Mr Darcy’s Shirt

In the 1995 BBC rendition of Pride and Prejudice, Colin Firth’s portrayal of Mr. Darcy includes a notable cream linen shirt. This attire takes center stage in a celebrated scene where Darcy emerges drenched from the Pemberley pond, coincidentally crossing paths with Elizabeth Bennet. Regarded as one of the most iconic moments in British television history, this particular sequence has etched itself into the collective memory of viewers.

The famous Regency period shirt turned British actor Colin Firth into an international heartthrob virtually overnight.

The shirt worn by actor Colin Firth during his portrayal of Mr. Darcy as he emerged from the Pemberley pond in the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice production
The shirt worn by actor Colin Firth during his portrayal of Mr. Darcy as he emerged from the Pemberley pond in the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice production. Credit Folger Shakespeare Library

The following image connects you with Amazon and contains an Affiliate link, which means we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Thanks for supporting our work.

Considered by many to be the definitive adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, the 1995 BBC/A&E co-production is one of the most successful period dramas ever created.

And it’s not hard to see why: superlative acting, attention to detail in costume and sets, and faithfulness to Jane Austen’s 1813 novel … that is, except for one scene—the Lake Scene.

One of the most unforgettable moments in British TV historyThe Guardian

An amusing moment in which Darcy tries to maintain his dignity while improperly dressed and sopping wetWilliam Grimes, NYTimes

Although absent from Jane Austen’s novel, the Lake Scene has garnered adulation the world over from an army of fans, and spawned a host of imitations, including this reenactment by Benedict Cumberbatch for charity.

It’s one thing to see Colin Firth donning a wet shirt clinging to his well-honed physique in today’s context, but from the perspective of the early 1800s, what we’re really looking at is Darcy in his underwear. Prior to the 20th century, shirts were worn as undergarments. Not until the seventeenth century were men’s shirts allowed to show; but when they did, it carried the same suggestive undertone as visible underwear today. And as late as 1879, a shirt with nothing over it was considered improper.

Did you know?

It was quite common for men of the eighteenth century not to wear any underpants. Shock, horror! They relied instead on the long tails of their undershirts and on lining sewn into their breeches to perform the same function as drawers.

Showing the typical cut of the late 18th century, this finely finished shirt has gussets below the arm for freedom of movement and a shoulder gusset for a better fit through the neck and chest. Approximating the shape of the body, it allowed for more fullness at the front without adding bulk at the waist.

1780. Shirt. French. Linen. metmuseum
1780. Shirt. French. Linen. metmuseum
1780. Shirt. French. Linen. metmuseum
1780. Shirt. French. Linen. metmuseum

Created from linen fiber in 1816 by Elizabeth Wild Hitchings for her husband Benjamin Hitchings, a sea captain. Hand-stitching shirts for the family was common practice for wives or servants prior to about the mid-19th century. Elegant stitching was a hallmark of the care taken prior to the widespread use of the sewing machine.

1816. Shirt. American. Linen. metmusem
1816. Shirt. American. Linen. metmusem
1816. Shirt. American. Linen. metmusem
1816. Shirt. American. Linen. metmusem
Do not presume to understand a mannequin’s feelings. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love youMr. Mannequin
1816. Shirt. American. Linen. metmusem

References

  • Some Thoughts on Men’s Shirts in America, 1750-1900 by William L. Brown III The History of Underclothes by C. Willett and
  • Phillis Cunnington What Clothes Reveal: The Language of Clothing in Colonial and Federal America by Linda Baumgarten

Portrait Miniatures: Intimate Expressions of Love

Portrait miniatures were popular among 16th-century English and French aristocrats.

Spreading across Europe in the 18th century, miniatures remained very popular until the latter half of the 19th century when the first photographic processes started to appear.

Today, one of the reasons we take selfies is to share on social networks, particularly for use as our profile pictures. It’s a convenient way to introduce ourselves to other people over distance.

This was one of the uses of portrait miniatures—as profile pictures : “this is me in my Sunday best.”

