Embroidered Jackets for 16^th & 17^th century ladies

Following are embroidered jackets (and portraits of women wearing embroidered jackets) from late 16th and early 17th century England. When possible, jackets are identified by museum accession numbers to help distinguish one from another. See also An Elizabethan Embroidered Jacket and the Plimoth Plantation Embroiderers' Story.

The term used for this garment in the 16th century seems to be “waistcoat”; see the inset descriptions at right for some additional examples from the New Year's gifts given to Queen Elizabeth.

• Art Institute of Chicago 1945.159, 16th century
By the Lady Harrington, a wastecote of lawne, faire wroughte with Venis gold and black silke.

By the Lady Leyton, a waistcote of white sarsnett, ymbrodered round about with a border of eglantne flowers, and ymbrodered all over with a twist of Venis gold.



New Year's Gifts for Queen Elizabeth, 1588-1589

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By the Barronnes Burghley, one wastecote of white sarcenett, embrothered with flowers of silke of sondry colors.



New Year's Gifts for Queen Elizabeth, 1599-1600

• Portrait of Elizabeth Vernon, c. 1600
• Portrait said to be Susan, Lady Grey by Robert Peake the Elder
• Maidstone jacket, early 17th century
• Portrait of a lady, possibly Anne of Denmark, c. 1600-1610
• V&A 1359-1900, first quarter of the 17th century
• V&A 919-1873, first quarter of the 17th century
• V&A 173-1869, c. 1600-1625
• Gallery of Costume jacket, 1600-1625
• Portrait miniature of an unidentified lady (Lucy Harington, Countess of Bedford), c. 1605-1615
• V&A T.106:1 to 4-2003, 1600-1620
• Portrait of an unknown lady, 1605-1610
• Diagram of an embroidered jacket, c. 1610
• Margaret Laton's jacket and portrait (jacket c. 1610 with alteration c. 1620; portrait c. 1620); see also these detailed photos of the jacket
• Portrait of a lady of the Hampden family, c. 1610
• MFA 43.243, c. 1610-1615
• Portrait of a lady, possibly Margaret Arundel, Lady Weston, c. 1610-1616
• MoL 59.77a, c. 1610-1620
• MoL A21990, c. 1610-1620
• V&A 179-1900, c. 1610-1620
• Worthing Museum blackwork jacket
• Portrait of an unknown lady, c. 1612-1615
• Portrait of Dorothy Cary, later Viscountess Rochford or Elizabeth Cary (née Tanfield), Viscountess Falkland, c. 1614-1618 (full portrait)
• Portrait of Frances Howard, c. 1615
• Lady Thornhagh, c. 1617
• Isabella Rich, Mrs Rogers, 1614-1618
• Miniature portrait of an unknown woman, c. 1615
• Burrell 29.127, c. 1615-1618
• Elizabeth Harding, third wife of Isaac Oliver
• V&A T.80-1924, 1615-1620
• Portrait of a lady by Marcus Gheeraerts the younger, c. 1615-1618
• Portrait of Lady Dorothy Manners, c. 1615-1620
• The Countess of Shirley by William Larkin
• Portrait of a lady, possibly Elizabeth of Bohemia
• Anne Hawtrey, Wife of John Saunder, Daughter of Sir William Hawtrey
• Miniature portrait of an unknown woman, probably Venetia Stanley, Lady Digby by Peter Oliver, c. 1615-1622
• Met 23.170.1, c. 1616
• Fashion Museum, c. 1620
• Portrait of a woman, c. 1620
• V&A T.4-1935, 1620s
• Christie's Lot 1/Sale 5572 (a bodice panel), c. 1620-1630
• Amy Seymour, 1623
• Lady Elizabeth Pope, c. 1625-1626
• V&A T.259-1926, 1620-1640
• Lady Elizabeth Powis, 1630 (also here)
• V&A T.124-1938, 1630s
• V&A 324-1903, c. 1630-1639
• V&A T.843-1974, c. 1630-1639
• V&A T.70-2004, c. 1630-1640

Thanks for the updates, Amie!