Breeches

Description

This pair of cotton breeches was assembled in the United States from English-made cordoroy. A front drop panel closes with buttons and the side splits on each leg close with four buttons and an adjustable strap. The waist adjusts with a length of woven cotton tape that was probably homemade on a tape loom. It was a common practice for customers to bring their own fabric to a tailor who would cut a pair of breeches and return the cut pieces to the customer for home assembly. The printed pattern on the cordoroy fabric is interesting and a similar example can be found in a 1783 swatch book from a manufacturer in Manchester held by the Winterthur library as a part of the Downs collection. The variety of buttons used throughout suggests that these breeches were worn often and repaired.