- Joined
- Aug 25, 2012
I am guessing a gentleman at the start of the Civil War would have needed to change their clothing 4 or more times each day. However, was this many changing of clothing all that common for the average gentleman?
Even today a gentleman needs to change clothing several times each day. For example breakfast with friends is informal, that requires a conservative business suit. After breakfast with friends gentlemen can change into casual attire such as sport jacket and tie. Lunch with friends requires a gentleman to change back in to casual attire (a conservative dark business suit). Post lunch clothing is based on what one is doing, a sports jacket or even a simple outfit is acceptable. If one is having dinner with friends after 6 PM a dinner jacket (i.e. a tuxedo) should be put on. Late night drinks would allow a gentleman to put on a smoking jacket. So by modern standards a gentleman might change thier clothing 4 to 6 times per day.
I am in societies, that until a few years ago, the above was expected. Yes dark conservative business suit was expectedly for breakfast. Gentlemen were expected to wear tuxedos for informal dinners that started after 6 PM. For casual dinners a dark business suit would have been acceptable. Learning this was a 6 hour class at Army officer school but the class included the three ways a gentleman needed to know how to use their silverware at a meal.
Even today a gentleman needs to change clothing several times each day. For example breakfast with friends is informal, that requires a conservative business suit. After breakfast with friends gentlemen can change into casual attire such as sport jacket and tie. Lunch with friends requires a gentleman to change back in to casual attire (a conservative dark business suit). Post lunch clothing is based on what one is doing, a sports jacket or even a simple outfit is acceptable. If one is having dinner with friends after 6 PM a dinner jacket (i.e. a tuxedo) should be put on. Late night drinks would allow a gentleman to put on a smoking jacket. So by modern standards a gentleman might change thier clothing 4 to 6 times per day.
I am in societies, that until a few years ago, the above was expected. Yes dark conservative business suit was expectedly for breakfast. Gentlemen were expected to wear tuxedos for informal dinners that started after 6 PM. For casual dinners a dark business suit would have been acceptable. Learning this was a 6 hour class at Army officer school but the class included the three ways a gentleman needed to know how to use their silverware at a meal.