various diminutive garments.

These fashion models in miniature effigy obtained until after
Revolutionary times. Sally McKean wrote to the sister of Dolly Madison,
in June, 1796: "I went yesterday to see a doll which has come from
England dressed to show the fashion"--and she then proceeds to describe
the modes thus introduced.

We can gain some notion of the general shape of the dress of our
forbears at various periods from the portraits of the times. Those of
Madam Shrimpton and of Rebecca Rawson are among the earliest. They were
painted during the last quarter of the seventeenth century. The dress is
not very graceful, but far from plain, showing no trace of Puritanical
simplicity; in fact, it is precisely that seen in portraits of English
well-to-do folk of the same date. Both have strings of beads around the
neck and no other jewels; both wear loosely tied and rather shapeless
flat hoods concealing the hair, Madam Shrimpton's having an embroidered
edge about two inches wide. Similar hoods are shown in Romain de Rooge's
prints of the landing of King William, on the women in the coronation
procession. They were like the Nithesdale hoods of Hogarth's prints, but
smaller. Both New English dames have also broad collars, stiff and ugly,
with uncurved horizontal lower edge, apparently trimmed with embroidery
or cut-work. Both show the wooden contour of figure, which was either
the fault of the artist's brush or of the iron busk of the wearer's
stays. The bodies are stiffly pointed, and the most noticeable feature
of the gown is the sleeve, consisting of a double puff drawn in just
above the elbow and confined by knots of ribbon; in one case with very
narrow ribbon loops. Randle Holme says that a sleeve thus tied in at the
elbow was called a virago sleeve. Madam Shrimpton's sleeve has also a
falling frill of embroidery and lace and a ruffle around the armsize.
The question of sleeves sorely vexed the colonial magistrates. Men and
women were forbidden to have but one slash or opening in each sleeve.
Then the inordinate width of sleeves became equally trying, and all were
ordered to restrain themselves to sleeves half an ell wide. Worse modes
were to come; "short sleeves whereby the nakedness of the arm may be
discovered" had to be prohibited; and if any such ill-fashioned gowns
came over from London, the owners were enjoined to wear thick linen to
cover the arms to the wrist. Existing portraits show how futile were
these