Antique Ottoman? Vests?

DaisyandStella

DaisyandStella

VFG Member
I received two antique vests - one is brocade with velvet trim and the other has a very stiff rolled hem with a embroidered type fabric. A bit out of my realm of expertise - if anyone has any thoughts on era, if Ottoman, etc I'd greatly appreciate it. I also saw a vest somewhat similar that was called a waistcoat??

Brooke
 

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I don't know if this is based on anything like US/UK differences in use of English (Canadians use a bit of both...) but I would call a waistcoat a buttoned, fitted, sleeveless garment, usually intended to be worn under a jacket, and a vest would be any aberration from that definition. So I would call these two garments vests because they aren't fitted or buttoned and likely not worn under anything. If they had sleeves I would call them boleros, but without sleeves, I would call them vests.
 
They look so similar yet different in some ways to Ottoman vests. The outer fabric and the trim somehow look wrong to me. I am by no means an expert but I am originally from a country that was under the Ottoman Empire’s control and oppression for 500 years so much of the history and imagery is quite familiar. They definitely look like something from the Balkan region but not Ottoman. The Ottoman ones are usually embroidered, frequently zardozi type embroidery or are made of this felt looking fabric and have lots of reds. They are also frequently not straight but curved at the bottom front because the Ottomans wore these large pants held with very wide cummerbunds (not sure if that’s the right terminology in English actually).
Anyway, they make these even today to sell at souvenir shops but the interior seams of yours do look old from what I can tell
 
Jonathan said:
I don't know if this is based on anything like US/UK differences in use of English (Canadians use a bit of both...) but I would call a waistcoat a buttoned, fitted, sleeveless garment, usually intended to be worn under a jacket, and a vest would be any aberration from that definition. So I would call these two garments vests because they aren't fitted or buttoned and likely not worn under anything. If they had sleeves I would call them boleros, but without sleeves, I would call them vests.
Click to expand...

In the UK, a vest is an undergarment, worn under a shirt/blouse, usually for warmth, as below. Or possibly the same garment worn in summer as a tshirt. I don't know what you call that in the USA/Canada, (an undershirt?) but here it's a vest. Although we take on more and more USA terms, a vest is a vest, as per picture. A waistcoat opens at the front, and is sleeveless, and would usually have buttons but not necessarily.
Screenshot 2023-08-24 at 12.27.30.png
 
dollsntrolls said:
They are reminding me of some Slavic folk wear I have seen. Are they child size? Sometimes it's really so much harder to see examples of everyday dress, as opposed to formalwear or festive wear!
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The brocade is more child size - the other I can wear comfortably but I am pretty petite.
 
Vintagiality said:
They look so similar yet different in some ways to Ottoman vests. The outer fabric and the trim somehow look wrong to me. I am by no means an expert but I am originally from a country that was under the Ottoman Empire’s control and oppression for 500 years so much of the history and imagery is quite familiar. They definitely look like something from the Balkan region but not Ottoman. The Ottoman ones are usually embroidered, frequently zardozi type embroidery or are made of this felt looking fabric and have lots of reds. They are also frequently not straight but curved at the bottom front because the Ottomans wore these large pants held with very wide cummerbunds (not sure if that’s the right terminology in English actually).
Anyway, they make these even today to sell at souvenir shops but the interior seams of yours do look old from what I can tell
Click to expand...
I agree - they are similar to Ottoman a little bit but I also didn't think that was quite right. Thank you for this info! They are definitely old :)
 
Retro Ruth said:
In the UK, a vest is an undergarment, worn under a shirt/blouse, usually for warmth, as below. Or possibly the same garment worn in summer as a tshirt. I don't know what you call that in the USA/Canada, (an undershirt?) but here it's a vest. Although we take on more and more USA terms, a vest is a vest, as per picture. A waistcoat opens at the front, and is sleeveless, and would usually have buttons but not necessarily.
View attachment 174754
Click to expand...
Yes, I would call those undershirts (aka wifebeaters as a derogatory reference to the type of men who might wear one all the time). A sleeved crew-necked undershirt I would call a T-shirt.
 
plousia said:
Whereas for women they're usually referred to as a "tank top", no idea why, and worn as outer garments when it's warm.
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yeah whereas in the UK, a tank top is a sleeveless sweater, usually worn over a shirt, and for men or women, like this (doesn't have to be fair isle though)
Screenshot 2023-08-24 at 21.12.40.png


though we are seeing the US terms here these days as well. When I was younger, waistcoat, tank top and vest were as I've described them here, but these days I do start to see tank for a sleeveless t-shirt, and sweater vest for what I always called a tank top.
 
Retro Ruth said:
yeah whereas in the UK, a tank top is a sleeveless sweater, usually worn over a shirt, and for men or women, like this (doesn't have to be fair isle though)
View attachment 174776

though we are seeing the US terms here these days as well. When I was younger, waistcoat, tank top and vest were as I've described them here, but these days I do start to see tank for a sleeveless t-shirt, and sweater vest for what I always called a tank top.
Click to expand...

Interesting! That is what we here on the other side of the pond would call a 'vest'.
 
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