Help with men's waistcoat please?

[Liz Turner]

Hi there - whilst rummaging through our costume store I came across this odd one out. It is black cotton-like fabric with a black/dark reddish lining on the back. Though it has fully functioning buttons, it opens completely down the back with hooks and eyes. The front is longer than the back as you can see from the photo I've taken from the back. It's quite a high fastening waistcoat with curved lapels which are lined on the reverse and has two pockets.

Have you seen a waistcoat like this before? Why would it have opening down the back as well? Any ideas on dating it at all? any help gratefully received.

 

[Pinkcoke]

My general impression is that it was a men's suit jacket or waistcoat that has been altered to make a women's waistcoat style top in the 50's or 60's (or in the style of that era) when you get blouses of this shape that fasten down the back. Or it could be wartime make do and mend when men's clothes were often utilized during rationing. The button holes I can see look rough, I suspect a few will be the original ones and the others were added in equal spacing between. All those hooks and eyes down the back would be uncomfortable to say the least, which makes me wonder if that was done later again for costuming purposes as, they can be easier for helpers to fasten quickly than buttons.

I would put it on a female mannequin and see how it sits, the difference in length should lessen due to the bust.

 

[jauntyrooster]

I am wondering if this might be a much earlier menswear piece - perhaps Hollis or Jonathan can chime in with some thoughts on dating. The back appears to have faded to its current color - I think it was originally black and then faded to the red. The hooks and eyes would be a weird choice for ease of getting in and out of it but perhaps that has something to do with the time period it was "costumized." as they do look to have been added for costume purposes. The collar does look a bit feminine hanging on the hanger but I do think this a men's garment although with all those buttons I would have expected it to have a bit of a skirt. I wonder if the whole thing is a costumer's interpretation as I see things that make me think earlier but the color and fabric make me think early 20th C.

Can't wait to hear from those with more experience in pre 20th C fashions to get their take.

 

[Liz Turner]

Thanks Mel and Maureen - great to hear your opinions. From a wardrobe mistress's point of view I think using hooks and eyes to fasten someone into a garment wouldn't be any quicker than buttons, and quite likely slower! Will wait to hear if anyone else has any views - if anyone wants to see more photos, just let me know.
(By the way Mel, I sent you a couple of emails re dresses/shoes)
Thanks, Liz

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Interesting piece.

I'd have to know more about the construction and fabrics to date it earlier but on the available evidence, I see a woman's waistcoat (man style) made for a costume. As others have said, the hooks and eyes at the back are a common method for costumes, as they're much quicker to do up and down (a skilled dresser can do this in no time and hooks and eyes are much more reliable than buttons that can fall off, or zips than can get stuck. We won't even mention velcro).

The back opening looks original, rather than an update, and the back fabric looks like a '40s era rayon or acetate - the dyes are unstable and purple often turns to dark blue, like this one. I've seen many similar examples in rayon fabrics.

The small collar was in fashion from the very late '40s to early '50s. This garment may be earlier, and indeed costume pieces can represent any era, but going on the elements I can see I will put this as a '40s costume piece for a woman.

If you can display on a woman, mannequin or state the measurements it will help determine gender but those darts go far too high for a man IMHO, and seem designed to shape a bust.