King William III's underwear | Fashion unpicked | V&A

This rare and fascinating 18th-century undershirt has a provenance connected to King William III of England...

Serving as underwear in the 1700s, shirts were usually worn out and then recycled to make paper, but this one has survived for centuries. It is made of the finest quality Dutch linen and stamped with the initials 'HW' – perhaps Henry Watkins, the King's Gentleman of the Bedchamber. Watch as we uncover the shirt's secrets and prepare it for display in the British Galleries.

Find out more menswear in the 'Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear' exhibition: https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/fas...

Discover more in our Fashion Collection: https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fas...