This vest represents a very practical garment in the Victorian woman’s wardrobe and an advance in knitting technology. It was worn to provide additional warmth under conventional clothing and has been knitted to accommodate the bust, waist and hips of a female figure. By following the curvaceous outlines of the corset worn underneath, such shaping prevented the vest bunching around the waist in an uncomfortable manner.

Mittens were a popular lightweight alternative to gloves for women, freeing their fingers for embroidery and other domestic tasks.
Mittens were made from soft leather, silk or knitted silk and were usually elbow-length. In the mid-19th century mittens were worn mainly by older women, while younger ones had adopted the French taste for embroidered kid gloves.

Austrian, c. 1850s . Empress Elisabeth of Austria was considered by many to the most beautiful woman in the world in the 19th century. Her long hair and slim figure attracted the attention of many setting the standard for constricted beauty and became an obsession for her. This pair of almost impossibly narrow Adelaides and gloves were given as a gift to Colonel Louis de Schweiger one of her many admirers. Collection of the Bata Shoe Photo credit: Image © 2013 Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada (photo: Ron Wood)