Page:Fancy dresses described, or, What to wear at fancy balls (1887).djvu/70

 blue ribbon; grey stockings, low shoes, white cotton gloves. (See and, &c.)

CHARITY, SISTER OF. (See .)

CHARLES I. PERIOD (Dress of), best seen in Vandyke's pictures. Costumes as worn by Queen Henrietta Maria and Court, plain satin or velvet skirt full, touching ground; short-waisted, low, square bodice, pointed back and front; Vandyke collar, turning downwards from shoulders; stomacher hung with pearls and diamonds; sleeves one large puff to elbow, with ruffles, pearl girdle, sometimes pearl embroideries on sides of skirt, and a heavy velvet train in plaits from shoulders. Hair cut square across forehead, and curled back and front; single row of diamonds or pearls round head. The hats large, of velvet or satin, with plumes turned up on one side and bordered with pearls. Dress to be rendered in white, pink, or yellow satin, or black or ruby velvet. Round feather fan carried in hand. The Princesses as children wore skirts touching the ground, sewn in plaits at the waist; the bodices square, with sleeves puffed or coming to wrist, and Vandyke cuffs, made in dark blue, drab, black, or gold satin, or velvet (sometimes with sacque from shoulders), almost hidden by large, square, muslin apron, bordered with vandyked lace, having square bibs and lace epaulettes. They had close-fitting net caps, with lace, like those of an infant. The ordinary costume of a woman, not in the higher grades of society, during Charles I. time, was sensible and useful, though in the beginning of his reign the farthingale was worn. The skirts touched the ground, and when distended by the farthingale the extra length formed a puff round the waist, falling in graceful fulness. The bodices were stiff, coming only to the waist, for the countrywomen and citizens' wives, and had either vandyked or stuffed epaulettes, or a brace-like trimming on the front, the aprons reaching to the hem of the dress, and having a bib. In this rank, the ruff was of linen, close under the chin; higher class women wore them deeper, but secured to the back of the shoulders; the French hood covered the hair and head; the commonalty preferred the high-crowned hats with broad brims like the soft felt hats of to-day. Before the end of the reign, the French hood went out. Massinger puts into the mouth of one of his characters a reference to