t the petticoat stood out all
round like a bell; over this the skirt hung stiff and solemn. The
bodice was tight-laced, cut square in front where the neckerchief of
linen or lace made the edge soft. The sleeves still retained the cuff
covering the elbow, and the under-sleeve of linen with lace frills
came half-way down the forearm, leaving bare arm and wrist to show.

[Illustration: {Four women of the time of George II.}]

Over the skirt she would wear, as her taste held her, a long, plain
apron, or a long, tucked apron, or an apron to her knees. The bodice
generally formed the top of a gown, which gown was very full-skirted,
and was divided so as to hang back behind the dress, showing, often,
very little in front. This will be seen clearly in the illustrations.

The hair is very tightly gathered up behind, twisted into a small knob
on the top of the head, and either drawn straight back from the
forehead or parted in the middle, allowing a small fringe to hang on
the temples. Nearly every woman wore a small cap or a small round
straw hat with a ribbon round it.

The lady's shoes would be high-heeled and pointed-toed, with a little
buckle and strap.

About the middle of the reign the sacque became the general town
fashion, the sacque being so named on account of the back, which fell
from the shoulders into wide, loose folds over the hooped petticoat.
The sacque was gathered at the back in close pleats, which fell open
over the skirt part of this dress. The front of the sacque was
sometimes open, sometimes made tight in the bodice.

[Illustration: {A woman of the time of George II.; four types of
shoe}]

Now the lady would puff her hair at the sides and powder it; if she
had no hair she wore false, and a little later a full wig. She would
now often discard her neat cap and wear a veil behind her back, over
her hair, and falling over her shoulders.

In 1748, so they say, and so I believe to be true, the King, walking
in the Mall, saw the Duchess of Bedford riding in a blue riding-habit
with white silk facings--this would be a man's skirted coat,
double-breasted, a cravat, a three-corned hat, and a full blue skirt.
He admired her dress so much and thought it so neat that he
straightway ordered that the officers of the navy, who, until now, had
worn scarlet, should take this coat for the model of their new
uniform. So did the navy go into blue and white.

The poorer classes were not, of course, dressed i