The second wife of the Duke of York (later James II) wears a riding habit, a fashionable style of attire for women inspired by masculine clothing. Although initially worn on horseback, the riding habit became a popular and practical alternative to the formal bodice and skirt for daywear. Mary’s coat is densely embroidered with gold and silver thread and bears a striking resemblance to that worn by her husband at their wedding two years earlier in 1673.