Jacket

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Perhaps what makes this child's jacket most interesting is the trim, which is meant to simulate ermine. In Europe, ermine was a symbol of royalty, used mostly on winter coats and also on the ceremonial robes of the House of Lords. Real ermine on childrenswear was particularly popular in the 1890s, this jacket being a precursor to that trend. Overall, this piece illustrates the enduring enchantment with ermine and its associations.

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