Portrait miniatures also brought a new innovation in matchmaking. If a nobleman was proposing the marriage of his daughter, he would send a portrait miniature via courier to potential suitors.

At about half the size of an iPhone, they were convenient for carrying a picture of a loved one at all times.

Soldiers and sailors would draw comfort from them while traveling in remote corners of the world. And wives could keep a picture of their husband close to their hearts while he was away.

Small is beautiful.

Here are ten intimate expressions of love … in miniature…

Portrait of a Gentleman by William M. S. Doyle, 1810
Portrait of a Gentleman by William M. S. Doyle, 1810
Portrait of a Lady by Charles Cromwell Ingham, 1837
Portrait of a Lady by Charles Cromwell Ingham, 1837
Portrait of a Man by Nathaniel Jocelyn, 1830
Portrait of a Man by Nathaniel Jocelyn, 1830
Portrait of a Lady by William P. Sheys, 1813
Portrait of a Lady by William P. Sheys, 1813
Self-Portrait by John Henry Brown, 1846
Self-Portrait by John Henry Brown, 1846
By my soul, I can neither eat, drink, nor sleep; nor, what’s still worse, love any woman in the world but her.Samuel Richardson, Clarissa
Mrs. Vanderbank by Christian Friedrich Zincke, 1730
Mrs. Vanderbank by Christian Friedrich Zincke, 1730
Self Portrait by George Harvey, 1830
Self Portrait by George Harvey, 1830
In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.Jane Austen, Pride And Prejudice
Rebecca Wetherill by George Hewitt Cushman, 1849
Rebecca Wetherill by George Hewitt Cushman, 1849
Portrait of a Gentleman by Moses B. Russell, 1834
Portrait of a Gentleman by Moses B. Russell, 1834
He feeds upon her face by day and night, And she with true kind eyes looks back on him, Fair as the moon and joyful as the light.Christina Rossetti, In An Artist's Studio
Augusta Temple Palmer by Jean-Baptiste Isabey, 1828
Augusta Temple Palmer by Jean-Baptiste Isabey, 1828
Portrait of a Gentleman by Joseph Wood, 1815
Portrait of a Gentleman by Joseph Wood, 1815
Love seeketh not itself to please, Nor for itself hath any care; But for another gives its ease, And builds a Heaven in Hell’s despair.William Blake, The Clod And The Pebble
Lola Montez by Josef Heigel c. 1820
Lola Montez by Josef Heigel c. 1820
Portrait of a Gentleman by Anna Claypoole Peale, 1832
Portrait of a Gentleman by Anna Claypoole Peale, 1832
Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights
Portrait of a Lady by Frederick R. Spencer, 1830
Portrait of a Lady by Frederick R. Spencer, 1830
Self-portrait by Thomas Seir Cummings, 1825
Self-portrait by Thomas Seir Cummings, 1825
Every atom of your flesh is as dear to me as my own: in pain and sickness it would still be dear.Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
Portrait of a Lady by Lawrence Sully, 1795
Portrait of a Lady by Lawrence Sully, 1795
Self Portrait by James Van Dyck, 1836
Self Portrait by James Van Dyck, 1836
I cannot let you burn me up, nor can I resist you. No mere human can stand in a fire and not be consumed.A.S. Byatt, Possession
Elizabeth Scott by Nathaniel Hancock, 1795
Elizabeth Scott by Nathaniel Hancock, 1795
General Henry Knox by Charles Willson Peale, 1778
General Henry Knox by Charles Willson Peale, 1778
Oh the heart that has truly loved never forgets, But as truly loves on to the close.Thomas Moore, Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms
Rachel Brewer by Charles Willson Peale, 1790
Rachel Brewer by Charles Willson Peale, 1790

16 of the Best Authors in History—vote for your favorite

Whether you love the Regency romances of Jane Austen, the fantasy of J. R. R. Tolkien, the science fiction of Jules Verne, the murder mysteries of Agatha Christie, or the plays of the Bard himself, there’s something for everyone in our list of 16 of the best-known and most lauded authors from history.

Vote for your favorites!