Shirts of the 17th century greatly resembled what is referred to as a peasant shirt today. The shirt was long and loose, with full sleeves that gathered at the cuff. Shirts were typically made of linen. A fine shirt would be white and have ruffs at the cuff, while the shirt of a lower class man would be less fine and might have a plain striped or checked pattern. Over a shirt, a man would wear a waistcoat. Waistcoats resembled vests and buttoned down the front, and had a v shaped opening at the throat and bottom. Waistcoats were often embroidered or embellished. While a coat was the usual outermost article of clothing, a waistcoat with sleeves, called a jacket, was appropriate for the lower class. Neckwear, similar to a cravat, was common for the upper class.
This is the period that lead to the design of the modern three piece suit. A man of any class needed to have a shirt, waistcoat, breeches, leg coverings such as hose and shoes. A coat was optional and more necessary for a member of the upper class. The waistcoat, breeches and outer coat were ideally made from the same fabric; more fashionable men sometimes chose pieces that matched but were not made from the same fabric or pattern. Upper class clothing was very well made from fine fabrics and had very pure, saturated colors and very bright whites. Rougher fabric made up lower class costume, and, while it may have been colorful, it had duller tones.
The 17th century was an era of enlightenment and revolutions, with significant scientific advances and several political and religious wars taking place.
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