Regency Tailor Explains Bridgerton Men's Costumes 

"Yes its an opinion, but also its correct" I need this on a shirt!!!

And now you know how health care professionals feel when we watch “medical shows.”

I love how gradually his hair becomes more and more of a disaster as he rants about the costumes

What I honestly don't understand is that they made a "choice" for the men's clothing when the actual historically accurate version is so much sexier!

You were bothered by her boots--I was still bothered by her wearing stays without a shift under it. Shift first--then stays.

Me to myself before I clicked on this: "It's not procrastination if it's education"

Honestly I’d love to see a show where the costuming department is made up entirely of costume RU-vidrs (Karolina Źebrowska, Bernadette Banner, Rachel Maksy, etc)

*Bridgerton costume designers* 'We wanted to inject color and fancifulness into the era' *English Regency Court Gowns* 'Are we some kind of joke to you?!?!?'

I feel like everyone these days talks about the dresses in this show, so it's really nice to see someone talk about the outfits the gentlemen are wearing for a change. I really enjoyed watching this!

Background characters are usually better dressed than the main cast in a lot of period dramas because the background costumes will be from rental stock, which are more often and not used in many films and bear a better historical accuracy.

If they are trying to "sex things up" why didn't they go for breeches??? They are literally designed to be figure hugging and show off leg muscles, and in my opinion, make everyone's butt look fantastic (padding was also a thing, which means even BETTER butts with no post processing). How on earth they thought those frumpy straight-legged trousers were sexier than the historical equivalent of Captain America's super suit is beyond me.

I definately appreciate the male perspective. You don't typically get to hear about how stylish men really were!

idk why it brings me so much joy to see people passionately talking about things I know nothing about. Like, yes, Sir..... tell me more about the aglets... I completely agree

"Yes, it's an opinion but also it's correct." I need that on a sampler. :D

Bridgerton's costumes were honestly extremely frustrating, and I don't think they helped to educate contemporary folks on the misconceptions of historical dress at all. The show furthered a lot of the inaccuracies and narratives that the historical costuming and dress community is trying so hard to clear up! Of course, it's more historical fantasy, but because of the way the show's events are portrayed, it may not be blatantly obvious to some that it is a fantastical version of history.

As someone who used to work for a company that makes uniform accessories, seeing the tip of the aiguillette just stabbed through that button hole was... something lol I don't know why anyone would think that's how that is worn. Aiguillettes are all over modern uniforms, you don't even have to look at old pictures to get it right.

**has a mental breakdown** "so that bothers me a bit"

A note on the lack of black shirts in the time period: black would not be practical as an undergarment as that would require so much expensive dye to get the right color, and then it would be regularly washed because it’s literally underwear, so the color would fade incredibly fast and look old and dull.

Please make a video about historically accurate disney princes everyone is doing the princesses and you have so much knowledge of male fashion history

I suspect the background actors often looked more put together because their costumes started life in productions that cared about historical accuracy. Likely they were not constructed especially for this show but rented from a company that purchases and supplies historical costumes.

"To expose that much skin as a man would have been a social *disaster*" This is so funny. I'm trying to think of how real Regency people would've thought of the Duke's revealed neck. LOL

"Yes it's an opinion, but also it's correct." - stealing this if you don't mind. :)

Something that always annoys me about modern tv and movies trying to “sex up” period dramas is that they fail to realize or remember that history was in fact very sexy

I always appreciate your channel for bringing a perspective about the men's clothing. It's a needed counterpoint to the usual focus on the ladies.

As a theatrical tailor who has made Regency menswear, what bothered me most about the men (of the MANY things which bothered me) was how badly their trousers were cut, pulling across the fronts as well as not shaped to the leg -- a very modern cut as if their maker had never seen a period pattern before.

The Duke’s buttons drove me crazy! I kept wondering what shape it would be if you actually tried to button them all (obviously it couldn’t be done while a human was actually wearing it). I picture a giant fabric funnel.

It's so hard to find reviews like this that focus on menswear, so this was really cool to watch!

