Object Spotlight: Tailor’s Ledger
William Carlin, a tailor who worked in Alexandria, Va., is not very famous in his own right, but his clients certainly were. Tailor to the stars (of the 18th-century, landed gentry sort), his ledger chronicles the sartorial purchases of Colonel Fairfax, George Mason and George Washington, just to name a few.
Visitors can take a glance at his records, which chronicle the purchases and costs of the garments of many Alexandria-area inhabitants from 1765 to 1774, on display in Mount Vernon’s Gilder Lehrman Books & Manuscripts Gallery through September 18th.
Somewhat akin to opening the door to George Washington’s closet, exploring the ledger’s contents reveals both the fancy and everyday wear that was part of the General’s wardrobe. Carlin records an entry on the making of George Washington’s breeches, a type of pant ending above the knee, and also writes about the creation of a great coat, which was generally worn as a protective outer garment in bad weather since it was made of heavy material and could keep a person warm and dry.
Other VIPs in Carlin’s book include Martha Washington, who had Carlin readjust one of her stays (a corset) and an order for a suit of livery for Billy Lee, George Washington’s slave and personal servant. Patterned after a gentleman’s three-piece suit, a servant’s livery was made of fine wool in the colors of the owner’s coat-of-arms and edged with “livery lace,” a woven, decorative trim. The Washington livery was an off-white suit trimmed with red and a red vest. An artist’s rendition can be seen in Edward Savage and David Edwin’s famous stipple engraving The Washington Family, shown above.
George Washington was a saavy customer when it came to fashion. He knew the role of personal appearance in society and tailored his wardrobe to his purpose, whether it be country farmer or president of the United States. In the midst of the revolution, Washington personally selected buttons, trimmings and other details on soldier uniforms. He went to his inauguration in true U.S. fashion, wearing an American-made suit with eagle-adorned buttons. The country and Continental Army were under his command, and so too was couture.
This ledger is currently on display through September 18, 2011 at Mount Vernon in the Gilder Lehrman Books & Manuscripts Gallery.
Object Spotlight is a regular feature on George Washington Wired that highlights some of the household belongings that Washington came into contact with. Curatorial Intern Kara Hershorin contributed to this report. Check out Mount Vernon’s eMuseum to find more of Washington’s belongings.
Carlin ledger: Gift of Sarah Perine Carlin and Aimee Carlin Dohner in memory of their grandfather, Charles Creighton Carlin, Sr., 2002.
