Jordan Mitchell-King: Eighteenth-Century Jumps and Quilted Waistcoats

This paper explores eighteenth century quilted waistcoats and jumps, examining their production, consumption and mediation in order to better understand these garments in the first dedicated study. It first unpicks definitions of jumps, quilted waistcoats, bodices and stays, and examines surviving examples, in order to establish the material qualities of jumps and quilted waistcoats. This is followed by a look at the lifecycle of a pair of jumps or quilted waistcoat by drawing out the production processes, wearing practices, and cultural constructions. This provides a more nuanced understanding of quilted waistcoats and jumps in this period, as a garment which straddled the boundary between under- and outerwear.

[savvygood]

I wish we could see more photos of a variety of jumps and quilted waistcoats so that we can get a better idea of what they were exactly.

[josiahkronk]

Dear Jordan, I wonder if perhaps you might find a bit more information in the writings of American women, who were at the time British citizens and subjects, many of whom were literate. I think there was a bit of difference in wearing practices, in part because of the heat. Women especially in the more Southern colonies, spent a lot of time in undress when the heat became oppressive. I've read for example that they wore short gowns more often than was commonly done in Britain. Just a thought that I hope might be of help. I look forward to enjoying more of your work and thank you for sharing this.