Waistcoat
This fragment of fabric came from a waistcoat belonging to Roger Williams. This information came from the person who donated it; we have no concrete proof that it belonged to Williams. The fabric remnant is a rectangle that has the corners torn off on two sides; a beige color with lighter, cream white embroidery in a lattice-like pattern beneath the main design of gently sloping S-curves of sage & forest green leaves, mixed in with flowers of salmon pink and lilac purple. The material itself is silk brocade, and in the 17th century, the term “brocade” was used to denote both the style of embroidery work as well as the use of silver or gold thread in the work.
Close Looking Questions:
What do you notice first? Do you see any patterns or colors?
How would someone have used this object? What might this object tell us about the person who owned it?
Hidden Meanings in Clothing
Essay by McKinley Murphy, M.F.A, Creative Writing, Purdue University
The Puritans thought a lot about the clothes they wore and how clothes showed their goodness inside. If someone was believed to be chosen by God, they could wear fancier clothes because they were seen as special. Back then, a waistcoat was like a vest, but longer, reaching past the hips. They did not make silk in North America or England at that time. The rich people in England copied the styles from the rest of Europe and really wanted silk, satin, and other fancy fabrics from Italy, France, and Spain. If someone like Williams had silk, it meant they were wealthy and important.
Reading Comprehension Questions:
1) What did the Puritans believe that clothing could show?
2) What did having clothing made from silk or satin tell us about such a person?
Next to Roger Williams's Wallet