Wilton, Mary Margaret Stanley Egerton: The Book of costume or, Annals of fashion: from the earliest period to the present time (London: Henry Colburn, Publisher, 1847)

120

THE TOILETTE IN ENGLAND.

zigzag, turned-up ruffles, very long green breeches, tied
far below the knee with long yellow ribbons, red
stockings, great shoe-roses, and a short red cloak,
lined with blue, with a star on the shoulder.”
This may be considered the usual costume of
gentlemen of that time, with the
addition of thin, flimsy, Spanish
leather boots. Some gallants,
however, wore doublets and hose,
richly slashed with satin, and
laced with gold ; a cloak of rich
velvet, lined with satin, a belt
or girdle of velvet, embroidered
in gold and jewels, a black
beaver hat, adorned with a
plume of ostrich-feathers, and
coloured boots, trimmed with
point lace.
The ladies of this period wore
their hair low on the forehead,
and parted in ringlets, or else
curled like a peruke, or braided in a knot on the top
of the head. “ Why do they adorn themselves,” says
Burton, “ with so many colours of herbs, fictitious
flowers, curious needle-workes, quaint devices, sweet-
smelling odours; with those inestimable riches of
precious stones, pearls, rubies, diamonds, emeralds,
&c. ? Why do they crown themselves with gold and
silver, use coronets and tires of several fashions, deck
themselves with pendants, bracelets, ear-rings, chains,
girdles, rings, pins, spangles, embroideries, shadows,
rebatoes, versicolor ribands ? Why do they make such
glorious shows with their scarfs, feathers, fans, masks,