Slip waistcoat

By the 1820s the waistcoat reached to just below the waist. The collar and revers (lapels) have receded from their flamboyant height at the turn of the century. Although the taste during this decade was for plain-coloured, undecorated waistcoats, it was fashionable to wear two at once, or at least to appear to be wearing two. As one waistcoat on top of another would be bulky and uncomfortable, a slip waistcoat was worn underneath. These were often made of thin linen or cotton front and back, with a collar and revers in contrasting fabric. In this ensemble the waistcoat is beige poplin and the slip waistcoat is edged with red satin.