Hot Sticky Sweet

Leopard print: not just something for 80s hair bands. It also belongs to the 18th century. If you haven't gone to see it yet, you really should check out CW's current exhibit on printed textiles. It's absolutely fascinating. If you're lucky enough (as we were), you'll get a chance to speak to one of the curators and get all the pressing details about the printing process. One thing that you will notice upon entering the museum is a picture of Mark Hutter, one of their tailors with over 30 years of experience in historic tailoring, sporting the kick-awesome leopard print weskit.

My first thought was: That is so ridiculous! I need one of those!

My second thought was: Maybe I should research it first. But seriously, need one of those.


Leopard print in late 18th century men's clothing is like buying a new model of car--you didn't realize how much of it was out there until you started looking. It is currently believed that the fashion most likely originated in Italy and brought into English fashion by the Macaronis after completing their tours of the continent. The Gentleman in the painting "An Interior with Elegant Company" by Venceslao Verlin was painted sometime between 1760-1780 and shows a fantastic example of matching weskit and breeches.

Leopard print is seen in various examples of English art, the most famous is probably the 1778 portrait of John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor. I can only image that he is pointing to the exact location that he would like to have sugar poured on himself.


In these paintings, the fabric appears to be printed velvet. Indeed the created garment at CW is made of cotton velvet, but leopard clothing was made from various textiles including printed silks and linens and actual leopard pelts. A great study of the types of textiles, including more images, can be found here: https://darthkendraresearch.wordpress.com/2015/03/26/leopard-print-in-the-late-18th-century/ Once I finally undertake making my own, I most likely will be using cotton velvet simply because finding a silk or linen print will probably be next to impossible in the 21st century.

The last thing that I want to talk about are these two last English prints. The first, called "The Macarony Dressing Room," from 1772, shows a man on the left side of the room wearing a leopard weskit and breeches. The interesting thing about this picture is that the wearer of leopard print is not the Macaroni himself, instead it is an older portly man without the fashion sense of the Macaroni. We have evidence (though satirical) that leopard was not reserved for the overly foppish and highest rungs of society. Everything about this man seems commonplace. No large wig, no rococo embellishments on his clothing. Everything about him is common, he's wearing a plain coat and his hat isn't even cocked. Side note: What is going on with his right foot? I'm not sure if the artist made a mistake or is trying to depict him with a deformity or missing a foot?

What's the point of this? Perhaps if leopard was being worn by midling persons, there is also a possibility that it was being worn in the colonies. I will continue to search runaway ads and inventories for proof, but it's a pretty good theory.

 The final picture is the famous Dawe mezzotint called "The Macaroni" from 1773. In this particular version of it (because there are many altered versions that change details, add color, etc.), you can make out a pattern on his waistcoat and breeches. The seem to be of some close repeating, non-symmetrical dot pattern. As polka dots did come into the fashion scene until the mid-19th century, what are those dots most likely? You guessed it: Leopard Print. One of the most famous 18th century fashion prints, and one that I have hanging in my sewing room includes leopard print. It was hiding under my nose the whole time.