o hide the milliner in the millinery.

The ladies of Richard I.'s time did not wear Oriental clothes, but
they had a flavour of Orientalism pervading their dress--rather
masculine Orientalism than feminine.

The long cloak with the cord that held it over the shoulders; the
long, loose gown of fine colours and simple designs; the soft, low,
heelless shoes; the long, unbound hair, or the hair held up and
concealed under an untied wimple--these gave a touch of something
foreign to the dress.

Away in the country there was little to dress for, and what clothes
they had were made in the house. Stuffs brought home from Cyprus, from
Palestine, from Asia Minor, were laboriously conveyed to the house,
and there made up into gowns. Local smiths and silver-workers made
them buckles and brooches and ornamental studs for their long belts,
or clasps for their purses.

A wreck would break up on the shore near by, and the news would
arrive, perhaps, that some bales of stuff were washed ashore and were
to be sold.

[Illustration: A WOMAN OF THE TIME OF RICHARD I. (1189-1199)

Her very full cloak is kept in place by the cord which passes
through loops. A large buckle holds the neck of the gown well
together. The gown is ornamented with a simple diaper pattern; the
hem and neck are deeply embroidered.]

The female anchorites of these days were busy gossips, and from their
hermitage or shelter by a bridge on the road would see the world
go by, and pick up friends by means of gifts of bandages or purses
made by them, despite the fact that this traffic was forbidden to
them.

So the lady in the country might get news of her lord abroad, and hear
that certain silks and stuffs were on their way home.

The gowns they wore were long, flowing and loose; they were girded
about the middle with leathern or silk belts, which drew the gown
loosely together. The end of the belt, after being buckled, hung down
to about the knee. These gowns were close at the neck, and there
fastened by a brooch; the sleeves were wide until they came to the
wrist, over which they fitted closely.

The cloaks were ample, and were held on by brooches or laces across
the bosom.

The shoes were the shape of the foot, sewn, embroidered, elaborate.

The wimples were pieces of silk or white linen held to the hair in
front by pins, and allowed to flow over the head at the back.

There were still remaining at this date women who wore the
tight-fitting g