I didn't watch the show, so it was highly entertaining to see it through your eyes! Zips! ZIPS? AIGLETS 😖 What?? But I love hearing you talk about the details of the menswear so much. Thank you for powering through all the hard work and last minute frustration that went into this video. You must be so relieved to have it done and published!

I am generally not a fan of the regency women’s fashions. Probably because they really don’t suit my figure. Give me defined waists, big sleeves and big skirts to make the most of my curves! But the exception to that is the men’s fashion of the time, which is one of my favourites. I think the men of the time looked dashing. The silhouette was flattering (to some at least), and showed off the body in a nice way. I love the curves of the trousers and britches, the smooth cutaways of the jackets, the high collars and cravats. It’s all just so lovely. And it was wonderful to see someone focusing on the male fashions. It’s not terribly common- which is understandable, most of the people in this little corner of nerdery tend to be women, and we tend to focus on the clothing that we would make for ourselves. But it’s still nice to see a focus on menswear. Thank you for this lovely video. I greatly appreciated the aglet rant.

"so that bothers me a bit" is the best end of a rant

YEESSS thank you for bringing up the "sexed up" thing!! I haven't seen that many people talking about this in their reviews/critiques and to me it's VERY odd that they were trying to make the regency "sexier" when the actual fashions of the period were more scandalous than what we see on the show... I was saying in another comment that the necklines should be nipple-grazing and the men should be vacuum-sealed into their clothes ;)

If you don't clean them often, white fabrics quickly become yellowish and stained. Impeccable white shows you're wealthy enough to afford the luxury of changing clothes often and have them promptly washed. Any other colour, particularly dark ones (including black) can take longer periods of use without washing before they show it.

“Yes, it’s an opinion, but it’s also correct” I’m gonna use that. I enjoyed the video!

I would love to see one of those tailcoats fully buttoned up. It'd be a cone. Some kind of big velvet funnel :'D

I've just binged the Bridgerton reactions of you, Abby, and Karolina...without having actually seen the show yet. So now I have to see it.

Him: “and how some pieces are...a little bit...” Me: “glitter-ball polyester monstrosities” Him: “need improvement.” Ahhh....yes. Right.

As a Regency romance author and a Jane Austen ball attendee who sews my husband's and my own gowns, that show drove me bonkers. There's something so alluring about the cravat. Why did it get ignored in this series? Wish you could have consulted on this show. The accuracy in fashion would have been cool to see on screen.

My two biggest issues were: seeing evening gowns worn outside with full boob exposure (and yes, bonnets!), and, that Anthony's mistress seemed so concerned with being more to him than his paid-for-woman. The second in particular bothered me a lot because, as I have come to understand, mistresses had a contract with their Protector. It was kind of like having a prenup and it protected both her and her Protector. She never had illusions about it being more. And when it was over, when he ended it, there were things she got to keep or money given to her so she had enough time to find a new Protector. They were highly prized escorts who slept with the men that put them up in fine houses. For a show that was touted as supremely feminist, they really missed the ball on that to show a real business woman in charge of her own body and income.

The way his hair seemed to become more disheveled the more offensive the costumes became :D

Finally I find someone who reviews men’s costumes. I thought it was interesting that the story line was so concerned about social convention and piety but the costumes do not reflect that. I felt your pain Zippers in the boots!

"Yes , it's an opinion but it's the right one," had me dead

My Grandmother in the 1930s would never leave the house without her hat and gloves and she was a farmers wife. How styles have changed.

Your minor meltdown at aglets through buttonholes is hilarious

So what I get from this is, that regency men would have been absolutely delighted by elastic skinny jeans because you can put them easily into the high boots, they emphasize the musculature but you don't have the hassle of buttons down the lower legs xD

As an equestrian, the riding boots were a big "WHAT!" Riding boots even 50ish years ago were pulled on and an absolute pain in the ass to put on and get off. There are whole contraptions to help people wear them without the assistance of a second person. The spur rests are also an issue - ladies didn't wear spurs because sidesaddle horses aren't trained to go off the leg like an astride horse.

