aristocracy and the highest nobility. Kaftans were made of different fabrics, double-breasted, single-breasted, long, short.

For the appearance of the costume in its present form, it is worth thanking England.

It all started in the middle of the 17th century. England was struck by the plague, then there was a great fire in London. In an effort to enter a new era of stability, the English king Charles II sought to change everything and start a new life so that nothing reminded of difficult times. First of all, he took up his appearance and demanded that his courtiers wear simple tunics. This seriously distinguished the new fashion.

A simple combination of tunic, shirt and trousers has gained popularity among merchants and aristocrats. The earthy color palette was highlighted by typical English rustic clothing for men, consisting of a dark coat and riding trousers.

In the 18th century, this typical gentleman dress code went through another transformation. George Brammell - an English dandy, a friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George V, is the godfather of a modern costume.

He was developing a new military uniform for one of the English regiments. Brammell believed that the most important thing when it comes to gentleman's clothes is the quality of the cut and fabric. He used muted tones and tight-fitting clothes. It was a neoclassical period when everyone tried to imitate Greek culture. This meant that the clothes had to emphasize lines and contours, so that the figure resembled Greek sculpture. When the military put on a new uniform, he liked it so much that it became widely popular among the people.

Brammell himself wore a snow-white shirt, tie, breeches and a navy blue frock coat. In addition, he introduced the habit of washing with a washcloth and doing it every day. He squandered all his father’s legacy, fled from debt to France, but that didn’t help. Lenders in 1835 sent him to prison, from where he was bought by friends. Later, he survived several apoplexy strokes, died to the poor and sick, suffering from a mental disorder in a psychiatric hospital where he was placed by friends.

It took another century for the tailors to make some more changes and bring the costume closer to its classic look.

The final version was influenced by the military, surgeons and athletes. The V-shaped torso was invented by Brammell and was an imitation of Greek statues. Button holes were proposed by surgeons. Soft shoulders are a legacy of a traditional military uniform. Slots in the back or on the sides were added so that the gentleman could ride a horse calmly.

By the end of the 19th century, men's suits had spread around the world. This served as the colonial policy of Great Britain. Later, some accessories were added - gloves and a cylinder. In the evening they put on a tailcoat.