Inspire

Inspire

For centuries, there has been a crossover between military uniforms and civilian fashion. 

Military inspired trends continue to come in and out of fashion, with women’s clothing in particular often using decorative elements such as braiding, buttons, and insignias that are associated with uniforms.

Spencers originated in the 1790s as a practical garment worn by men over their coats for extra warmth. They were cropped and tight fitting, usually ending at about the waist with no skirt or tails. George John Spencer, 2nd Earl of Spencer is believed to have popularised the style and is the namesake for the garment. 

The style was soon adapted for women’s clothing. They became more cropped, rising to just below the bust line to accommodate for the high waisted, Empire dresses. Sometimes they were made in a contrasting colour to the rest of the outfit or in the same material to give a seamless look. They were worn both for indoor and outdoor activities, providing warmth when wearing a lighter gown. Many examples hark back to their menswear influence, often including high collars and puffed long sleeves. The example in the collection references military fashion with its rouleau (rope detailing). Interestingly they were one of the few items of women’s fashion that were tailored during this era, so it is likely this example was made to fit the wearer perfectly. 

The shorter version worn by women then inspired male military fashion with a more severely cropped version of the Spencer being worn by some regiments as a mess jacket.