CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



Hats now began to supersede the bonnets of a 

 former era. Those of beaver were exceedingly 

 expensive, and they were for the most part made 

 of felted wool, dyed. The most remarkable thing 

 about these hats was their numerous shapes : 

 some were steeple-crowned ; others were flat 

 and broad, like the battlements of a house ; and 

 others with round crowns, and bands of all colours, 

 and ornamented with huge feathers and brooches, 

 clasps, and jewels of great value. 



In taking leave of the British costume of the 

 sixteenth century, we may observe that its splen- 

 dour was almost entirely borrowed from France, 

 ' that country which has since given laws in dress 

 to nearly all Europe.' 



Seventeenth Century. 



Under James I. the male costume was some- 

 what more decidedly Spanish, as respects the 

 slashing and ornamenting of the doublet and 

 breeches. Late in the reign, however, the jackets 

 or doublets were shortened, and the breeches 

 reduced in size, and fastened in large bows at the 

 knees ; the well-stockinged leg was admired, and 

 the hat worn low in the crown, and with broad 

 brim, as seen in portraits of the date 1619. 

 Beards and whiskers had become almost uni- 

 versal in the reign of Elizabeth ; but in that of 

 James, the former was sometimes worn trimmed 

 to a point, hanging down at the division of the 

 ruff. 



In the female costume there was little change. 

 The huge farthingale continued to be worn by the 

 nobility ; a strong passion for foreign lace was 

 introduced ; pearls were the favourite jewels ; and 

 the ruff maintained its sway, so as to be anathe- 

 matised from the pulpit ; and the fancies of female 

 costume were glanced at in a sermon preached 

 before the king at Whitehall in 1607-8, as ' her 

 French, her Spanish, and her foolish fashions ; 

 her plumes, her fannes, and a silken vizard, with 

 a ruff like a sail, yea, a ruff like a rainbow, with a 

 feather in her cap like a flag in her top, to tell 

 which way the wind will blow.' 



The dress worn in the reign of Charles I. is 

 unrivalled for picturesqueness and elegant taste. 

 At this we shall not be surprised, if we recollect 

 that it was copied from the habit of Spain, the 

 most becoming of all European costumes. Early 

 in this reign, however, the motley fashion of the 

 time of James I. prevailed ; and the Savoy neck- 

 chain, the ruff and cuffs of Flanders, the Naples 

 hat with the Roman hat-band and Florentine 

 agate, the Milan sword, and the cloak of Geneva 

 set with Brabant buttons, gloves from Madrid, 

 &c. were the characteristics of the beau of 1629. 

 The ruff had almost universally given place to 

 the falling band ; and collars of rich point-lace, 

 large and hanging down on the shoulders, held by 

 a cord and tassel at the neck, and now called Van? 

 dyke, from its being the most striking part of the 

 dress in which Vandyke at that time painted 

 portraits. 



The principal habits were vests and cloaks of 

 velvet, or silk damask, short trousered breeches 

 terminating in stuffed rolls, and fringes and points, 

 and very rich boots, with large projecting lace 

 tops. A dress of Charles is thus described : A 

 falling band, green doublet (from the armpits to 

 the shoulders wide and loose), zigzag turned-up 

 ruffles, long green breeches (like a Dutchman's), 



796 



tied below the knee with yellow ribbons, red stock- 

 ings, green shoe-roses, and a short red cloak lined 

 with blue, with a star on the shoulder ; the king 

 sometimes wore a large cravat, and at other times 

 a long falling band with tassels. The dress of 

 the gay courtiers or cavaliers consisted of a doub- 

 let of velvet, silk, or satin, with large loose sleeves, 

 slashed and embroidered; Vandyke collar and 

 band, and short embroidered cloak, worn on one 

 shoulder ; the long breeches, fringed and pointed, 

 met the ruffled tops of the boots ; the embroidered 

 sword-belt was worn over the right shoulder, and 

 in it was hung a Spanish rapier ; and in the 

 flapping beaver hat was worn a plume of feathers 

 confined by a jewel. A buff coat or jerkin was 

 often worn, as a better defence than the doublet, 

 which is sometimes covered. The engraving 

 represents a citizen of this period more plainly 

 attired. 



The female costume of this period was rather 

 elegant than splendid. Gowns with close bodies 

 and tight sleeves were worn, though the farthingale 

 was retained, with a gorget ruff standing up about 

 the neck like a fan. French hoods were still worn, 

 though with little distinction as to rank. The hair 

 was worn in small curls, and the hoods, of all 

 colours, fastened under the chin with curious effect. 

 Ear-rings, necklaces, and bracelets were much 

 worn ; but the Puritans forbade the females to 

 wear lace, jewels, or even braided hair ; and they 

 retained the close hood and high-crowned hat. 



Towards the close of the reign of Charles I. the 

 cumbrous farthingale disappeared, with the yellow 

 starched ruff and band. These tasteless fashions 

 having disappeared, the female dress became very 

 elegant, with its rich full skirt and sleeves, and 

 falling collar edged with rich lace, and the hair 

 worn in graceful ringlets ; but these vanities were 

 condemned by the Puritan party. 



With the Restoration of Charles II. came cer- 

 tain tasteless innovations upon the elegant Van- 

 dyke costume of the time of Charles I. which were 



Citizen in the time of 

 Charles I. 



Citizen's wife in the time 

 of Charles II. 



the first resemblance to the coats and waistcoats 

 of the present day. Thus our most picturesque 

 attire lasted little more than a quarter of a century. 

 Its decline was gradual ; its chivalric character 

 soon degenerated into grotesqueness, which in its 

 turn changed to stark meanness. Early in the 

 reign of Charles II. the doublet was much short- 

 ened, and worn open in front, where, and at the 



