Wedding vest
Unknown Artist
1854
Medium
silk
Classification
Wedding Vest
Culture
American
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Albert E. Peirce, 1944
Accession Number
C.I.44.59.10
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of 1850s American fashion with this exquisite *Wedding Vest*, crafted from luxurious silk in 1854. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute by Mrs. Albert E. Pe in 1944, this garment captures the refined style of mid-19th weddings, a time when the United States was on the cusp of profound change with the approaching Civil War. Silk, prized imported fabric, symbolized wealth and sophistication, often reserved for special occasions like matrimonial celebrations. As part of a groom's formal attire, the vest reflects the era's emphasis on tailored el...