This costume history information consists of Pages 359-365 of the chapter on mid 17th century dress in the
Civil War Cromwell Era 1649-1660 and taken from English Costume by Dion Clayton Calthrop.
The 36 page section consists of a text copy of the book ENGLISH
COSTUME PAINTED & DESCRIBED BY DION CLAYTON CALTHROP. Visuals,
drawings and painted fashion plates in the book have a charm of their
own and are shown amid the text. The book covers both male and female
dress history of over 700 years spanning the era 1066-1830.
This page is about dress in
the English Civil War Cromwellian Era 1649-1660.
For the Introduction to this book see this
introduction written by Dion Clayton Calthrop. I have adjusted
the images so they can be used for colouring worksheets where pupils add
some costume/society facts. My comments are in italics.
THE CROMWELLS
1649-1660.
THE MEN AND WOMEN
'I left my pure mistress for a space,
And to a snip-snap barber straight went I;
I cut my hair, and did my corps uncase
Of parel's pride that did offend the eye;
My high crowned hat, my little beard also,
My pecked band, my shoes were sharp at toe'.
'Gone was my sword, my belt was laid aside,
And I transformed both in looks and speech;
My parel plain, my cloak was void of pride,
My little skirts, my metamorphosed breech,
My stockings black, my garters were tied shorter,
My gloves no scent; thus marched I to her porter'.
It is a question, in this time of restraint, of formalism, where
anything could be made plain, cut in a cumbrous fashion, rendered
inelegant, it was done.
Severe Jackets
The little jackets were denuded of all forms of frippery, the breeches
were cut straight, and the ornaments, if any, were of the most severe order.
Hats
Hats became broader in the brim, boots wider in the tops, in fact, big
boots seemed almost a sign of heavy religious feeling.
Plain Cropped Hair
The nice hair, love-locks, ordered negligence
all vanished, and plain crops or straight hair, not over long, marked
these extraordinary people. It was a natural revolt against
extravagance, and in some more sensible minds it was not carried to excess;
points and bows were allowable, though of sombre colours.
Sashes
Sashes still held good, but of larger size, ruffs at the wrists were
worn, but of plain linen. The bands or collars varied in size according to
the religious enthusiasm of the wearers, but all were plain without lace
edgings, and were tied with plain strings.
Colours
Black, dark brown, and dull gray were the common colours, relieved
sometimes, if the man was wearing a sleeveless coat, by the yellow and
red-barred sleeves of the under-jacket, or possibly by coloured sleeves sewn
into the coat under the shoulder-wings.
Overcoats
Overcoats were cut as simply as possible, though they did not skimp the
material but made them wide and loose.
Notice the careful plainness of his dress, and his very wide-topped
boots.
The women dressed their hair more plainly, the less serious retained
the little bunches of side curls, but the others smoothed their hair
away under linen caps or black hoods tied under their chins.
Another thing the women did was to cut from their bodices all the little
strips but the one in the middle of the back, and this they left, like a
tail, behind.
Some, of course, dressed as before with the difference in
colour and in ornament that made for severity. It had an effect on the
country insomuch as the country people ceased to be extravagant in the
materials for garments and in many like ways, and so lay by good fortunes
for their families - these families coming later into the gay court of
Charles II had all the more to lavish on the follies of his fashions.
The Puritan is as well-known a figure as any in history;
an intelligent child could draw you a picture or describe you a Puritan
as well as he could describe the Noah of Noah's Ark.
He has become part of
the stock for an Academy humourist, a thousand anecdote pictures have
been painted of him; very often his nose is red, generally he has a book in
his hand, laughing maids bring him jacks of ale, jeering Cavaliers swagger
past him: his black cloak, board shoes, wide Geneva bands are as much part
of our national picture as Punch or Harlequin.
The Puritaness is also known. She is generally represented as a sly
bird in sombre clothes; her town garments, full skirts, black hood, deep
linen collar are shown to hide a merry-eyed lady, her country clothes,
apron, striped petticoat, bunched up skirt, linen cap, her little flaunt
of curls show her still mischievous.
The pair of them, in reality religious fanatics, prepared a harvest that
they little dreamt of - a harvest of extravagant clothes and extravagant
manners, when the country broke loose from its false bondage of texts,
scriptural shirts, and religious petticoats, and launched into a bondage,
equally false, of low cut dresses and enormous periwigs.
This is not one of the most Puritanical dresses, but shows how the
richness of the reign of Charles I was toned down. She carries a muff in
her hand, wears a good wide collar and cuffs, and neat roses on her shoes.
In the next reign you will see an entirely new era of clothes - the
doublet and jerkin, the trunks and ruffs have their last eccentric
fling, they become caricatures of themselves, they do all the foolish
things garments can do, and then, all of a sudden, they vanish - never
to be taken up again.
Hair, long-neglected, is to have its full sway, wigs are the note for two
centuries, so utterly different did the man become in the short space of
thirty-five years, that the buck of the Restoration and the beau of the
Jacobean order would stare helplessly at each other, wondering each to
himself what manner of fool this was standing before him.
This costume history information consists of Pages 359-365 of the chapter on mid 17th century dress in the
Civil War Cromwell Era 1649-1660 and taken from English Costume by Dion Clayton Calthrop.
The 36 page section consists of a text copy of the book ENGLISH
COSTUME PAINTED & DESCRIBED BY DION CLAYTON CALTHROP. Visuals,
drawings and painted fashion plates in the book have a charm of their
own and are shown amid the text. The book covers both male and female
dress history of over 700 years spanning the era 1066-1830.
This page is about dress in
the English Civil War Cromwellian Era 1649-1660.
For the Introduction to this book see this
introduction written by Dion Clayton Calthrop. I have adjusted
the images so they can be used for colouring worksheets where pupils add
some costume/society facts.
Fashion-Era.com looks at women's costume and fashion history and analyses the mood of an era. Changes in technology, leisure, work, cultural and moral values. Homelife and politics also
contribute to lifestyle trends, which in turn influence the clothes we wear. These are the changes that make any era of society special in relation to the study of the costume of a period.
Fashion-Era.com can take no responsibility for any information on the site which may cause you error, loss or costs incurred from use of the information and links either directly or
indirectly. This site is owned, designed, written and developed by author: Pauline Thomas and Guy Thomas. This site is designed to be viewed in 1024 X 768 or higher.
Before you write to me for costume/fashion help or information please, please consult the extensive sitemap which lists all our pages. If you still cannot find the answer after searching the site, then before you email me, please consider if you are prepared to make a donation to the website.
Donations Reader's donations help this site flourish, in particular donations encourage me to write more articles on fashion history as well as current trends. PayPal
allows anyone with a credit card to donate easily and securely. You may donate any sum you feel appropriate.
If you have any comments, or if you see any broken links, then please email with details of the page url or problem.
Find great anniversary gift ideas from Premier Gifts. Choose from our wide range of anniversary gifts to celebrate your special day in style.
Designer Inspired BagInc Fashion Bags and Cheap Handbags at Wholesale Rates.
This costume history information consists of Pages 359-365 of the chapter on mid 17th century dress in the
Civil War Cromwell Era 1649-1660 and taken from English Costume by Dion Clayton Calthrop.
