As promised, here is a quick guide on how to dress like a turn-of-the-century gentleman from the middle class (or how we made it work for the Titanic exhibition)!
My husband lost some weight last year and it was a perfect opportunity to pull off the Edwardian "Sack Suit" look.
Why the "Sack Suit" name?
Well, in the 1910s men wore suits that were straight in cut and somewhat loose fitting, appearing as if it was a size too big, like a 'sack'. Colours were mainly dark, such as navy, grey and sometimes brown. The fabric was wool. No substitutes!
This is the outfit we put together for him (close-up at the end):
Lets break down the individual pieces a little bit
Coat / Jacket
The modern coat is the right colour and right fit, but it is a bit too short for the 1910 style. In reality the coat would have been longer, almost down to mid-thigh, but since we were working on a a bit of a budget (time and money wise), hitting 2 out of 3 rights ain't so bad! :)
Pants
The Edwardian pants were roomy over the hips and the legs were straight, tapered slightly and cuffed at the bottom, not showing any sock-action. The modern pants my husband have did not fit that way but it was an easy fix with a straight seam on the sewing machine (I did not cut the fabric, just folding it in slightly so it could easily be undone later).
Vest
He is wearing a normal modern black dress vest. If he felt daring in 1910 he could have worn a contrasting colour to the pants and coat. I will call it a half win!
Neck-wear
Since he didn't have a fancy-coloured vest, he decided to wear a patterned Cravat instead to 'spice' up the look. Fancy! He could also have worn a tie or necktie :)
Shirt
Under the vest he is wearing a modern white shirt with subtle striping. Turns out the shirt has not changed much since Edwardian times. Handy that! However, the collars were a bit different. The modern pointed collars work well, but in the 1910's it could also be winged or rounded, so called 'club collar'.
Hat
We were looking mainly for a derby, bowler or homburg hat in felt or wool. A flat cap, also called golf cap or newsboy hat, would also have been appropriate for his second-or-third-class mixture. During the summer months a straw hat would have been preferable due to the weather!
What we had at home was a soft leather (or similar, maybe mocha?) beret, that was pulled into a newsboy cap shape.
Cane
This is the only piece in the ensemble that really stands out and is not period in ANY way AT ALL. It is made out of metal with a spider-web pattern around a big green acrylic bulb at the top. Still looks good, as most of the top is hidden when he has his hand on it and uses it.
Shoes
Normal black dress shoes worked well here, but in 1910 he would probably have worn a pair of Oxfords to the day dress. Spats could also be worn over the shoe to bridge any gap between shoe and trouser. The shoes of 1910 did not have the modern thin string laces, but wide ribbons. I had some ribbon laying around at home and used that. Not wide, but still ribbon!
Accessories
A classic pocket watch with chain.
DONE! :)
This is what my husband was wearing to the Titanic Exhibition and how we turned what we already had at home into a 1910 second-to-third-class Edwardian 'day dress' costume!
