Waistcoat

By the 1780s waistcoats had lost their skirts and were cut straight across at the lower hem for all but evening and Court dress. A small collar appeared, echoing the development of the coat collar, and by the 1790s it had grown to the generous size seen here, with large revers (lapels). The double-breasted style, in both coats and waistcoats, was also a fashion that began in the 1780s. With the new advances in spinning technology of the 1770s, cotton became an increasingly popular fabric. It was available in a wide variety of weights, from sheer muslin to heavy corduroy, and became a fashionable material for both men's and women’s clothing.