Spencer
The short jacket ending under the bust that suited the high waist of the Empire line.
The garment is named after Lord Spencer, who by anecdote burnt off the tails of his coat. The spencer was a practical outer jacket for the thin Empire dresses. Examples are in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Metropolitan Museum.
Materials: Silk or wool, often in a dark colour
Manufacture: A short, fitted jacket with long sleeves, cut to the dress’s high waist.
The jacket ends just under the bust, where the dress’s waist lies.
The long narrow sleeves, often puffed at the shoulder.