Underwear in the 18th Century

echo-de-la-lumiere:

(Images above reposted with permission from http://i-want-my-iwtv.tumblr.com/post/119493668682/the-real-questionsmore-im-lazy-so-im-only)

Most men would simply wear a simple large shirt tucked into breeches.

Some men wore linen drawers if they could afford them, which were more or less just thinner breeches.

Because of all the layers of clothing, breeches (knee-length capris) opened in the front without having to actually drop them or undo the waist. Their width at the knees often buttoned tightly to stop stockings from rolling down if the garters at mid-thigh didn’t hold.

Put on some clothes, Lestat! Those scenes where Lestat is just wearing a shirt and breeches? Technically he’s only wearing underwear! Usually even at home, a proper gentleman (like Nicolas) would wear a banyan (an East Asian-inspired robe). When going out, a gentleman would wear a tight frock coat.

All of this goes out the window for the Third Estate, who pretty much only owned two sets of clothing for their entire lives.

Underwear in the 18th Century