Doublet and breeches

Object Type
This ensemble of doublet and breeches is typical of a wealthy man's clothing. It would have been worn with a matching or contrasting cloak. A fine lace or linen collar and cuffs would have completed the outfit, along with silk stockings and heeled leather shoes.

Time
The style of this outfit is characteristic of the 1630s. The breeches are longer and less voluminous than they were in the early 17th century. They are attached with long heavy hooks which run through eyelets at the waistband on the inside of the doublet. The silk ribbons at the waistband once had the function of holding doublet and breeches together, but are now purely decorative. On the doublet the waist tabs are now much larger and longer than they had been 20 years previously.

Materials & Making
The lustrous white satin was a suitable fabric for stamping and pinking. The fabric was probably dampened first and the stamping tools heated to make the impression indelible. In between the stamped motifs, a pinking tool similar to an awl created the tiny decorative holes. Once the satin was decorated, it was cut and hand-sewn. The doublet and breeches are interlined with wool and lined with silk.