cadmusfly asked:

Hey as the most fashionable 19th century fashion blogger around I just discovered denim was invented in the mid 19th century so what are your thoughts on denim and have you seen any horrifying denim things from then around

clove-pinks answered:

Funny that you should ask this question, when I’m wondering if there has been an exhibit recently of historic denim clothing because suddenly my whole tumblr dash is full of it? I think the blog @fashionsfromhistory is spearheading the denim brigade, and that’s also where I saw what is to me, the most horrifying item of 19th century denim:

A circa 1855 denim frock coat in the collection of the Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum. (a jedingote??)

I’m not surprised by working class men’s clothing in blue denim, it’s clearly related to the canvas or linen duck trousers of sailors and other labourers. Marryat wrote about making clothing from sail-cloth, usually calling it “duck”.

But a frock coat?? With that classic, instantly recognizable silhouette? It looks like someone made it as a joke. It occupies some kind of dress history uncanny valley, since everything about it seems plausible/fits into existing trends except that the fabric choice is jarring… jeans. Jorts. Jacket. Jedingote.