Flappers & Fiction

Edward Hamilton Bell traces the evolution of men’s coats and waistcoats from medieval times through the 18th century. Beginning with 13th-century “cotes” that resembled gowns rather than modern coats, the author chronicles how the true coat emerged in 17th-century France, particularly with Louis XIV’s military justaucorps. The waistcoat, initially an undergarment with sleeves in Henry VIII’s time, developed alongside the coat to form the foundation of modern men’s formal dress. Bell documents how these garments evolved through various political and social changes, from the Restoration period through the reigns of Louis XIV and George III, ultimately establishing the coat and waistcoat combination that became the standard for European court dress.

Edward Hamilton Bell traces the historical development of trousers from their origins among Aryan peoples in Central Asia. The Persians first introduced trousers to recorded history, spreading them through conquest while Greeks and Romans initially rejected them as effeminate. Celtic Gauls and Teutonic tribes wore trousers from ancient times, and Roman legions eventually adopted them for practical reasons. The article chronicles various trouser styles through different eras, from medieval hose to Renaissance trunk-hose, concluding with the transition from knee-breeches to modern pantaloons in the late 18th century.