Stunning vintage 1960s embroidered Afghan waistcoat. We have never seen one in this design before in all our years of collecting.
Hand embroidered in gold thread and decorated with blue, pink & red and velvet backed onto soft green velvet.
It has popper fastenings.
Size Pit to pit: 21" Length: 26" Condition Report In beautiful condition apart from a slight area of unstitching on the shoulder. Please refer to the photo.
Please note colours may vary depending on your screen.
This is a vintage piece. Threads may be lose, imperfections may occur. We are always very honest with our listings and will always list any age related issues but please be aware that this waistcoat is 60 + years old.
History of Afghan Waistcoats
Waistcoats can be looked at as being a typical item of Afghan men’s wear that is often worn with a shalwar kameez (to use the general term), an outfit that consists of a long tunic and a matching pair of baggy trousers. The waistcoat may change its form depending on where it is made and when it is being worn (daily, festival, etc), and by whom.
The Afghan term for this garment, waskat, hints strongly at its English origins: was-kat = waist-coat.
So although often regarded as being ‘typical’ for the region, this garment was actually inspired by European waistcoats for men that initially appeared in India in the 18th century via the British East India Company and similar European trading companies. The wearing of waistcoats gradually moved north-westwards to Afghanistan in the 19th century; photographs of Afghan tribesmen living along the borders with the Raj, from about 1880, show men wearing a waskat.