Jumping on your Daphne rant, I’m actually surprised you didn’t point out a MASSIVE ISSUE with her undressing scene. She’s wearing her stays AGAINST THE SKIN, with NO shift underneath them. In fact, she even puts a new shift on OVER TOP of her stays! It’s one of my personal costuming pet peeves - people putting corsets against the skin thinking they’re just sexy Big Bras, when in fact they have to have a protective garment between the skin (and sweat and oils and dirt and germs) and the very valuable, very difficult to wash corset or stays. I can understand the boots distracting you though - that’s egregious

Firstly, this was brilliant and educational and everything I've been dying for in a men's regency review. Secondly, "Don't fight me in the comments" had me laugh so hard I nearly choked on my tea! Well done, sir!

So nice to hear the perspective of someone who knows about men's wear. I've heard many many critiques on the subject of women's wear in media, but rarely have I heard anything about men's wear

The women’s costuming drove me crazy. No corsets with empire waists! Corsets didn’t have metal eyelets. Stays not corsets! And should have head coverings outside the home.

"Yes, it's an opinion, but also IT'S CORRECT." Thank you for talking about aiglets as "scrambled egg" because I read that once years ago and never found it again!

The books talk extensively about the court dresses of the previous generation, the panniers, and all the girls being afraid they will trip in unfamiliar skirts as they back out of the queens presence. So I was extra bummed not to see those court dresses!

Having grown up reading Georgette Heyer's descriptions of amazing court dresses I share Zak's dismay that they don't get used properly in film and TV. I live in hope!

Netflix should have consulted you for this series. 😂

The one "costume" that drove me absolutely crazy was the Duke. In the books he wears black coats all the time to portray his serious nature. Not to mention how much skin he showed and the cut were atrocious. They really tried to make him super sexy. Which is not how he is in the book. He's more like Darcy from Pride & Prejudice. Serious, trying to overcome his fathers abuse and censure. They actor playing him was obviously gorgeous, but they pushed it a little too much on the sexy.

I went to buy silk satin for the collar of my 1890s Worth style prom dress, and the lady at the shop heard my description and asked "is that, like, Brigderton?" Noooooo... it's not.

I'm so glad to hear a review on the men's fashion. I love hearing about the ladies but I've been so curious about the gentlemen's fashion in these dramas.

“Yes it is an opinion, but also it’s correct!” Big RANT ...Love it, Zack!

That zoom in on the modern boot is absolutely unforgivable!! I cannot even...

Zachary!!! Im apparently ten months late in saying this, (thanks, RU-vid algorithm) but I’m so excited you’re making videos!!! As a man who loves historical fashion, it’s so hard to find others who are so passionate about men’s historical costumery, which makes your work extra valuable! Not to mention it makes me feel a little better and more confident about attempting such projects myself. :”) I get nervous, too. Your voice is crisp and pleasant, you’re funny and polite, and you’re so well informed! I really hope you continue, as I really believe you have every desirable attribute for making a wonderful channel.

As an historian/ teacher of Western Civ I really appreciate your scholarship and knowledge- and your presentation-- I could listen for hours! many thanks from US

This really hammered home to me that we don't get enough of those super tight pantaloons with the buttoned ankles in historicals. They look great! Everyone goes for breeches all the time but I'm beginning to think pantaloons are severely under-utilized.... Also I totally agree about the English court dress. As it is they had that gag with the one Featherington sister tripping at the queen's feet - think how much funnier it would be if she fell because she was unused to wearing panniers! Ham up the comedy!

So, on the subject of “women wearing their hair down/not wearing a hat to show their free spirit isn’t accurate”, that’s really interesting because it’s where history is interacting with changing social mores and cues. It’s like with flappers. Flappers are often portrayed as having really short skirts, and flappers did have *shorter* skirts than usual, but they never went above the knee. But to get across to modern audiences used to decades of miniskirts and stuff, a below the knee skirt just wouldn’t register as shocking. So, as a filmmaker, you have to choose between being historically accurate in dress, or being historically accurate in...I dunno if you’d call it the mood or the sensibility of the time that you’re trying to portray.

