Man's waistcoat with a 2-inch (5 cm) collar, revers, straight fronts and hems, reaching to the waist. There are no pockets, only a pocket welt on each front. The fronts, collar, pocket welts and revers are made of white silk taffeta, overlaid with ⅛ inch (3 mm) silk ribbons in purple and white knotted in a grid and diagonal pattern arrangement. The back and lining are made of bleached cotton. The edges of the collar, pocket welts, fronts and hem are bound with ⅜ inch (9 mm) purple silk ribbon. The waistcoat has a double-breasted effect with 9 purple and white silk thread covered buttons set back from 7 worked buttonholes on the left front and 9 purple and white silk thread covered buttons on the right front.
The waistcoat was altered in the 19th century, probably for fancy dress. The bottom 6 buttons on the right front were moved to the right front edge; part of the centre back seam was unpicked and then roughly resewn. A loop of cotton tape was sewn to each front by the side seam.