Daytime shirts were plain and undecorated. The points of the collar extended to the jaw with the neck only slightly exposed. Evening shirts had embroidered or ruffled fronts. Most shirts were white with some colored shirts for country or sports wear. Ties and cravats wrapped around the collar. It was considered a state of undress to be seen without a jacket or coat over your shirt.
Trousers:
Trousers were made with stripe and checked fabrics for daytime wear with somewhat widened legs. Braces (suspenders) held the trousers in place. Alternatives to the braces were a tab and buckle at the back of the waistband which enabled the trousers to stay up without the braces. Knickerbocker pants could have been worn to sporting events. These were cut with loose legs gathered onto a band that buckled just below the knee.
Coats:
The Frock Coat was fitted through the torso with the waistline dropped somewhat, and less well defined than it had been in earlier years. The skirt of the frock coat was not overly full and was halfway between the waist and the knee to just above the knee in length.
Sack jackets were loose, comfortable jackets with no waistline and had straight fronts, center vents in the back, sleeves without cuffs, and small collars with short lapels.
Reefers or pea jackets were loose double-breasted jackets with side vents and small collars. They doubled as overcoats.
Waistcoats ended above the natural waistline and were worn for daytime wear. Both the double-breasted and single styles were worn. The double-breasted style had the wider lapel. The single-breasted style was longer and primarily worn for eveningwear.
Undergarments:
Cotton or linen underdrawers, either long or short, with an undervest of the same material made up the men’s undergarments. In the winter months these could be made of wool or flannel.
Dressing Gowns:
Dressing Gowns were made in decorative fabrics and were worn with nightcaps in the privacy of one’s own home. Also, smoking jackets, which were loose jackets cut like a sack jacket and made in velvet, cashmere or other decorative fabrics were worn with small tasseled caps.
Hairstyles and Headwear:
Men wore their hair parted on the side and was worn fairly short with long, full side-whiskers. Mustaches of various shapes and fullness were popular. The clean-shaven look was no longer fashionable in the 1860’s.
Hats consisted predominantly of the top hat. Other hats included the wide awake, which had a low crown and wide brim of felt or straw, caps for casual wear in the country, derbies or bowlers, and straw hats with flat crowns and narrow brims.
Shoes & Accessories:
Footwear included laced shoes, half or short boots, with elastic sides, buttoned or lace closings, and long boots. Short or long gaiters or spats could be added to shoes for sportswear.
Hand-carried accessories included canes, umbrellas with decorative handles and gloves.
Jewelry was confined to pocket watches and watch chains, tie pins, rings and a variety of ornamental buttons and studs.
