Category Archives: Garments

Standing Tall – new menswear exhibition

HistoricalMenswear is excited about a new exhibition focused on menswear!

Exhibition “Standing Tall: The Curious History of Men in Heels”

Bata Shoe Museum (Toronto, Canada)

May 8th, 2015 – May 2016.

Standing Tall will challenge preconceived notions about who wears heels and why. From privileged rulers to hyper-sexualized rock stars this provocative exhibition will explore the history of men in heels from the early 1600s to today, delving into the use and meanings of heeled footwear in men’s dress over the last four hundred years.

Offering rare examples of men’s heeled footwear from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, mid-nineteenth century military boots, 1930s cowboy boots and 1940s biker boots, visitors also have the opportunity to view John Lennon’s original 1960s Beatle boot, platforms worn by Elton John in the 1970s, and recent heels from haute couture collections, all from the Museum’s own holdings.

For more exhibitions focused on menswear, check out our archive in the menus above

Picture of the Month – The Tailor

Always so many things to love about this painting. The pumpkin breeches, the cod piece, the pinky ring, the flushed cheeks above a scruffy beard, the tailoring shears…

Giovanni Battista Moroni’s The Tailor (from 1565-70) is the Picture of the Month at London’s National Portrait Gallery. See what they have to say about it here.

Tomorrow they’re hosting a talk about fashion and accessories in art, given by Lois Oliver and Jenny Tiramani – wish I could be there! Details here.

Karl XI’s petticoat breeches

In the archives of Sweden’s Royal Armoury, from 1669:

Cloth of silver petticoat breeches – 22″ waist, with 56″ circumference for each leg. (Each. Leg!) Approx. 5 yards of 4″ silver lace around hem and along side seams, with an additional 16 yds of 1/2″ inch trip applied vertically along the hem (inserted into small slits in the fabric, under the lace). There are traces of old stitches along the sides where rosettes or loops of ribbon might have originally been attached. Two hidden pockets on interior of waistband, two large pockets along sides (though not on actual seams.)

Possibly worn with this?:

Mind. Blown.

Cuff Pleats

Coming across a portrait with such perfect details in the clothing is so satisfying. Look at these wonderful pleats in his linen cuffs:

detail Jacob Cats

Here’s the full portrait:

“Portret van Jacob Cats” by Ludolph de Jongh, 1659. Haags Historisch Museum.

Don’t mess with my feathers

I love the expression on this guy’s face. He’s totally like, “What did that guy just say about my hat?! I love my feathers! That’s so mean.”

detail from “Banquet at the Crossbowmen’s Guild in Celebration of the Treaty of Münster,” Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1648. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

You have to appreciate his maternity-doublet-with-obi-sash-with-a-big-bow look. That kind of style takes courage. Plus, nice subtle clocking on the stockings, and good view of backseam.

Family Portrait, with capes

This is fabulous. Look at that cape attitude!

detail of “A Family beside the Tomb of Prince William I in the Niewe Kerk, Delft” by Dirck van Delen, 1645. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Bandolier Accessories

I was just wondering, what exactly are those fun dangly accessories this guy’s got going on?

detail from “Militia Company of District VIII under the Command of Captain Roelof Bicker” by Bartholomeus van der Heist, 1643. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

And then, just a few rooms away, here’s what was hanging on the wall!

“Bandolier, with powder bottles and shot pouch” c.1600-1650.

Here’s what they had to say about it: “Hanging from this belt are twelve wooden containers, each with a charge for a single shot. The powder bottles were also called the Twelve Apostles. The muskateer wore the belt across his chest. He kept his lead shots in a separate leather pouch.”

Museum’s inclusion of costume accessories on display for the WIN!

Foldable Top Hat!

Also from the collection at Brede Værk (just north of Copenhagen) – a SIDE-FOLDING collapsible top hat! Has anybody seen one of these before? I’d love to know of others if you know of any collections that has one.

Black menswear in glass cases – the curse of people trying to photograph museums displays.

A cravat-inspired 1960’s dress

In honor of those glorious Alençon lace cravats I posted a bit ago, here’s a 1960’s dress from the collection at Brede Værk just north of Copenhagen. It’s like, her dress matches his tie, only 300 years apart.

Lace Cravats

For those of you who liked the de Largillierre painting I posted a while ago, here are some real examples of that brief but interesting period (1670-1700) of scrumptiously lacy cravats.

Worn by the Duke of York (the future James II) at his wedding, 1673. Victoria & Albert Museum.

large-scale raised Venetian needle lace (with contemporary linen and ribbon), 1670-90, from the Bowes Museum, UK.

And here’s the full version of the painting I posted earlier:

Nicolas de Largillierre, “Portrait of a Gentleman” (Possibly Pierre van Schuppen). 1680, Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco.