Doublet and breeches
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Wool, trimmed with silk and lined with linen
- Credit Line:
Given by Lady Spickernell
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
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This ensemble of plain wool serge, probably once black, now faded to brown, is a rare example of everyday men’s dress of the early 17th century. It is lined for warmth with a linen pile fabric, similar to modern towelling. The doublet openings are faced with shot silk, perhaps to deceive a casual observer that the whole garment was lined with a more luxurious fabric.
The cut of the ensemble may represent the rather old-fashioned tastes of someone from a rural area or an older man. By 1625 slashed or paned sleeves were coming into fashion and a longer, slimmer cut of breeches replacing the full style seen here.
Physical description
[Breeches] Serge (wool twill) breeches, probably once black now faded to dark brown with a waistband and fly front. The very full legs are gathered into a band of serge above the knees. The breeches are lined with linen shag, interlined with coarse brown wool and stuffed at the knees with probably unspun wool. The top and front edge of the waistband is bound with green and purple silk ribbon. A placket of serge on the left front edge bears 7 unworked buttonholes corresponding to 5 remaining buttons (round wooden core covered with plaited black silk thread) on the right front. There are 2 worked eyelets on either side of waistband front. No worked eyelets can be found to correspond with the doublet lacing band, but a series of holes in the waistband suggests an aiglet was pushed through the fabric. A bound opening on each side of the front opening and one at each side seam indicates the placement of 4 pockets. A chamois pocket lining remains only at the left seam.
[Doublet] This serge (wool twill) doublet may have once been black, but now faded to dark brown. It has a high collar, shoulder wings and long close-fitting sleeves. The waist is above the natural level at the back and sides, curving to a point low in the centre front. There are eight waist tabs (one a later replacement). The doublet is lined with linen shag and faced at the wrist openings and front edges with purple and pink shot silk, which also once lined the waist tabs. Linen forms the interlining and the belly pieces are made of thick card. The doublet fastens with 33 unworked buttonholes and 32 remaining buttons, made of a round wooden core covered with plaited black silk thread. Ten buttonholes fasten each sleeve; no sleeve buttons remain. There is an interior lacing band of linen with 37 eyelets reinforced with thread. Two eyelets on either front side below the buttons and buttonholes are for lacing the doublet to the breeches.
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
Date
1625-1635 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Wool, trimmed with silk and lined with linen
Dimensions
[Breeches] Length: 71.0 cm at side seam, Circumference: 98.0 cm waist
[Doublet] Length: 66.0 cm overall length, Circumference: 99.0 cm waist
Object history note
Given by Lady Spickernell in 1938 and said to have belonged to the Cotton family of Etwall Hall in Derbyshire.
Descriptive line
Wool doublet and breeches, made in England, 1625-1635
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Patterson, Angus, Fashion and Armour in Renaissance Europe: Proud Lookes and Brave Attire, V&A Publishing, London, 2009, ISBN 9781851775811, p. 54, ill.
Materials
Card; Linen; Silk thread; Linen thread; Ribbon; Silk taffeta; Chamois; Serge
Techniques
Hand sewing
Categories
Clothing; Fashion
Production Type
[Breeches] Unique
[Doublet] Unique
Collection code
T&F
