case of the statute cap. The very objections made by religious sects
such as the Puritans and Quakers, who have departed from extravagance
and superfluity, have given rise to new fashions of plainness. Even
Quaker ladies must have shown their love of dress, for at a meeting in
1726 the following message was sent by some of the stronger-minded of
them to their fellow-women:--
"As first, that immodest fashion of hooped petticoats or the imitation,
either by something put into their petticoats to make them set full, or
any other imitation whatever, which we take to be but a branch springing
from the same corrupt root of pride. And also that none of our ffriends
accustom themselves to wear their gowns with superfluous folds behind,
but plain and decent, nor go without aprons, nor to wear superfluous
gathers or plaits in their caps or pinners, nor to wear their heads
drest high behind; neither to cut or lay their hair on their foreheads
or temples.
"And that ffriends be careful to avoid wearing striped shoes or red and
white heeled shoes or clogs or shoes trimmed with gaudy colours.
"And also that no ffriends use that irreverent practice of taking snuff
or handing a snuff-box one to the other in meeting.
"Also that ffriends avoid the unnecessary use of fans in meeting, lest
it direct the mind from the more inward and spiritual exercises which
all ought to be concerned in.
"And also that ffriends do not accustom themselves to go with bare
breasts or bare necks."
Perhaps in a minor way superstitions also have tended to keep up
fashions. At a wedding, for instance, it is always said that a bride
should wear
Something old and something new,
Something borrowed and something blue.
The enactments, however, which were directed against excess in dress do
not seem to have always been so successful. The part which the law
has played with regard to dress in our own country has been very
considerable, and it may be of interest to consider briefly one or two
of the so-called sumptuary laws.
In Edward III's reign the people were ordered to dress according to
their station, and those who were not of high rank were forbidden to
use expensive furs and ornaments. These orders were so neglected that
Henry IV revised and strengthened them. Slashed sleeves at the time of
Edward IV were prohibited to yeomen and any one below their rank.
Legislation was also introduced to lessen the preposterous length to
which the toes of shoes had grown, for it was enacted that not even the
gentlemen should have them of a greater length than two inches.
The Recorder of Chester shows the following order made by Henry VIII:
"To distinguish the head-dresses of married women from unmarried, no
married woman to wear white or other coloured caps; and no woman to wear
any hat, unless she rides or goes abroad into the country (except sick
or aged persons), on pain of 3s. 4d."
Another law amounted to a tax on persons who dressed elegantly, for
those who would not keep a horse and armour ready for the wars were
fined heavily if they or their wives wore fine clothes or ornaments. It
is probable, too, that Henry VIII's officers took care to collect the
fines.
Mary brought in a law against the use of silk, and a little later on the
great ruffs claimed attention, for in 1562 it was ordered that no more
than a yard and a half of kersey should be used in making a ruff. James
I repealed all the sumptuary laws, though we have seen that he and his
successors occupied themselves somewhat with the dress of the clergy.
In Scotland, after the rising of 1745, an Act was passed forbidding the
wearing of tartan as part of Highland dress, under the penalty of six
months' imprisonment for the first offence and transportation beyond the
seas for seven years for the second. No Highlander could receive the
benefit of the Act of Indemnity without first taking the following oath:
"I, A.B., do swear, and as I shall answer to God at the great day of
judgement, I have not, nor shall have, in my possession any gun, sword,
pistol, or arm whatsoever, and never use tartan, plaid, or any part of
the Highland garb; and if I do so, may I be cursed in my undertakings,
family, and property,--may I never see my wife and children, father,
mother, or relations,--may I be killed in battle as a coward, and lie
without Christian burial, in a strange land, far from the graves of
my forefathers and kindred; may all this come across me if I break my
oath." This severe and harsh Act caused great discontent, and was
repealed in 1772.
As showing the hindrances caused to trade by some of the peculiar
regulations, we find that in 1565 the Recorder of London describes
an interview which he had with civic tailors, who were puzzled as to
whether they should "line a slop hose, not cut in panes, with a lining
of cotton stitched to the slop over and besydes the linen lining
straight to the leg." The Recorder, on considering the words of the
proclamation which had caused the trouble, gave it as his opinion that
they could not; but the tailors, though they went away satisfied, came
back to say that their customers had gone to other tailors outside
the City, who made their clothes for them in the way that was first
suggested. It was this contretemps which caused the Recorder to write to
a higher legal authority.
