Man's fancy dress suit in the 'majos' style, 1800-25, Spanish, of pink silk with silver woven lace and blue silk ribbon

Man’s fancy dress suit of pink silk satin in the ‘majos’ style. The jacket reaches to the waist with a 3-inch (7.5 cm) standing collar, revers [lapels] faced with white silk twill and long, curving, 2-piece sleeves. The jacket fronts are lined with light blue silk twill, the back and sleeves with glazed brown cotton. It is decorated with 1½ inch (6.3 cm) wide silver braid and ⅜-inch (8 mm) silver fringe on the front, pockets, sleeves, revers and collar. The sleeves are separate and laced to the jacket with white silk ribbon through worked eyelets. Lengths of wide blue silk ribbon are sewn over the lacing at the shoulder seams. The jacket front does not fasten; there are 6 blind buttonholes outlined in silver braid on the right front and 5 on the left

The breeches are made of the same pink silk with back legs gathered into a 2-inch (5 cm) waistband and narrow fall front. The waistband is lined with linen, the legs with glazed brown cotton. There is a watch pocket in the right side of the waistband. Silver braid decorates the knee bands. The breeches fasten with 3 hooks and eyes at centre front and the silk covered buttons on the waistband and buttonholes on the fall front. There are seven buttonholes, outlined in silver braid at each knee, with 13 corresponding buttons (1 missing); the knee bands each fasten with a button and buttonhole. 34 small silver filigree spheres decorate the outside seams of the legs.

During the eighteenth century, Madrid attracted immigrants from other areas of Spain who brought with them distinctive styles of regional dress. These newcomers were known as ‘majos’. Élite society in Madrid adopted the picturesque majos’ dress, as a patriotic Spanish style and a rejection of French fashion. The 'majos' style continued to be worn as fancy dress in the 19th century.

918&A-1901