Vest met drie steekzakken, sjaalkraag en vijf passementknopen van witte gewafelde zijde; voering van wit katoen en rood leer en rug van wit katoen c. 1830 - 1850

This waistcoat, with three pockets and five decorative buttons, made with white, patterned silk, and lined with cotton, presents an intriguing study in texture and form. The fabric's subtle waffle pattern invites close inspection, while the cut of the waistcoat, with its shawl collar, introduces a play of geometric shapes against the body's natural curves. The waistcoat’s structure reveals a tension between surface and depth, where the subtle texture of the silk creates a visual rhythm that both flattens and enriches the garment’s form. The lack of bold ornamentation draws attention to the waistcoat’s pure shape, encouraging a meditation on the relationship between clothing and the body. The absence of a defined date for this piece invites us to consider how clothing, as a semiotic system, communicates ideas about identity, status, and belonging across different periods. Consider how this garment subtly destabilizes fixed meanings, offering a space for ongoing interpretation and appreciation of its refined materiality.