Suit - Sebiro

Japanese: 背広 - せびろ

Abbreviation for "seisuifuku" (suit), which refers to the usual western clothing for modern men. Originally, it was a three-piece suit consisting of a jacket or coat, a vest, and trousers, but the vest is sometimes omitted. A suit is made of matching top and bottom fabrics, and is otherwise generally called a jacket and slacks (or pants).

[Akira Ishiyama]

Etymology

There are three theories on the origin of the word "sehiro." (1) is based on the term used by Japanese tailors in the early Meiji period, and literally means "a jacket with a wide back." Until then, men's civilian clothing, the so-called frock coats and morning coats, had a waistband and the back panel was made of four pieces, and was cut narrow at the waist. In contrast, the back of a sehiro was made of two pieces, and it was characterized by a wide and loose back. (2) is a theory that it is a corrupted version of Savile Row suit, named after a famous tailor's street in London. (3) is a theory that it is a corrupted version of the English word "civil clothes," which means civilian clothing. Today, theory (1) is considered the most likely among experts.

[Akira Ishiyama]

history

The first waist-length jackets like suits to appear in modern Europe were the sans-culottes of the French Revolution in 1789, coinciding with the appearance of long trousers. Until then, men's outerwear had generally been knee-length coats, since the justecorps (tight-fitting long jackets) of the mid-17th century. It is well known that the term sans-culottes originally meant people who did not wear shorts, and was another name for radical republicans.

However, their short jackets did not immediately become established as general citizen clothing, and we had to wait more than half a century until that happened. That is, the lounge jacket was a type of relaxed wear that appeared in England in the mid-19th century. Suits made of the same fabric for the top and bottom were called lounge suits, and in America they were called sack coats. They were not cinched in at the waist and looked like a bag. Lounge jackets were long enough to cover the hips, had rounded front hems like morning coats, and had turned-down collars and lapels (the folded-up parts of the collar). Of course, they were initially either casual wear or for sports, but by the 1890s they had gained acceptance as formal wear. Therefore, the standardization of the suit can be considered to have occurred around this time.

By the 20th century, suits had become completely standardized, and clear rules were also established for how to wear them. After that, the main factors in the change of fashion were the cut, length of the jacket, shoulder width and shape, lapel shape, trouser width, and number of buttons. In the early 20th century, broad shoulders were in fashion, but in the 1910s, natural shoulder lines became popular, and in the 1930s, straight shoulder lines became military-style. The narrow trousers of the late 19th century changed to looser trousers in the first decade of the 20th century, and in the 1920s, Oxford bags (so-called bell trousers) with a hem width of 30 cm became popular. Trousers then became tapered, and by the 1930s, they were pleated at the waist. During that time, various suit-like sportswear appeared. Examples of these include the Norfolk jacket, knickerbockers, and plus fours (knickerbockers that are four inches long below the knee).

From the 1940s to the 1950s after the Second World War, slim, round shoulders were the norm, while in the United States, straight jackets with natural shoulders and slim trousers influenced by the Ivy League look were in fashion. It was not until the latter half of the 1970s that people started wearing long trousers with shaped (tight) waists and flared hems (pantaloon style).

[Akira Ishiyama]

Japan

In "Western Clothing, Food, and Living" written by Katayama Junnosuke in 1867 (Keio 3), he writes that "wari haori are the everyday clothes of people of high social standing, and maru haori are the clothing of craftsmen and the like, and are worn by nobles at home or when going out," and describes frocks as wari haori and business coats, or suits, as maru haori. In "Seigo Furnishings for Men and Women" edited by Oya Matsunosuke in 1887 (Meiji 20), it is written as seifu or sehiro, and that those with stand-up collars are called jackets and frocks are called mantels. In the mid-Meiji period, government officials and students were encouraged to wear Western clothing, and from the end of the period to the beginning of the Taisho period, suits rapidly became popular.

[Akira Ishiyama]

kinds

Today, suits can be broadly divided into three types, with some being further subdivided.

(1) British style: It is said to be suitable for middle-aged people and above because of its dignified and calm mood.

(2) Continental style: This style varies by region, but is mainly found in France. It is characterized by a long, slender, and elegant appearance.

(3) American style a. Traditional style: A calm style with natural shoulder lines, suitable for business suits. The Ivy League style is a younger version of this. b. Contemporary style: A bit more unique, suitable for show business. c. Classic style: Orthodox and traditional. The prototype for Japanese ready-to-wear clothing.

