Page:Fancy dresses described, or, What to wear at fancy balls (1887).djvu/131

 or high square, with stomachers trimmed. Elbow-sleeves, with ruffles; jewelled necklaces, or floral ones, made with a puff of ribbon and a flower alternately, tied tightly round the throat. Sacques were much worn (see ). Feathers, pearls, and flowers on the powdered hair; also flat caps and gipsy hats. In George Ist's Reign, 17 14-1724, women wore hoops, the sacque was introduced; the hair dressed low and covered with frilled caps, and aprons were universally worn. George II., 1727-1760. Long trained skirt; powdered hair, fichus; large hats and feathers; sashes about waist; lace rufiles; long gloves; large gold watches and chains showing at side. The taste of the day was mock pastoral, and men and women of the court—as Corydon and Sylvias—dressed as shepherds and shepherdesses. The hoods of the ladies denoted their politics by the colour. The Spectator writes, "I took notice of a little cluster of women sitting together in the prettiest coloured hoods I ever saw; one of them was blue, another yellow, another philomel, the fourth was of a pink colour, the fifth of a pale green. I am informed that this fashion spreads daily, inasmuch that the Whig and Tory ladies begin already to hang out different colours, and to show their principles in their head-dress." The hood was succeeded by the capuchin; long gloves were ruffled on the arms; huge watches and chatelaines hung at the side; the women's hoops, however, grew and grew; they were made of whalebone, and rendered life a struggle. How to get in and out of a room, and how to get into a sedan, occupied thought and attention, and the satirists of the day hurled their shafts without mercy. In the Georgian period the prettiest shoes found favour; high heels, pointed toes, rosettes, diamond buckles, and embroideries. In George III., 1 760-1820, they wore petticoats flounced, long trains, square bodices, and wide open elbow sleeves; older women, lace hoods. The hair was powdered, drawn off" the face over very high cushion, and long chignons at the back with powdered marteaux; long buttonless gloves, often embroidered on the outside of the hand, large painted vellum fans; bracelets, jewelled necklaces, such as the esclavage; rows of gold chains; beads or jewels falling in festoons, covering the neck; the Maccaroni head-dress was worn, all curls, puff's, and flowers, with long side curls; hoops, and paniers, bodices with long waist. (See XVIIIth ) In the latter part of the reign short waists