Romeo costume doublet worn by Cab Calloway at the Miami Beach Cotton Club

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A purple and gold doublet from a costume worn by Cab Calloway at the Miami Beach Cotton Club for a Shakespearian Romeo and Juliet themed routine. The doublet is primarily constructed from eggplant purple velvet. Gold patches that are roughly fish-shaped are sewn to the front and back shoulders and at the front waist. The patches are embellished with gold sequins, gold plastic disks and rectangles, and amber plastic gemstones. The doublet features gold lamé trim around the rounded neckline, at the waistline, and the sleeve cuffs. The sleeves are fitted along the forearms and wrists and the upper arm and shoulders feature gold lame puffs. The doublet has a silver tone metal zipper at the back center which runs from the neckline to the bottom of the waist. The neckline is secured with a silver hook and eye. The interior is lined with off-white cotton.

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