Nowadays clothes and the law have little to do with one another,
though occasionally ladies' dresses about which there is a dispute are
seriously tried on in court, the legal luminaries meanwhile making a
studied pretence of ignorance with regard to the garments. Though there
are no statutes to curb modern fashions, yet we are reminded of the
rules that have had to be made in certain theatres on account of the
overwhelming size of the matinée hat.
Although the law does not seem to have been able to change the fashions
to a very great extent, they have sometimes been killed suddenly. In
the days of public executions, criminals sometimes elected to wear
fashionable garments, and in consequence the demand for them ceased.
Sometimes, again, those who were interested in the suppression of the
fashion persuaded the doomed man or woman to wear a particular dress,
and a judge has been known to compass the same end by ordering the
hangman who officiated to deck himself in the objectionable garment.
The wearing of nightgowns in the street by ladies was stopped owing to a
woman being executed in her bedgown. The use of yellow starch had its
death-blow when the hangman appeared in orange collar and cuffs. Black
satin dresses went out of fashion because Mrs. Manning was hung when
wearing one. Now, however, as there are no public executions, there is
not this opportunity of getting rid of obnoxious styles, and society
ought to look about for another means to repress them.
XXXVIII
DRESS REFORM
CLOTHES TO BE AVOIDED--NEED FOR WARMER GARMENTS--"RATIONAL" DRESS FOR
WOMEN
It is evident from what we have said about the effect of clothes upon
the body, that there is ample opportunity for improvement in our costume
as regards its shape and the methods in which it is worn. We have
already said also, when speaking of colour, that, in the case of men
at any rate, it might often be more picturesque and brighter. There
are several societies whose aim it is to bring about improvements. The
Rational Dress League has general objects in view, and it also keeps in
mind the special one of introducing bifurcated garments for women. There
is also the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union which seems to have general
objects.
Education is needed in order that knowledge of the evil results of
wrongly shaped shoes and tight stays may be known, and what is more,
such training as will enable that strength of mind to be acquired
which will prevent the coming generation from being swayed by foolish
fashions. The origin of these it is difficult to trace, but the pioneers
of them, whether self-centred costumiers or willing victims, ought
to be punished in some way. There are points to be borne in mind in
connection with garments which have not yet been considered, and they
cause otherwise unoffending clothes to do harm. There is no doubt but
that the weight of one's dress should be suspended from the shoulders,
though the great majority of women hang much of their clothes from their
waists. A good deal of the weight could easily be taken off this part of
the body by the fastening of skirts and under garments to bodices, or by
the use of shoulder-straps and the introduction of tunics.
Dr. Cantlie[60] has very graphically shown the common features of a
modern family, and he has given a picture (see Figure 169) of a group
consisting of the average-sized mother, the taller and larger-framed
daughter, and the insufficiently clad boy of poor physique. This author
says that the sailor suit worn at the age of two and a half or three
years is a recent innovation, and the rather puny young boy of to-day
came in with the change. Dr. Cantlie has estimated that, except in very
hot weather, children should have a pound of clothing for every stone
they weigh, for the one great secret of rendering children healthy is
to keep them warm. As a matter of fact, a girl that weighs three stone
really wears clothes that weigh three pounds; but one of the small boys
of the same weight, in a sailor suit, wears clothes that only weigh
about half as much as his sister's.
Dr. Cantlie also objects to short jackets which do not cover the loins,
and says that the public school that will introduce the Norfolk jacket
in the place of the Eton will thrive at the expense of its neighbours.
High collars worn by youths keep the head at the wrong angle, and also
perpetuate the deformity of the jaw which is caused by breathing through
the mouth. They also prevent the shoulders from being squared in the
attempt to get rid of round shoulders. Dr. Cantlie urges a return to
the brace worn by our fathers, and still occasionally seen, in which
the straps are not united. It is impossible for any one wearing joined
braces to stand erect with the shoulders squared, for they press on
the neck and cause the wearer to poke his head forward. Dr. Cantlie,
however, hopes that the difficulties in the way of obtaining separate
braces will not lead to the adoption of the elastic belt, for the only
place where this could be worn without bad effects is below the haunch
bones, and in ordinary dress this would bring it below the waistcoat. It
will be found also that the use of belts by labourers brings evils in
its train which were not mentioned by Mr. Heather Bigg, when speaking of
the advantages of girding up the loins. (See page 329.)
