Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-12-15
WELL-DRESSED MEN.
How They Were made UP" In
Days Gone By.

When we look at the gentlemen of
to-day, in their plain garb of somber
hue, we can scarcely realize that once
men, as well as women, wore laces
and feathers, and silks and velvets,
and that they even surpassed their
wives and daughters in the gorgeous
ness of their attire. The splendor and
richness of gentlemen's dress during
several periods almost exceeds belief
The royal habit of the ninth century of
an Anglo-Saxon was an embroidered
tunic, stockings adorned with needle
work, mantle fastened on the shout
der with jewel, an embroidered belt
for the sword and shoes decked with
jewels. John of England wore on his
scarlet cloak profusion of diamonds,
emeralds and sapphircs; his girdlc,
gloves and the baldric of his sword
being similarly ornamented. Sir John
Arundel possessed iifty-two suits of
gold and silver tissue. The court
ly Buckingham had suits of
silk and velvet, decorated with
gems and lace, one Of which was of
white uncut velvet, profusely orna-
mented with diamonds. In his ears he
wore rings formed of ropes of pearls.
Sir Walter Raleigh is described rs
wearing white satin pinked vest, and
a brown doublet embroidered with
pearls; ruby and pearl ornaments
mingled with the feathers of his hat;
his carriers were fringed with white,
and his shoes were buff color with
white bows. On court days they were
covered with precious stones. The
Earl of Surrey, as painted by Holbeins,
wears a scarlet habit; the front of his
shirt and his ruf1les are embroidered in
black; his sleeves are pulled and
slashed; his shoes are scarlet, and his
cap is adorned with Jewels and
feathers. Lord Bolingbroke, with all
his superior talents, had weakness
for dress. He wore light blue velvet
coat, the cuffs of which were en-
broidered with silver; his stockings
were amber color, and his shoes Grim
son leather, fastened with diamond
buckles, his cravat was point lace, and
his ruffles were of the same; his hat
was laced with silver and edged with
feathers; and his hair, WHICH hung in
ringiets, was tied with red ribbons.
Sometimes The sex, who, the philoso-
pher tells us, 'havc cell more in
their brains than woraen," adopted
very grotesque styles, At one period
leg was dressed IN yellow and the
other blue. John of Gaunt was at.
tired in blue one side and white the
other. During Queen Elizabeth's
reign enormous braeches called
..'Hunk-hose" came into fashion. These
nbsurd garments were large enough to
hold bushcl of wheat, and were
stuffed out with bran, rags and table.
cloths. They came 10 the knee, and
were embroidered or otherwise orna.
mented.
The Vpndykc dress of the time of
Charles I. consulted Of a short doublct
of silk orisatiD, the Sleeves of which
were slasbed, The collar was falling
and OF richt lace; short cloak was
thrown careless over one shoulder;
the hat was broad Flemish beaver
adorned with feathers, and an en-
broidered bgt, On which rapier was
worn. completed the costume. Some
timesfa buff-coAprcd coat took the place
Of the doublet- This reached about
halfway down the thighs, apd had
sleeves or not as suited the fancy, the
lacing being of gold or silver. The
cloak was repyAcedIby a scarfiof silk
or satin worn AROUND the waist or over
the shoulder and tis in a large bow.
In thu reign Of Ch3rles II. the gentle
men wore coats Of cloth, velvet, or
serge; and when In full dress they
we're attired. in golll and silver tissue
covered wttbxemhrJAdery. Large bows
# colored ,Htbon Were placed on the
houlders, the brtaS, the knees and
It the swotd-hilt. Large shoe-roses
we're worn, and red stockings. Pepys,
rho expehksesd nd ,ch pleasure in
ecking hi hsslf out tells us in his
larry, 1868, that he gave his wife's
rother "a ycoate that I had by rkc,
lightsc8loi ed coate. with
old edgei ig in each Iscamc, which,was
'e lace on my wife3s I'D st pettycohtc,
mt shehfd when ItmarAlod her."
An shy'ftissment in an, Rnglish pa
er ttpFp, fdr the rccovary Of ipst
'atcH reads: ssIt fiocs In a ad-colorAad