Shirt

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This is a beautifully detailed infant's garment with almost infinitesimal stitching. The pleating of the sleeves is labor-intensive and refined, as well as intricate, with almost miniscule needlework at the shoulders. The ruffle around the collar and the front edges is made from a finer, sheerer fabric than the rest, showing a sense of thoughtfulness. To have such a refined example of pre-nineteenth century babywear is fairly rare.

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