Dress Design

Talbot Hughes drew and measured the real garments: what people actually wore, century by century, with the cut, the trimmings and the dimensions an artist or dressmaker would need to reproduce them.

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Male and Female

The same shapes apply to costume during the Commonwealth, though a sterner effect was given by the choice of plain decoration and less colour. A small or a large plain collar, and the disappearance of slashings on the coat, and a longer skirt became noticeable. A very high tapered hat, with stiff circular brim, was worn by the Puritans, and little, close, black hoods were much favoured. A general reaction from gay extravagance set in.

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