Fashion Show - Autumn 2005

Part 4

Mid 17th Century Soldier
Maker: Sally of Sally Green costumes
Model: Nick

This outfit show the simple uniform which was issued to soldiers during the English Civil Wars.
The jacket is of wool and would have been lined in linen or wool with simple cloth buttons to fasten. These were one of the first garment to go into any form of mass production and costs were kept down by simplifying the pattern and minimising the amount of cloth used.
Although they were ordered and issued in bulk, they would have been dyed and manufactured in very small batches in a cottage-industry process so there would be tremendous variation in colours, cut and quality within any one issue of coats. Coat colours were chosen at the whim of the commanding officers until the arrival of the New Model Army in 1645 and this often led to confusion on the battlefield.

Underneath his issued coat most soldiers would have probably worn the remnants of their civilian clothing for extra warmth.
This soldier is carrying a Partisan which would have been the weapon of rank for a Lieutenant. On his head he wears an infantry 'pot' and would also have been protected on the battlefield with a beast and back-plate and possibly steel tassets ( skirts) to protect the upper legs. The pot and partisan have been made by '2Js armourers'

Mid 17th Century Officer
Maker: Jill of Fredrick & Knights
Model: John

This gentleman from the same period as the soldier wears his own civilian clothing along with several items which mark his rank as an officer and gentleman.
He shows his wealth as a gentleman by the display of a tailored suit in fine quality wool decorated with lace, a fur felt hat with expensive ostrich feathers imported from Africa and delicately starched linen wear.
As is common in times of war, it was fashionable among civilians to ape military styles and so it would not have been unusual to see gentlemen in town with never a connection to the war, carrying military swords and wearing cavalry style boots as shown here.
However, the two items which mark this man as an officer are the 'gorget' ( the small piece of armour around his neck) and the 'scarf' or sash which would have been worn either across the shoulders as here or around the waist - often seen when wearing full breast and back-plates.
The gorget is a token show of rank and is the last remnant of the full plate armour worn by knights in earlier times. An even smaller version is still worn on dress uniforms in the present day army.
The scarf would have been made of a long length ( 4 1/2 yards) of imported silk, the width of the cloth ( up to 27"). Its colour was usually an indication of which side the wearer was fighting for - in this case , red, indicating a loyalty to King Charles.

1705 Clothing
Maker: Karen of Time Tarts
Model: Craig

Here we see a rare glimpse of the clothing worn under
a coat of the early 18th Century. - 1705.
His waistcoat is fashionably long and is made from purple and gold silk from Chatelaine Silks by Quartermasterie. The back is made from the same material and shows off the wealth of the wearer.

The knee breeches, the style of which changed very little during the course of the 18th century are made of black wool and have made a striking contrast with the knitted red wool stockings which show a gentleman's shapely calf. Of course - if a man did not have a shapely calf, he could always supplement them with ' leg improvers' down the back of his stockings!
Underneath the waistcoat ( which incidentally could also be made with sleeves as well as shown here without) is a fine white linen shirt.
The outfit is completed with a three-cornered hat and low-heeled black buckled-shoes.