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Spencer (clothing)

Very short jacket, popular around 1800

Spencer (clothing)

Very short jacket, popular around 1800

Clothing, c. 1800. The woman and the boy in brown are wearing spencers

The spencer, dating from the 1790s, was originally a woollen outer tail-coat with the tails omitted. It was worn as a short waist-length, double-breasted, man's jacket. It was originally named after George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758–1834), who is reported to have had a tail-coat adapted after its tails were burned by coals from a fire. It was adopted as mess dress by British military officers, leading to the name mess jacket.

It was also soon adopted as a popular women's fashion on both sides of the Atlantic during the 1790–1820 Regency style period The spencer was worn as a cardigan, or as a short, fitted jacket cut to just above waist level, or, in Empire style, to the bust line, and tailored on identical lines to the dress.

The use of the term spencer continued well into the 19th century to mean more generally any type of short jacket or coat. In Australia, New Zealand and South Africa the term is sometimes used to refer to thermal underwear.

In current menswear, the term "spencer" is often synonymous with a slipover also referred to as a knitted vest.

References

References

  1. "George John, Second Earl Spencer". Althorp.
  2. [http://www.wemakehistory.com/Fashion/Regency/RegencyLadies/RegencyLadies.htm An Introduction to Ladies' Fashions of the Regency Era], by Lord Scott.
  3. [http://www.fashion-era.com/images/RegencyRom/grnspenc.jpg picture]
  4. [http://austen.com/costumes/pp5.jpg picture]
  5. [http://www.fashion-era.com/regency_fashion.htm#Earl%20Spencer%20And%20The%20Short%20Spencer%20Jacket%201795 Regency Fashion History. 1800s Costume History], by Pauline Weston Thomas for Fashion-Era.com
  6. [[Oxford English Dictionary]], "Spencer n.2", 2006 online edition.
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1790s-fashion 19th-century-fashion coats-(clothing)
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