Man's formal wool coat, by unknown maker, 1700–5

This ensemble, made of wool with silk twill, lined with cotton twill, embroidered with silver thread, illustrates the fashionable style of male clothing by the period 1700–5. The coat is worn quite short and has very wide skirts carefully pleated into the side seams. The sleeves are fairly tight with wide cuffs. Red was a fashionable colour for men, along with deep blue and more subdued shades of grey and brown. The small size of this outfit suggests it would have been worn by a boy. Once out of baby clothes, children wore miniature versions of adult fashions at this time. The back skirts of the coat were extensively repaired at a later date.

Museum no. T.327&A-1982