Victorian/Western costume

I’m looking at making/buying a gentleman’s costume that I can wear for various Victorian-ish era games, including Western. I’m thinking a frock coat, shirt, waistcoat, and trousers would be fairly generic. Then I can accessories with different hats or neck ties depending on the occasion. Maybe an invertible waistcost, dark on one side and coloured/patterned on the other.

Any advice on the cheap procurement or creation of such a costume? Free patterns off the internet? Suitable fabirc? Buying near-enough parts of the costume second hand?

I’d check with Chantelle to see what she has for sale. She has piles of shirts and trousers which may be a good foundation for a costume.

Does anyone happen to have an English “New Model Army” redcoat coat circa 1815 lying about, preferably with the officer’s diagonal white band? :wink:

Talk to the Alfs?

Great thinking! Is anyone involved with the Auckland regiment?

Would this website be useful as a reference?

(Have no idea where they’re mailing from.)

is there even an auckland regiment? Anna C will have the contact email for the hamilton ones because we battle them a few times a year.

Auckland regiment ceased to exist in the early 80’s around 82 i think, they became the Auckland revolutionary army which later ended mid 90’s.

I do have the holding system patterns for the military system circa 1858 if that’s a help?

If its for B&B, then I think he needs earlier. OTOH, just looking the part is probably enough.

If its for B&B, then I think he needs earlier. OTOH, just looking the part is probably enough.[/quote]

Yep that’s what it’s for, and if I’m going to make from scratch then I’ll aim for more like 1815.

But your later pattern might be useful as a starting point for me, David. I could perhaps just lengthen the coat, etc.

just as an aside, that white diagonal band on the uniform is actually a white leather baldric,(or cartridge sash) British officers didn’t switch to Sam Browne till much later.