Habit of a Woman of Mexico in 1625

by Thomas Jefferys

This vivid illustration from Thomas Jefferys' A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations, depicts the fashion sense of a well-dressed lady living in early 17th-century Mexico at a time when Spanish traditions clashed with the abundance of the New World. The dress of this lady exudes a typical Baroque style and consists of two major elements – a corseted bodice and an extravagant skirt.

The woman in the portrait wears a traditional Spanish garment called a manto, which had certain colonial nuances of draping, conveying the notions of dignity and wealth. As one can deduce from the lace decoration and the embroidery, this was a time of incredible prosperity due to the flourishing of the silver trade. What we are looking at is not only a unique costume but also a vivid reflection of the Casta System of racial classification through the use of clothes and accessories.