And I was also rather disappointed with there being no hats. It’s one of things that would have looked amazing with their dresses when they were outside. I can’t for the life of me understand why they didn’t include these necessary accessories

I enjoy your comments (and your irritation about historical inaccuracies) so much! I too wish to see a movie or show with truly accurate, not-dumbed-down, over-the-top styles that I've only read about or seen in engraved pictures. It's been a while since I read the books, so I might be confusing them with other Regency books I've read, but I SWEAR that in one of them, it's a major plot point that the young lady who is the focal of the story knocks over a candelabra with her bonkers huge court skirt and sets one of the other ladies being presented ON FIRE. It is SO disappointing not to see any of the panniers skirts at court, they would have been so much fun.

Someone PLEASE meme/ gif Zack at 21:56 - 'Yes, it's an opinion- but it's *also* CorrecT' is a MOOD and I need to throw that around in my life thank you

"It's mental" I almost fell on the floor - elegantly, laughing.

Thank you Zack. Clothing for men is often badly done in costume dramas, it appears that too many Costumiers do not know and do not care about about mens fashions. There are people out there who do know about clothing for men, like you, so when will they have the humility to just ask!!!

I swore loudly every time Lady Portia Featherington walked through a scene in her "Hello Dolly" dresses.

So, what I’m hearing is that they should have made the pants tighter. And I 100% agree. How am I supposed to admire their sexy calves if they cover them in loose fabric?

Loved this! My favorite line “yes it’s an opinion, but also it’s correct”. Thank you

I noticed the modern riding boots that Daphne removed the first time watching the series! Not only by the zipper, but by the cut of the top of the boot and the spur rests on the sides of the boot! Thank you for the informative video!

You truly pay attention to the details! I love it! Didn't realize the boots Dauphin wore was a zip boot

4:15 woah I didn’t realize that’s a picture of you at first! I totally thought it was a really good painting!

Clearly, they need to hire you for Season 3 and 4.

This show absolutely inspired me to begin sewing Regency men's clothing for myself (I'm working on a shirt currently), but by the Gods did I have to turn around and do several hours (more like 20+ hours with a silly amount of tabs on my PC open) of research to teach myself the actual silhouette and look I should be going for XD

"The Duke....I don't know what he's doing...." That's it, that's the show.

OMG, I was legit TRIGGERED by that scene with Daphne's boots! Until VERY recently pull on tall boots were standard turnout in English riding disciplines, and some traditionals STILL don't consider zips appropriate for show. And if hunter jumper girls in 2000 needed to help pull each other's boots off, a high class woman like Daphne in 1813 would have used the assistance of at least one lady's maid!

When I saw the boots I said the audacity!!!!!!! I didn’t notice the zipper the first time around and now I can’t unsee it!!!

For those of you in the comment section who have never worked a reenactment, one can be eating a something bought on site from one of the food stands and patrons will still walk up and ask "is that real food?" they can be watching a smithing or cooking demonstration and their first question will be "is that real fire?" Very few people are going to walk in to a period setting with enough base knowledge to talk to them about detail and it takes too damn long to educate them. For a piece of entertainment going for full historical accuracy is often a detriment to effective communication, borrowing from visual vocabulary the audience is already familiar with will convey more and more accurate information as far as story and character are concerned. Zach, your analysis is wonderful and it's refreshing to see someone who comes to one of these critiques with even the bare minimum of acknowledgement towards design choice v period accuracy and I wish more historical dress enthusiasts came at these pieces with a goal towards education by example rather than condemnation and gatekeeping.

The strategic sip of tea was brilliant!

“Once again, I will not be discussing whether anything is good or bad.” *sips tea* Oh my god.

We need a «Trying on all my historical clothes»-video! Really want to see your whole wardrobe! 👏👏

Unfortunately, I feel the producers wanted to dumb down the clothing for audiences who did not know the period. They really could have done a better job. Did they not because of the price as well? I appreciate your invaluable information. I am not as knowledgeable about men's period clothing. Many of the female character's clothing appears to look too modern. Some fabrics and colors do not look authentic. 🥺

Yes !! a Bridgerton men's costumes review

you: "you can see the differences" me: ah yes I see. A disgrace frankly. Narrator: she did not, in fact, see

i would LOVE to hear you talking more about men's historical fashion. I barely never heard of it and I don't know either where to find it

I love the male POV. Not familiar with men's ware myself so it's quite educational. I watched it cringing about the lack of petticoats and hair all over the place but I did enjoy for what it was since it's an "alternate universe".