No account of dress and its developments would be complete without a
reference to Mrs. Bloomer and the garments which now bear her name, and
are emblematical of rational costume. That women have no absolute claim
to petticoats as their own special dress has been made quite clear, and
it is equally evident that in many places they wear trousers as a matter
of course. Still, in this country there seems to be a rooted objection
on the part of the majority to doffing skirts, though this seems,
however, to be growing less day by day, in spite of the many reasons
which cause the fair sex to cling to petticoats. As we have found
before, garments which fall to the ground give dignity, and women
sacrifice their dignity with difficulty. Yet, as need hardly be
pointed out, men do not wear dressing-gowns when they are jumping, nor
fur-trimmed mantles when they go to business. Dresses with trains could
be kept for ceremonial occasions, or when there is nothing much to be
done, or again, we might add, when there is little dust to be raised.
[Illustration: FIG. 169.--A modern family, consisting of the
average-sized mother, the taller daughter, and the puny boy (from a
drawing by Miss Audrey Watson in "Physical Efficiency," by Dr. Cantlie,
by kind permission of Messrs. Putnam's Sons).]
Bacteriology has shown us that the long skirt disseminates germs as it
trails along the ground; in fact, it stirs them up for other people to
breathe, and the culprit herself carries off as her fair share a large
quantity which settles on her dress. In this way the germs of disease
are carried home to the dwelling-house.
In these days also, when women even jump on and off motor omnibuses
before they are at a stand-still, it is evident that long frocks are
objectionable and dangerous.
When lady gardeners were first employed at Kew Gardens, it was found
that their skirts got in the way, and were liable to damage the plants.
The Director ordered that the girls should wear a suitable costume, and
they adopted divided garments, though it must be said that they covered
them to some extent with an apron. In riding-dress of course ladies wear
trousers under their habits when they use a side saddle, although it has
been considered right of recent years for them to ride astride, and from
time to time we hear that it is being done. In the time of Stephen and
of Edward III women rode astride, and the ladies in Mexico and other
parts of America regularly do so at the present time.
Chaucer described "The Wife of Bath" as wearing "on her feet a paire of
spurries sharpe." From this we may judge that she also adopted a cross
saddle, and as a matter of fact in the Elesmere MSS. we find a picture
of her, showing that she rode astride, and was dressed in a curious
garment like a divided bag. On the Continent, ladies who go shooting
very often dress like their husbands, and a year or two ago the American
newspapers were full of accounts of a lady who imitated the riding
costume of a hunting man to the smallest detail. Apropos of this, _The
Field_[61] told an amusing story of an English lady who in a measure
unintentionally forestalled our American cousins, for after she had had
the best part of her habit carried away by some aggressive brambles, she
was seen scudding after her horse in a pair of real top boots.
Divided garments only appear unfeminine because we are unaccustomed to
see them on ladies, and it is no secret that they are worn to a very
great extent under skirts. Doubtless there may be some to whom the
very idea of such a thing is abhorrent, and possibly there are still
wardrobes like those of a good lady mentioned by Miss Alice Morse
Earle[62] in her book on the "Costume of Colonial Times." She was
the wife of a respectable and well-to-do Dutch settler in the New
Netherlands, and her name was Vrouentje Ides Stoffelsen, and she left
behind her in 1641, "a gold hoop ring, a silver medal and chain, and a
silver undergirdle to hang keys on; a damask furred jacket, two black
camlet jackets, two doublets, one iron gray, the other black; a blue, a
steel-gray lined petticoat, and a black coarse camlet-lined petticoat;
two black skirts, a new bodice, two white waistcoats, one of Harlem
stuff; a little black vest with two sleeves, a pair of damask sleeves,
a reddish mourning gown, not linen; four pair pattens, one of Spanish
leather; a purple apron and four blue aprons, nineteen cambric caps and
four linen ones; a fur cap trimmed with beaver; nine linen handkerchiefs
trimmed with lace, two pair of old stockings, and three shifts. One
disposed to be critical might note the somewhat scanty proportion of
underclothing in this wardrobe, and as Ides's husband swore 'by his
manly troth' that the list of her possessions was a true and complete
one, we are forced to believe that it was indeed all the underclothing
she possessed."
It seems, however, as we have said before, that the actual ugliness of
many of the so-called bloomer costumes which were in vogue a few years
ago, did much to keep back progress in the direction of their adoption.
It seems as if women were frightened, as it were, to go the whole hog,
and instead of wearing neat knickerbockers they had them exceedingly
baggy and inelegant, or adopted a kind of hybrid costume, half bloomers
and half skirt.
Let us see what the tendency now is with regard to a rational dress
for women. Mrs. Bloomer had a skirt just below the knees, and trousers
gathered in at the ankles. The modern bloomers come only to the knee,
but really, as Dr. Bernard O'Connor says when writing in the Gazette
published by the Rational Dress League,[63] "they are made too full."
