INGENUITY AND LUXURY 



A few of these remarkable and grotesque garments 

 are worth brief descriptions, as showing the contrast 

 with the plain apparel of men and women in our own 

 practical age. 



During the fifteenth century many remarkable modi- 

 fications in the sleeves of garments were worn at various 

 times. In Germany, for example, one costume of a 

 gentleman was made with flowing sleeves reaching al- 

 most to the ground, the right and left sleeves being of 

 different design. Thus the left sleeve might be made as 

 a long bag, perhaps two feet in diameter, of practically 

 the same width at all points. The right sleeve, on the 

 other hand, might be made funnel shaped, with a gap- 

 ing wristband reaching to the ground when the hand was 

 held at the waist. The waist of this garment was 

 usually belted about the loins, the skirts reaching 

 below the knees and slashed up the side to allow free- 

 dom in walking and incidentally to exhibit the gaudy, 

 close-fitting trunks beneath. 



A century later the Germans were, perhaps, leaders 

 in the very remarkable custom of dressing the two 

 sides of the body in garments of absolutely different 

 designs and colors. A gallant viewed from the left 

 side, for example, might seem to be attired in a coat of 

 green and white, with immense puffs at the shoulders 

 tapering to a close-fitting, forearm sleeve. His hips 

 might be surrounded with red and white puffs striped 

 lengthwise, with the same colors formed into close-fitting 

 hose reaching to the foot. Viewed from the opposite 

 side there was a complete transformation in his appear- 

 ance. His right sleeve might be red and blue, small 



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