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| Sheriff Jim Thomson
of Los Angeles and his wife Manuela around 1863.
The colorful shawl collared, patterned vest, worn
with a black frock coat and light trousers is very
typical of America in the 1860s. While he could
wear a top hat with this, top hats were unpopular
in the west, and a broad brimmed, low crowned hat
is more likely. |
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The
Vest
The vest was an essential part of a gentleman's
wardrobe in the 19th Century. It was only ever dispensed
with by men doing hard manual labor--though they often sported
one as well.
In the 1860s, colorful vests, often of patterned
Chinese silk were popular, especially in the South and the
West. They are now associated with gamblers, but they had
a wider appeal in their time. Gamblers were the last to
give them up.
From the 1870s on, vests tended to be black
or white for wear with frock coats, morning coats or evening
dress coats, which of course, were also black by that time.
When worn with a sack suit, they would be of a color to
match the suit. Evening vests were cut low to show off the
shirt. In the 1860s, the day vest was also often fairly
low cut with a broad shawl collar. From the 1870s, the day
vest would tend to be fairly high cut and have a small,
notched lapel.
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| Another frock suit
from the 1860s. Note his unbuttoned vest. This was
a highly fashionable thing to do in the '60s. Note
also his small tie. His vest is plain black wool.
Click on the picture
for a larger image. |
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