Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
Many people would not consider this vest a “fashionable” garment. Although relatively simple in construction, without a lining, and of an inexpensive cotton material, it shows that the interest in current styles affected the design of everyday clothes. Checked vests were particularly popular in men's clothing in the late 1850s. They were frequently worn with checked trousers, not always matching in scale or color, which probably made for some very eye-catching combinations. Because this vest is of a fairly light-weight cotton seersucker and only single breasted, it was probably intended for warm-weather wear.