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] If Darcy really looked as CE Brock portrayed him I would consider him very 'cheesy' and I fail to see what attractions there could be in him to Elizabeth later on. Elizabeth looks very 'demure' and attractive by comparison.

Poor guy - it isn't his fault. Blame trendsetters. Brock actually has him fashionably dressed. I remember reading that men would sometimes pad their stockings in order to have more attractive legs. Trousers were only just coming into use and were not appropriate for evening parties.

At least we can thank the Regency era for jettising lace and gaudy jewelery on men. It was really an era of simplification.

Mens clothing like women's became less fussy. I remember a lecture where the speaker commented that it was amazing that a middle class man like Beau Brummel managed to set trends for wealthy men that basically dictated they dress like the middle class.

The English were also noted for simplicficiation in their dress. The speaker suggeted that it was the influence of the English love of the outdoors. So all clothing was simpler and looser. I guess once you go comfortable, you can't go back.

But I still cannot take a man seriously in shiny satin pants.

However, Regency coats are very nice.

] Did you notice those 'court shoes'? - low-heeled slippers used for formal indoor wear and suitable for dancing, much the same as those worn by ladies.

I believe they are called pumps. Persuasion2 has a super view of them on Elliot. He's quite the dandy.

They are even worse when they are in patent leather. They look like a little girl's party shoes. In fact, I used to have a pair that looked exactly like Regency men's evening pumps.

The women seemed to wear shoes that look more like ballet slippers to me. The mens shoes (as they still do) seem to have more construction.