This waistcoat is very stiff because a thin layer of brown cardboard has been inserted between the red felt ground and its silk lining, giving it an armoured feel. The black silk cords have been couched through both felt and card. The physical stiffness is heightened by the use of rigid brass plaques as decoration. Each plaque is flat on one side and has been stitched onto the felt through a small hole at one end; the stitching has then been concealed beneath the cord edging. Scarlet wool and shiny brass are a military combination in many countries and the unbending character of this garment may have been inspired by such uniforms.