Dr. O'Connor recommends for active exercise, such as cycling, something
like a sailor's jacket and sailor's trousers, but the latter should end
and be gathered in at the knees. In addition there should be long
tight stockings, and Dr. O'Connor adds that tights throughout would be
preferable to the ordinary bloomers.
It would seem, however, that this dress for general use might be
improved as regards both form and elegance, and that a long coat or
tunic, reaching nearly to the knees, with fairly tight knickerbockers,
is the rational dress that is most to be commended for women.
CONCLUSION
By way of ending, we would again point out that the account which we
have given of survivals in dress and their history, shows that they in
their development are governed by the same laws as those which act on
the bodies and organs of living creatures, and we hope that what we have
gathered together may be taken as a small contribution to "the proper
study of mankind," which we have been told times out of number is
nothing more nor less than "man."
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The small numbers given in the text correspond with those printed here.
NO. PAGE
1. "The Origin of Species," by Charles Darwin. (First edition
published 1859) 2
2. "Development in Dress," by George H. Darwin. _Macmillan's
Magazine_, September, 1872, page 410 3
3. "_Pithecanthropus erectus_, eine Menschenaehnliche
Uebergangsform aus Java," by Eug. Dubois, Batavia, 1894 7
4. "Journal during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle," by Charles
Darwin. Minerva Library, 1889, page 154 11
5. "The Industrial Arts of Denmark," by J. J. A. Worsaae.
1882, page 48 18
6. See Number 2, page 412 30
7. Notice of Lecture given by Mr. Allan Poe Newcombe, in the
Sandwich Islands. Quoted from the _Honolulu Commercial
Advertiser_ in _The English Mechanic_, No. 1934 49
8. See Number 6 58
9. "The Human Beast of Burden," by Otis T. Mason. Smithsonian
Report of the United States National Museum, 1887, page
246 110
10. "Anthropology," by Edward B. Tylor. 1892, page 236 111
11. "The British Lake Dwellings near Glastonbury." 1896,
page 13 117
12.} "The Gem Cutter's Craft," by Leopold Claremont. 1906, 123
13.} pages 75 and 87 124
14.} "Some Suggestions as to the Origin of the Penannular
15.} Brooch," by Edward Lovett. _The Reliquary_, Vol. X,
1904, page 15 125
16. "Races of Man," by Oscar Peschel. English Translation,
1889, page 174 136
17. "The Cyclopædia of the British Costumes, from the
Metropolitan Repository of Fashions." 1826, page 196 145
18. A letter in _The Morning Post_ of November 12th, 1897,
from Messrs. André & Co. 153
19. "English Costume," painted and described by Dion Clayton
Calthrop. 1906, page 130 156
20. Article on "Cockades" in _The Sketch_ for March 9th, 1898 158
21. See Number 19 159
22. "Costume from Monumental Brasses," by Herbert Druitt. 1906 165
23. "Rational Dress _v._ Industrialism," _The Rational Dress
Gazette_, No. 88, by Dr. Alice Vickery, page 356 165
24. "Shoe-throwing at Weddings," by James E. Crombie, _Folk
Lore_, Vol. VI (1895), page 258 176
25. "Ecclesiastical Vestments, their Development and History,"
by R. A. S. Macalister. 1896, page 140 185
26. "Vestiarium Christianium: the Origin and Gradual
Development of the Dress of the Holy Ministry in the
Church," by the Rev. Wharton D. Marriott. 1861, page 48 188
27. See Number 25, page 21 189
28. A letter in _The Guardian_, by G. C. Coulton, August, 1907 194
29. Paedag. Lib. iii., page 300 205
30. See Number 22, page 122 210
31. "College Caps and Doctors' Hats," by Professor E. C.
Clark. _Archæological Journal_, Vol. LXI. 1894, page 36 213
32. See Number 22, page 224 216
33. "The Sacring of the English Kings," by J. Wickham Legg.
_Archæological Journal_, Vol. XLI. 1894, page 35 221
34. "History of the King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the
Guard," by Colonel Sir Reginald Hennell. 1904, plate
facing page 32 225
{"Uniforms of our Fighting Forces, Regimental Survivals
35.{ and Peculiarities," by R. Caton Woodville. _Cassell's
36.{ Magazine_, 1906, page 524; and "Peculiarities of British
{ Army Dress," by Walter Wood. _Pall Mall Magazine_, Vol.