[Akira Ishiyama]

"A Hundred Years of Japanese Western Clothing" by Takeshi Endo and Akira Ishiyama (1962, Bunka Fashion College Publishing Bureau) " "A History of Men's Clothing" by Hideo Aoki and Shinichiro Ohashi (1972, Yuzankaku Publishing) " "A History of Fashion" by R.T. Wilcox, translated by Akira Ishiyama (1979, Bunka Publishing Bureau)

[Reference item] | Pants

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

背広服の略で、現代男性の通常洋服のこと。上着（ジャケットまたはコート）、チョッキ、ズボンのスリーピース・スーツ（三つぞろい）が本来であるが、チョッキは略されることもある。上下そろいの生地(きじ)でできたものはスーツsuit、つまり背広上下といわれ、そうでないものは一般にジャケットとスラックス（またはパンツ）という。

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語源

背広の語源説には三つある。(1)は明治初期の日本の仕立職人の用語に基づくもので、字義どおり「上着の背幅が広い」意から出たとする説。すなわち、それまでの男性の市民服であったいわゆるフロックコートやモーニングコートは、ウエストで切り替えられ、かつ背側のパネルは4枚はぎで、しかもウエストで狭く裁断してあった。これに対して背広の背側は2枚はぎで、背幅も広くゆったりしているのが特徴であった。(2)はロンドンの有名な仕立屋街の名称にちなむセィビル・ロー・スーツSavile Row suitの訛(なま)った語とする説。(3)は市民服の意の英語シビル・クローズズcivil clothesの訛った語とする説である。今日、識者間では(1)の説がもっとも有力視されている。

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歴史

近代ヨーロッパに背広のような腰丈のジャケットが出現するのは、1789年、フランス革命当時のサン・キュロットが最初であり、それは長ズボンの登場と機を一にしていた。それまでの男子服の上着は、17世紀なかばのジュストコール（胴部のぴったりした長上着）以来、膝丈(ひざたけ)のコート型が一般であった。サン・キュロットとは元来、半ズボンをはかない人々の意で、過激共和党員の別名であるのは周知である。

　しかし、彼らの短い上着が、その後ただちに一般市民服として定着したわけではなく、そうなるまでには、あと半世紀以上も待たねばならなかった。すなわち、ラウンジ・ジャケットlounge jacketがそれで、19世紀なかばのイギリスに現れたくつろぎ着の一種であった。上下共布でできたものはラウンジ・スーツとよび、アメリカではもっぱらサックコートsack coatとよばれた。ウエストを絞らず、袋のようにみえたからである。ラウンジ・ジャケットはヒップを覆う程度の長さで、前裾(まえすそ)がモーニングコートのように丸く裁たれ、折返し襟とラペル（カラーの下側の折り返し部分）がついている。もちろん、当初は略装かスポーツ用のいずれかであったが、1890年代になると正装としても市民権を得るようになる。したがって背広服の定型化も、およそこのころとみてよい。

　20世紀までには背広は完全に標準化される一方、着方についてもはっきりした約束が生まれた。その後、形に関しては裁ち方、上着丈、肩幅と形、ラペルの形、ズボンの太さ、ボタンの数などがその流行変化の主要素となった。20世紀の初頭は幅広い怒り肩が流行したが、1910年代になると自然な肩線になり、30年代はまっすぐな肩線の軍服調になる。また19世紀末の細身のズボンは、20世紀初めの10年間にゆとりあるものに変わり、20年代には裾幅30センチメートルにも及ぶオックスフォード・バッグズ（いわゆるラッパズボン）が流行した。その後、ズボンは先細りになり、30年代にはウエストでつまみひだを入れるまでになった。その間にもさまざまな背広型のスポーツ服が現れた。ノーフォーク・ジャケットNorfolk jacket、ニッカーボッカーズ、プラス・フォアズplus fours（膝下(ひざした)4インチの長いニッカーボッカーズ）などもその一例である。

　第二次世界大戦後の1940年代から50年代にかけては、細身の丸い肩が中心になる一方、アメリカではアイビー・リーグ・ルックの影響を受けた、自然肩の直線的な上着に細いズボンが流行した。ウエストをシェープ（ぴったり）して裾広がりの長ズボン（パンタロン型）をはくようになるのは、70年代も後半になってからである。

［石山　彰］

日本

1867年（慶応3）片山淳之助(じゅんのすけ)著『西洋衣食住』には「割羽織ハ身分アル人ノ常服ナリ丸羽織ハ一体職人ナドノ衣服ナレトモ高貴ノ人ニテモ自宅ニ居ルトキカ又ハ外ヘ出ルトキニモ着ルコトアリ」としてフロックを割羽織、ビジネスコートつまり背広を丸羽織と記している。87年（明治20）の大家松之助編『男女西洋服裁縫独案内』では、背広またはセヒロと記され、詰め襟のそれはジャケツ、フロックは上衣(マンテル)と記している。明治中期になると官吏や学生の洋服着用が奨励され、同末期から大正初期になると背広は急速に普及していった。

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