Court Vest

Overview: The garment is entirely hand-made. Some of the embroidery is couched on. The lining is pale blue linen.

Construction: The garment is quite complex. There are bands of flat braid sewn on to create stripes and also to create loops for the buttons. On the bodice the braid forms a lattice shape. The buttons are tear drop, metal in several colors. On the body of the skirt, there are several Chinese symbols including water and mountains just above the hem. There are also Chinese characters repeated throughout the skirt section, including double happiness. See supplemental pages for detailed information.

Trim: See supplemental pages for detailed information.

Provenance: Found in costume storage in the Department of Dramatic Art.

Damage: The garment is in excellent shape considering its age. It has flattened and the edges are frayed. Some parts of the silk are fracturing.