Peascod belly explained

A peascod belly is a type of exaggeratedly padded stomach that was very popular in men's dress in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The term is thought to have come from "peacock,"^[1] or from the form of contemporary plate armour.^[2] Sometimes it was called a 'goose belly.'^[3]

In the late 16th century the stomach of the doublet was padded to stick out,^[4] however, by 1625, the padding had become more evenly distributed over the chest area.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Book: Tortora. Phyllis G.. Eubank. Keith. Survey of Historic Costume. 2005. Fairchild. New York. 175. 4th.
2. Book: François Boucher. Francois Boucher (art historian). Yvonne Deslandres. Yvonne Deslandres. 20,000 Years of Fashion

   the history of costume and personal adornment

   . 1987. Harry N. Abrams. New York. 0-8109-1693-2. 228. Expanded.
3. Book: Bradley. Carolyn G.. Western world costume : an outline history. 2001. Dover Publications . Mineola, N.Y.. 9780486419862. 174. Dover.
4. Book: Harvey . Sara M. . Condra. Jill. The Greenwood encyclopedia of clothing through world history . 2008 . Greenwood Press . Westport, Conn. [u.a.]. 9780313336645. 125. The Seventeenth Century.
5. Book: Harvey. Sara M.. Condra. Jill. The Greenwood encyclopedia of clothing through world history. 2008. Greenwood Press. Westport, Conn. [u.a.] . 9780313336645 . 70 . The Northern Renaissance.