After Thomas Lawrence, The Prince Regent in his Garter Robes, 1819

Today, George IV is usually regarded as a fashionable and often extravagant dresser. His interest in his clothes and appearance was evident at an early age. In letters to his first mistress, Mary Hamilton, George often enclosed his tailor's patterns and swatches of fabrics for her approval. Even in his late teens, he was already aware of his large figure, and described himself in a letter in 1778 as:

"Now approaching the bloom of youth, he is rather above the common size, his limbs well-proportioned, and upon the whole well made, though rather too great a penchant to grow fat .... As hair is generally looked upon as a beauty, he has more hair than usually befalls to everyone's share".

This early interest in fashion and his appearance continued throughout his life and resulted in him spending large amounts of money on his clothing. In 1791, he owed £31,912 (equivalent to £1,720,000 today) to his tailors, as well as £1875 (£100,000 today) to White & Thomas for breeches alone. By 1795 George had extensive debts and was forced to marry Caroline of Brunswick, who remarked:

"I ought to have been the man and he the woman to wear petticoats ... he understands how a shoe should be made or a coat cut, ... and would make an excellent tailor, or shoemaker or hairdresser, but nothing else"

George's excessive lifestyle was much lampooned by the press and was most evident at his spectacular coronation in 1821. Based on the Elizabethan period, the costumes were partly designed by George himself. When George died in 1830 many of his splendid suits were auctioned; only a few of his everyday clothes survive. These items were often given by George as gifts to his staff. Passed from generation to generation they have survived as family heirlooms.