Informal jackets and waistcoats of the early 17th century

No doubt some kind of informal wear has been around for a very long time, but as people opted to be portrayed in their finest clothes, they are seldom seen until around 1600. Then the English ladies started a trend to be shown in their more relaxed clothes, a jacket or waistcoat, with or without a matching petticoat. The clothes weren’t exactly simple, bot portraits and extant examples show lavish embroideries, silk, silverwork and spangles, but comparing to the formal fashion, these clothes were much simpler. They could be worn on their own, or with a loose gown over, paired with what kind of cuffs and collars that was fashionable.

Linen jacket embrodered with black wool, dated 1610-1620 and  skirt in fustian dated 1621-1640.

They are abundant in portraits the first two decades of the 17^th century, and then their popularity seem to have waned in the 1630's. Perhaps because the more formal fashion became simpler, the waistcoats from the 1620’s are cut in a way that points toward the jacket-like bodices of the 1630’s. The waistcoats could be either form-fitting or loose, the latter probably maternal wear. The embroidered linen jackets, either monochromes or in colour, seems to have been an English fashion, but there are several knitted waistcoats preserved as well, and they have also been found in Scandinavia. Given the climate in Sweden I think I would prefer knitted silk to linen, so perhaps that is no surprise

I wish that the portrait of Lady Elizabth Howard was larger, but her jacket and petticoat looks very much like the extant example above.

Lady Elizabeth Howard, Countess of Banbury by Daniel Mytens, 1619

 Lady Anne Porter dressed in a similar way.

 

Linen jacket embrodered with black silk and metal thread, 1610-1620

 

Linen jacket embroidered with black silk, 1600-1625

Linen jacket embroidered with silk, 1620-1625

Unfortunately there are no colour photos of this pink silk jacket.

Waistcoat in pink taffeta embroidered with blue silk and spangles, 1610-1620

The following two portraits may not depict embroidred clothes, but patterned fabric, but then they also portrays the transitional fashion of the 1620's with a waist that is rising from its natural place and a more relaxed fashion in general.

Lady Anne Montagu by Daniel Mytens, 1626

Cecilia Nevill, by Robert Peake, ca. 1617

Linen jacket embroidered with silverwork, 1610-1615

This coif has the same mebroidery as the jacket above.

Linen coif and forehard cloth embroiedered with silverwork, 1610-1615

Two late examples from the 1630's.

Fustoan jacket embrodered with silverwork and spangles, 1630's

Linen bodice embroidered with silverwork and spangles, 1625-1640

Linen jacket embroidered in silk and silver, 1590-1630

Silk jacket, embroidered with silk, 1600-1625

 

The Layton jacket in linen, embroidered with silk and silver, 1610-1615

Margaret Layton, wearing the jacket shown above, by Marcus Gheeraerts, ca. 1620

Linen jacket embroidered with silk, 1610-1620



Portrait of a lady, thought to be Elizabeth of Bohhemia, circle of William Larkin

Traditionally called Dorothy Cary, later Viscountess Rochford by William Larkin, 1614-1618

 

Amy Seymour by a follower of Robert Peake, 1623

Linen jacket embroidered with silk and silver, 1600-1625

 

Unknown woman by Roman Way, ca. 1605

 

Portrait of a young woman, ca. 1610

Anne Hawtrey by a follower of Robert Peake



Portrait of a lady by Marcus Gheeraerts the younger, 1615-1618

The Countess of Shirley by William Larkin

Undated, but the hairstyle suggest 1620 or thereabout.

 

Linen jacket striped with silver, 1605-1620

Knitted waistcoat, 1650-1700

Knitted silk waistcoat

Knitted silk jacket, 17th century

 

Knitted silk jacket, 1600-1620

Knitted in silk, last half of the 17th century

Knitted waistcoat silk and silver-gilt wrapped silk, and lined with linen, 1630-1700

Jacket knitted in silk, 1600-1625

Another knitted silk jacket.