Suit 1888 - 1892

Editor: We're looking at "Suit," made sometime between 1888 and 1892 by the Brokaw Brothers. It's currently housed here at the Met. Initially, it feels a bit severe, almost militaristic, in its form and presentation. The dark fabric doesn't help. What draws your eye when you look at it? Curator: You know, what strikes me is how something as utilitarian as a suit can, through its very construction, hint at an entire world of social codes and unspoken rules. Look at the sharp lines, the careful button placement… it's like a tiny architectural marvel meant to convey status. I wonder, does it speak of rigidity, or of a silent language everyone fluent in "polite society" would have understood? Editor: Silent language is right. I almost missed those toggles down the side of the knee-length trousers! What would the story have been with someone wearing this? Curator: The toggles indicate a move away from adult attire towards the more functional needs of childhood, for greater mobility. Picture the boy, not quite a man but stepping towards the responsibilities of one. What a transition. The photograph presents something still, mute... and so much unsaid. Does it hint at something more playful or a stern transition into manhood? Editor: Definitely a little stern! So, from ornate suit to something practical – that’s quite a message. So many buttons. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure! It's lovely to dwell on the silent narratives woven into even the most commonplace objects. These things have a story to tell us still, and we get to listen.