Working in costume - Research

Male Fashion
Here i have created a collage of 4 real pictures of Russian men from the late 1800's into the 1900's. I wanted to use pictures of men who actually existed in that period because the outfits would have been exactly what was worn at that time.

I noticed during my research that long jackets that came down to the knee otherwise known as frock coats (like the top left and bottom right photo's) were in fashion and worn by most men.


Frock coats were worn for both everyday use and formal occasions unlike the tail coat in which was most often only worn for formal occasions, making the frock coat the most  versatile jacket of its era.

Waistcoats, pocket watches/fobs and top hats were also in fashion with most upper class men wearing these trends. Often would be hung from there blazer of waistcoat pockets. 

Pocket watches and top hats were often a symbol of wealth. If you had either of these two items you would have been respected because you would have had to have the money to have brought them in the first place.

In addition to this, belts were not used instead braces or suspenders. Often these were made out of leather or canvas.


Patterns, textures, colours
Near the end of the 1800's silk became relatively inexpensive so men began wearing silk vests and waistcoats. Another fashion was to mix and max different patters - often pinstripe and checkered patterns were in fashion, this may have been mixed with silk swell. In this era men began to explore and experiment with there clothing as the rich were able to get hold of new fabrics.

The typical colours would have been black, white, beige, grey. Royal blues and deep reads would have also been used but only to accessorise for example a handkerchief or waistcoat may have been a warmer/brighter colour.

From my research i have learnt that Yasha would have worn a smart suite like this, perhaps without a picket watch but with a waistcoat, blazer, buttoned shirt.