Wedding suit of James II
T.711.1-1995
T.711.2-1995

In 1995 the Victoria and Albert Museum acquired a suit made for King James II (of England) to wear at his wedding to Mary of Modena. The Museum was helped in this acquisition by generous contributions from the National Art Collection and the National Heritage Memorial Funds. This suit is of particular importance for costume historians as it was made in the transition period between the petticoat breeches and doublet of the earlier seventeenth century and the later streamlined fitted breeches, vest and long jacket. It is also reliably dated. The jacket carries the only example of a seventeenth century garter star still attached to its original support.

The wedding took place in the winter of 1673, at Dover, and the suit was subsequently given to Sir Edward Carteret, of Guernsey. It was acquired by the Museum from his descendants. This suit was made of grey wool broadcloth (suitable for the English coast in winter), lined with coral ribbed silk. Both jacket and breeches were decorated with shaped panels of gold and silver embroidery of lilies and honeysuckle, under the embroidered panels was a strengthening layer of linen. The jacket cuffs were faced with an extension of the sleeve lining and decorated with applied gold and silver lace. Wooden buttons covered with gold and silver played an important part in the overall decorative effect.

The huge external breeches pockets were lined with matching coral silk ribbon. The jacket was very narrow and when fastened would have fitted a 32"(80cm) chest. A waistcoat and matching horsetrappings were reported to have been part of the original.