waistcoat

Summary

Ivory silk, brocaded with large pink and purple flowers and green and gold leaves. Sleeveless brocaded fronts joined to vertical panels of plain grey ribbed silk joined to the back of coarse unbleached woven linen. Plain round neck with tiny (1/8 in) collar. CF opening with 19 round buttons embroidered in gold silk and silver thread (14th button missing). 19 horizontal, decoratively overstitched button holes (2.5ins long). The top 14 worked as holes along 1" of their length, and the bottom five sham. Large flapped side pockets with 3 points (composed of tiny additional seamed panels). Five buttons similar to CF sewn to fronts below pockets. 5 vertical buttonholes on pocket flaps, the other two worked as holes, along 1" of their length. V shaped pocket openings below. Double horizontal seams at waist level with an additional 2" horizontal panel. Back ends at this level (waist) with skirts flaring below and coming to back points. Seam CB. Front lined with white linen, finer than the coarse backing.

Display Label

The eighteenth century monied male was often a peacock, eager to display his taste and wealth, and fond of lavishly decorated or patterned fabrics, and bright striking colours. The usual outfit remained the three piece suit of coat, waistcoat and breeches until 1800, when trousers began to replace breeches. Fashionable suits were usually plain woollen facecloth for practical urban or rural wear; woven silks for more formal evening occasions; and highly trimmed and embroidered silk satins and velvets for court wear. Waistcoats were sleeved until the 1740s, then sleeveless as today, and they were often embroidered to match the coat. Looser banyans or gowns were worn for relaxing in the home, when the wig would be replaced by a comfortable "nightcap". Working men wore jackets and waistcoats of hard-wearing fustian (cotton and linen mix) or wool, with breeches of leather or later cheap cotton corduroy, "thicksett" or velveret.