I would love to see your take on costumes in 1995 Pride & Prejudice. It is regarded as one of the most faithful adaptations of anything ever.

'Yes it's an opinion, but also its correct' hahaah I died

I have watched every costumer on Bridgerton that I can find. This is my favorite thus far. Thank you sir!

I love the commentary on the waistcoats. I'm absolutely obsessed with waistcoats right now!

Thank you. You've stopped me screaming. It's about as accurate to its chosen period as The Tudors is to the early 16th century. But people are taking it as gospel, sadly. And shirts were linen because they could endure the vigorous washing techniques of the period, along with the other linen, sheets, tablecloths, etc. You don't get black linen, black was a notoriously fugitive dye. Anything dyed black would turn greenish or reddish in no time.

Point of Interest: your beloved The Prince of Prussia was also in Harry Potter as Cormac McLaggen, the arrogant quidditch player; and in A Cinderella Story as Luke the guitar playing fiend.

Absolutely loved Bridgerton and it's crazy costumes - one thing that amused me was the rather synthetic looking fabrics - some of the ribbons and 'silks' would most definitely not stood a hot iron- they just looked very wrong to me. There's a way silks and other expensive fabrics crease so beautifully that their 20th century synthetic counterparts simply don't. This would I guess have meant a huge jump in budget :D

I felt the same anger you did about the zip boots during the scene where Daphne was being undressed by the Duke and the purposely settle for several seconds on a pair of clear plastic buttons holding up a piece of undergarment. I could have forgiven a flash, or a hint, but the lingering on the plastic buttons just... ugh. My friends think I am taking it too seriously. I may need new friends. ;)

For the folks in the comments having all the cows: please breathe y'all. This is a video critique of historical accuracy in a specific tv series. It's going to be incredibly specific, because: a. That's what a good critique is and b. this dude knows his shit. If you find learning all the ways in which the costuming is wrong, detracts from your personal enjoyment of said show, that's valid. But then like, *just stop watching this video* and go enjoy your thing? Suggesting he ought to not review things as seriously, because it makes you personally miffed, is flat out silliness. No one is forcing you to watch this 🤣 and not every video every creator makes, is for every human. E.g. You don't care if it's accurate or not. You think it's too intense. Cool. So, this video probably isn't going to be your jam. On the flip side, personally as a history nerd, I enjoy videos like this *because I get to learn* and I really enjoy learning. And while I love historical fiction for fun, sometimes I grumble too and it's nice to grumble with folks who understand. And don't look at me like I have 4 heads. It's super validating. (Because really, there are far too many higher production value films/ tv series etc that put minimal effort into researching their subject matter *when cool shit already exists and they wouldn't need to make it up so hard if they spent even like, a week on research; and they have the funds so there really isn't an excuse*. Call it a design choice if it's a total fantasy. Not non-fiction. You can't just make up what the century contained if the information exists already but you were too....whatever.... To actually find out.) Sigh.

A costumer friend of mine did the gowns for a French Empire play in Paris with gorgous silks and muslins in amazing colours. The production designer put them in the washing machine with bleach to make them look like old museum pieces completely ignoring that at the time these dresses would be fresh and new. I did a coat once for a Moliere play, I worked for days, carefully ironing and pressing it and getting it perfect, they asked me not to finish the hem. When I went to see the 'couturiere' I couldn't see my coat and when I asked they showed me a coat in rags that had been dragged behind a car, smeared in shoe polish and torn and ripped, I was horrified.

Now when I see Season 2, I’ll just hear you in the background! That’s not a bad thing. I could just watch you drink tea all day, and laugh along with you. Brilliant explanations, you really know your stuff! Carry on.

Great to see a detailed breakdown of the men's costumes. The cravats under the collars made me raise my eyebrows almost as much as the tightlacing!

so happy to see a review that doesn’t skip over the men’s clothes! would love to see more reviews from you since it’s so common to exclude the menswear in reviews