coat & banyan

Summary

Coat-style banyan in olive green damask silk, lined with ribbed twill silk, high round neck with narrow standing collar, DB, front fastening, with seven buttonholes each side and seven stitched buttons, green silk, on fringed tabs of green silk braid, full skirted, pocket, lined green glazed woollen cloth (callimanco) with slit behind in each side seam, short slit at hem of back and side seams, three quarter length sleeves, shaped at elbow, turn back cuff, trimmed with three fringed and buttoned tabs of green silk braid. Almost certainly a banyan, perhaps known as a Apollo.

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.