York Castle Museum’s History Team are excited to tell you about the latest historic clothes to come into our collection – a wonderful selection of Georgian menswear. This is the second of three blog posts about these fascinating garments by Dr M Faye Prior, our Collections Facilitator (History).

Welcome to the second in our mini series showcasing the wonderful 18th-century men’s clothing that has just been added to the collection at York Castle Museum. This post will look at a set of three waistcoats, complete with detachable sleeves and spares! Click on the images in the gallery for a closer look at each garment.

Waistcoats were called vests in the 18th century. They were worn over a shirt, with a coat on top for formal occasions, although in informal situations men could wear just the waistcoat. Nowadays waistcoats are sleeveless, but back in the 1700s people often stitched sleeves to waistcoats for warmth and comfort.

The sleeves are only attached at the top of the shoulder – there’s a large hole at the armpit. This hole is very practical. There was no Lycra in the 18th century, and the only stretchy fabrics were knitted, and either very bulky or exceptionally expensive. The hole at the underarm gave the wearer freedom of movement, something he wouldn’t have had if they were attached all the way around. It also made the waistcoat and sleeve less likely to get sweaty – perspiration would be absorbed by the shirt, which would be changed and washed regularly.

Like shirts, waistcoat sleeves were easy-clean garments. These are made of linen, and servants would unpick the seams, and swap them for a fresh set of sleeves when they were dirty. The spare sleeves still have little pieces of thread at the top where they used to be sewn to a waistcoat. All sewing was done by hand in this period, and was an essential skill for women of all stations in life, although male servants might also be called on to make quick repairs to their employer’s clothing.

The fabric of the waistcoats is just as practical as the sleeves. The green silk waistcoat and the brown cotton waistcoat are lightweight. Their backs are made of linen, and they would have been worn in the spring and summer. The striped waistcoat is heavier, with a woollen back, and would have been worn in the winter. All show signs of economy – the flashy fashion fabrics are only used at the front, where they would be visible when worn with an open jacket.

The cotton waistcoat is especially interesting, and is unique in our collection. The fabric is a fashionable brushed cotton, resembling velvet, and the block design is made to look as though it’s been woven. Printed cottons were exceptionally popular in the 18th century for men’s and women’s clothing. Cotton took dye far more clearly and readily than linen, and gave a better quality of print, and although they were pricey, cotton fabrics were still cheaper than silk.

Our third and final blog entry will introduce you to a very special woollen suit from this beautiful collection. You can also read the first blog entry in the series here, or why not discover more about fashion through the century’s at York Castle Museum’s ‘Shaping the Body’ exhibition. Click here to find out more.