Regency Men's Waistcoats

You don't get to see much of the regency gentleman's waistcoat - it is hidden under his tailcoat, which I'm told he was advised to keep on when outdoors or in public. After the flamboyancy of the 18th century the waistcoat fades away during the regency era. On occasion you get to see an embroidered waistcoat, though these are usually re-used from late 18th century waistcoats.

This post has been put together quickly to help those sewing a waistcoat as part of the Regency Costume Challenge. If anyone is using the Rocking Horse Farm waistcoat pattern, an excellent step-by-step blog entry can be read at http://livingwithjane.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/rhf-regency-mens-waistcoat-tutorial.html .

1790-1810 at Chastleton House, Oxfordshire
National Trust Inventory Number 1430632 

1820 at Tyntesfield, North Somerset
National Trust Inventory Number 18754

1780-1790 at Snowshill Wade Costume Collection, Gloucestershire
National Trust Inventory Number 1349016

As quoted from January 1809 Ackerman's Repository:

Fashions for Gentlemen
The prevailing colours are dark brown and bottle green. The coat for evening dress is cut rather long in the waist, and short in the skirts, double breasted, with pointed lappels, corresponding in length to the hip button; the lappels are padded to fall back with the collar, which is made pretty high and stitched narrow, the collar to fall back about an inch and half; deep pockets under the cross flaps; the cuffs round.
The morning dress is made in nearly the same manner, only the pockets are in the plaits of the skirt, and the cuffs are either round or with a flap and three buttons.
The buttons are either gilt basket, or moulds covered with cloth.
Waistcoats are made single breasted, with a small flap about two inches lower than the coat lappel. Breeches are not made so high by two or three inches as they were, and the knee-band extends almost to the calf of the leg, with four buttons at the knee; they are made very tight; and pantaloons are pretty generally ornamented up the sides with brade.