{ XI. 1897, page 527 238
37. "Yester Year," by A. Robida, English translation, page 83 253
38. A Lecture given by Mr. George Heppel before the
Hammersmith Literary and Scientific Society 253
39. "Naples in 1888," by Eustace Neville Rolffe 254
40. "Notes by a Naturalist on H.M.S. Challenger," by Professor
Moseley 272
41. See Number 40, page 423 273
42. "Costume in England," by F. W. Fairholt. Revised Edition,
1885, Vol. II, page 303 278
43. "The Whole Stock of a Coquette," by Helen C. Gordon.
_English Illustrated Magazine_, February, 1901, page 451 279
44. "Costume: Fanciful, Historical, and Theatrical," by Mrs.
Aria. 1906, page 199 281
45. "Curiosities of Literature," by Disraeli. Vol. I, page 186 283
46. See Number 19, page 20 287
47. See Number 42, page 240 289
48. "Suggested Moorish Origin of certain Amulets in use in
Great Britain," by Dr. Plowright. _The Reliquary,_ Vol.
XII, 1906, page 106 293
49. "Horse Brasses," by Lina Eckenstein. _The Reliquary,_ Vol.
XII, 1906, page 251 293
50. "Animal Artisans," by C. J. Cornish. 1906, page 251 300
51. Article by Mr. Yoxall in _The Journal of Gipsy Lore_, new
series, Vol. I, part I, 1907 306
52. Article by Mr. J. Chevasse. _Evening News_, April 5th,
1907 316
53. Article in _The Daily Mail_, September 4th, 1907 317
54. "Essays on Museums and other subjects connected with
Natural History," by Sir William Flower. 1898, page 350 324
55. See Number 37, page 91 325
56. "The History of the Corset," by Geraldine Vane and F. Glen
Walker. _Lady's Realm_ Summer Number, 1901 326
57. "Spinal Curvatures," by Heather Bigg. 1905 326
58. See Number 54, page 347 335
59. Article in _The Morning Leader_ of April 17th, 1906 339
60. "Physical Efficiency," by James Cantlie. 1906 355
61. Leaderette in _The Field_, August 29th, 1902, page 452 359
62. "Costume of Colonial Times," by Alice Morse Earle, page 28 359
63. "Why Won't They Alter It?" by Bernard O'Connor, _Rational
Dress Gazette_, No. 87, page 352 361
INDEX
NOTE.--_The numbers in heavy type refer to the pages on which figures
will be found._
Abbesses, costume of, 198
Abergavenny, the Marquis of, wears badges, 91
Academical dress, 208
-- hoods, 210
Achievements, styles of, 87
Acrobat, dress of, 286
-- tights of, 286
-- trunk hose of, 286
Admiral, uniform of, worn by coxswains at Eton on the Fourth of
June, 171
Africa, the West Coast of, little clothing worn on, 8
Aggries, 113
Agilbert, Bishop of Paris, ring of, 114
Aiglets, 100
Aiguillettes, 101, =101=
-- Mr. Caton Woodville on, 240
-- of aides-de-camp, 240
-- -- footmen, 141, =141=, 240
-- -- Household Cavalry, 240
-- -- a Knight of the Bath, 231
-- -- -- Knight of St. Michael and St. George, 231
Ailette, 84
Albe, 198, 199
-- of James II, 221
-- originally a secular garment, 189
-- replaced by surplice, 185
Alhambra, 293
Almshouses, costumes of, 170
Almuce, 198, 199
-- forerunner of the tippet, 212
Ambassadors, cockade of Danish, 160
-- -- -- English, 160
-- -- -- Foreign, 160
-- -- -- French, 160
American, dress of the, 318
Amethyst, supposed powers of the, 124
Amice, 200, 221
Amulet, arrow-head, 296
Amulets buried with the head of ancient Egyptians, 122
-- crescent-shaped, 293
-- heart-shaped, 295, 296
-- worn by Egyptian children, 123
Andaman Islanders, painting the body among, 276
André, Messrs., & Co., on cockades, 153
Anglo-Saxon, bandaged stocking of, 67, =67=
Animal actors, clothes of, 301
Animals, colour of, in connection with ceremonials, 303
-- curious variations of, produced under domestication, 302
-- spotted when young, 94
-- mutilation of, 302
Anklets, 9
Anne, apron of Queen, 150
-- Consort of James I, glove of, 98, =99=
Antiquities, Museum of, Copenhagen, 178
Apparel of chasuble called an orphrey, 196
-- on albe, possibly remains of clavi, 193
Appendix, vermiform, 3