The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-05

to fine clothes. Thus, in one passage, we
| read: when Mr. Rawdon went up first
| from Hodsden to London, he was to be
! new clothed, after the English fashion,
which was then black clothes, lined with
| plush for black suits, and for oolored
clothes table-doublet, cloth breaches and
| the cloak lined with the same table Of the
dublett"> Some years later, when he was
| on his way from England to Teneriffe, he
appears still more sumptuous. "The ap-
parel he rid In with his chain Of gold and
hatband was valued at a thousand Span
ish ducats or two hundred and seventy five
pounds sterling. His hatband was Of
emeralds set in gold; his suit was Of fine
cloth, trimmed with a small silk and gold
fringe; the buttons Of the suit were OF fine
gold, goldsmith work; his napier and dag
ger richly hatcht with gold
The dress of the women was simpler
hut attractive. The tortured hair Of Queen
Elizabeth's day, which may be seen in the
Van Somers portraits, gave place later to
the little natural-looking curls which Queen
Henrietta Maria brought into fashion; a
few small tendrils upon the forehead, with
soft-looking mass of slightly longer ring
let's behind the ears, and sometimes quite
long curl resting upon the shoulder, the
back hair coiled into simple knot. This
seems to have been the manner In which
nearly all the ladies' OF the first Charless
reign wore their hair Mary, Lady Verney,
Is represented 40; as are also the lovely
Lettuce, Lady Falkland, and handsome.
dark-haired Mrs. Porter. Young Lady
yerney wears pale blue satin and pearls
in her portrait, Lady Falkland, black velvet
and point lace As TO Mrs. Porter. she,
being the wife of a man Of artistic taste
and great friend of the court painter, il
represented many times over in a variety
Of handsome and becoming garments.
Jewels were few and good gold chain,
pearl necklace, diamond brooch, con-
tented the aspirations of the most fashion
able women. Mr~. Porter evidently had
more trinkets than most Of her sex. A
goldsmith's bill has been preserved among
the Porter papers. which included gold
earrings that cost fl2. two head pieces at
Ell, and "cullett" for hat band setting
that cost pound. This lady's tailor's
bills, many Of which have survived, cast a
good deal OF light on the otherwise obscure
question of the cost of dress in her day. in
asmuch az, contrary to the usual custom,
she does not seem to have had many Of her
clothes made at home. In most cases she
supplied the materials, 40 that charges
are entered only for making. for buttons,
Innings, &c. Making a dress cost Ell 2s.,
and six Holland smocks cost a guinea to
make, including tape and fustian TO them
n IL ,Ao,- al.
more than they do now, if we keep in view
the change about five to one--in the value
of money. For instance. black satin cost
IA shillings a yard, black taifety sarsinet,
shillings, while black velvet could be pro-
cured for only eight -and-eight pence. In
those days, however, not only were materials
so good that handsome dress would last
lifetime. but fashions changed so slowly
that valuable dress would often be be-
queathed to a daughter or granddaughter.
Indeed, the will of Margaret, Lady Verney.
mentions requests of body linen, which was
made of thread Of her own spinning, and
was durable enough to last more than one
life Thus she desires her eldest son to
give to your wife six of my new great
smockes,r and adds: There are four very
fine smokes in your fathers little linen
trunk, and one OF my four-breadth Holland
sheets for your own girl Peggy"
A collection OF fashion plates, published
in 1910. throws light upon the details OF
women's costumes at that time. Some OF
the bodices seem still to have been stiffened
in the fashion Of Queen Elizabeth's day.
At other times the bodices would be cut
low and laced across the stomacher, and
were then called stays. The custom Of
letting pockets into the seam OF the dress
was not introduced until many years later.
In the eighteenth century they were made
In the petticoat, and placket was left
open, through which they might be reached,
but in the first half OF the seventeenth CEN
tury pockets were entirely detached and
either carried In the hand or fastened to
the waist by ribbon. Gloves were always
very long and loose, much more elegant
than the tight-fitting, tight-buttoned ones
OF to-day. Those Of the ladies do not seem
to have been embroidered, but mems gloves
were beautifully ornamented. Fans were
generally of feathers with long handle.
but one folding fan is depicted; it was prob
ably novelty. We observe. in conclusion,
that. according to our author, corsets were
not confined to women earrings also were
worn by men. %Under James /. we learn
that tight-laced. whaebone stays were
worn by men, and breaches were padded
out; so, too, were stockings, and a comical
story Is related OF a young gentleman who,
in company, caught the calf of his leg upon
a nail whereupon, instead Of blood, the
bran came running out. as II he had been
a doll" The garter at that day was sash
tied in a large bow at the side Of the leg,
and the shoes were adorned with rosettes
NJ W. H.