Suit

Belle Jardinière, Paris

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Parisian emporium Belle Jardinière was known for providing ready-to-wear suits for customers on a budget. This practice became popular at the turn of the 20th century, blurring class lines. The well-made suit, once an easily identifiable distinction between wealthy upper-class men and those in the middle class became accessible at all levels.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art