The three-piece suit developed in the second half of the seventeenth century and was worn until nearly the end of the eighteenth century. Very few of these suits worn in Canada have survived and our knowledge of them is derived mainly from inventories and letters.
The velvet suit shown here is a French frock which was semi-formal attire in France. It was worn in MontrÄal in the 1780s or a little later. Suits with turn-down collars were everyday wear in England. Formal suits had high stand-up collars.
Many brocaded and embroidered silk waistcoats have been treasured as family heirlooms. This richly brocaded one was worn by Barthelemy Gugy, probably in Trois-RiviÅres, in the 1790s. Like suit coats of the period, it has a high collar and flap pockets. The shirt is hidden by a high cravat except for the lace frill down the front.
Courtesy: McCord Museum, MontrÄal and Royal Ontario Museum
