Waistcoat

In the 19th century waistcoats tended to be one of the more elaborate and colourful pieces of the male wardrobe, which is partly why they survive in relatively large numbers. They might also have been kept for their decorative quality or for sentimental reasons when they went out of fashion.

This waistcoat has a curved roll collar and fits neatly to just below the waist, dating it in style to 1845 to 1850. The pockets on each forepart, the lapels and the bottom edges of this waistcoat are finished with a fine braid. The back is a deep red silk and it is lined with cream glazed cotton.

Peacock feathers were a popular motif for fabrics worn by both men and women in the middle and later part of the 19th century. In some instances interpreted as symbolic of vanity and luxury, the peacock also represented gracious or knightly demeanour in medieval times, the resurrection and eternal life, and the beauty of an eternity to come in heaven.