Detail of a portrait by Ingres of Bernier, 1800
The cravat rose in popularity during an an age when cleaning dirty linen and ironing clothes presented an enormous challenge. Influenced by Beau Brummell’s penchant for wearing simple clothes and snowy- white cravats, these intricately-tied neckcloths became all the rage among the gentleman of the upper crust. The lower classes, for lack of servants and resources, wore a simpler version of the neckcloth in the form of a square folded and tied around the neck.
Men’s neckcloths hark back to ancient traditions in Egypt, China, and Rome where these pieces of cloth denoted a man’s social status. During the Elizabethan period a high ruffed neckline forced a stiff posture and confined movement, which only the leisure class could afford to adopt. Servants, tradesmen and laborers had to wear more functional clothing in order to perform their duties. During the mid-17th century the French adopted the fashion of neckerchiefs after seeing Croatian mercenaries wear them. The French courtiers began sporting neckcloths made of muslins or silk and decorated with lace or embroidery. These soft cloths were wrapped around the throat and loosely tied in front.
The cravat as seen in Regency portraits attained its distinctive appearance under Beau Brummell’s expert fingers and experimentation with his valet. Brummell’s philosopy of simple menswear was in stark contrast to the dandified Macaroni who pranced about in wigs, lace, and embroidered waistcoats. In Beau Brummell, His Life and Letters (p 50), Louis Melville writes:
“Brummell’s greates triumph was his neck-cloth. The neck-cloth was then a huge clinging wrap worn without stiffening of any kind and so bagging out in front. Brummell in a moment of inspiration decided to have his starched. The conception was, indeed, a stroke of genius. But genius in this case had to be backed by infinite pains. What labour must Brummell and his valet, Robinson – himself a character – have expended on experiment to discover the exact amount of stiffening that would produce the best result, and how many hours for how many days must they have worked together – in pivate – before disclosing the invention to the world of fashion. Even later, most morning could Robinson be seen coming out of the Beau’s dressing room with masses of rumpled linen on his arms – “Our failures” – he would say to the assembled company in the outer room.
Two examples of cravat styles
Regency dandies who wore enormous cravats that prevented movement of their necks – similar to the effect Elizabethan ruffs had – were known as les incroyables or the “incredibles”. Can you spot them in the contemporary cartoon below? To learn about the social implication of extreme fashion in pre-Napoleonic France, click on this link and read Les Incroyables et Merveilleusses: Fashions as Anti-Rebellion.
More links on the topic:
- Regency Reproductions: Scroll down to read about neck cloths. Includes a free cravat pattern and illustrations of how to tie a neckcloth.
- Colonial Gentleman’s clothing: Glossary of Terms
- Francis Morris, “An Eighteenth Century Rabat”, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Feb., 1927), pp. 51-55 (article consists of 5 pages)
Middle illustration from H. Le Blanc’s The Art of Tying the Cravat.
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What an excellent blog Vic. Your research is amazing! I recently watched the movie Beau Brummell: This Charming Man, the 2006 BBC drama based on Ian Kelley’s biography of Beau Brummell. In the movie there is a scene where Brummell is dressing for the day with an audience of his groupies, including the Prince Regent. It transpires as you describe with the focus on his strached white shirts and him attempting to tie the perfect cravat, over and over again, and his servant (who had to wash and iron them all) carrying the failures away in a heap in his arms! Too funny, but very telling of his obession with the perfect cravat and his fixation on his appearance. One wonders if it was more for the dramatic affect for his attendees, than his displeasure in the way the cravat turned out.
Thanks again, Laurel Ann
Thanks for stopping by, Laurel Ann. I’ve been meaning to watch that movie. You now have me convinced! Hope the contest is going well on your blog. Vic
[…] invited the prince to watch him dress. Mr. Brummel was known for his sartorial splendor and for his meticulousness in tying a rectangular linen cloth. The adoption of increasingly complex neckties by fashionable young men in the 1810s and 1820s […]
[…] The Regency Gentleman: Neckwear […]
Hello,
What a lovely and interesting Blog site. I work in the costume world but in miniature so your site is of such interest to me on a costuming level.
I found you whilst looking on the net for a picture of a Regency gentleman’s manservant. I have a customer who wants a miniature version of the type of apron a valet or manservant would wear. Can you help at all please?
I have signed up to receive updates your blog and look forward to seeing more of your interesting articles and pictures.
Best wishes,
Louise
United Kingdom.
[…] from simple wraps and loops—though folks like Gaultier are playing with shapes that invoke the Empire/Regency cravat. But, like any accessory, there’s an endless possibility in a scarf. In the era of power […]
Hi Vic,
I noticed that some of your readers are clicking on the Ruffs, ribbons, collars, and cravats link above but getting a 404 error on our site at the Rosenbach. The correct link is http://www.rosenbach.org/archive/exhibitions/online.html. Thanks for linking to us!
Best,
Lauren Abshire
Systems Administrator
Rosenbach Museum & Library
Thank you, Lauren. Change made!!
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