The women spin and make the greater part of their own clothing and that of their families. A stranger, seeing a Walachian woman going to market with a basket of goods upon her head, and spinning with her distaff as she trudges along, would be apt to conceive a favourable idea of the industry of these people, which, however, is soon lost on a nearer acquaintance, particularly as it respects the men. The clothing of the Walachians varies in many points according to the district in which they reside; but may generally be described as follows:--The summer dress of the men consists of a short coarse shirt with wide open sleeves, which reach partly over the thighs and hang outside of the trowsers. The latter, of coarse white woollen cloth, or in summer sometimes of linen, are very large and descend to the ankles. Round their feet they wrap rags, and over them put a piece of raw hide, bound on with thongs and thus fastened to the foot and leg above the ankle. Instead of these sandals, the more wealthy wear short boots reaching to the calf of the leg. Round the waist the shirt is bound by a leathern girdle, generally ornamented with brass buttons, in which they carry a knife, a flint and steel, and a tobacco-pipe. Over the shirt is sometimes thrown a jacket of coarse brown woollen cloth. They wear the hair short, suffering it to hang down a little way in the natural curls. None but old men, or such as from their situation or office are particularly entitled to respect, suffer the beard to grow. Among the common people this usually takes place after the age of forty, and such persons are distinguished by the appellation of _moschule_, grandfather. The head is generally covered with a woollen or white cloth cap, or a low round hat; but while the Walachian is in mourning he always goes bare-headed, be the weather what it may. He carries a knapsack, containing provisions and necessaries, slung across the shoulders, and a strong stick in his hand. The women wear a long shirt reaching to the knees, and ornamented at the bosom and sleeves with coloured stitches. From a small girdle are suspended two aprons, one before and the other behind. These are somewhat shorter than the shirt, and are made of striped woollen cloth, bordered below with fringe. Over the shirt the bosom is often covered with a stomacher of cloth or leather. They also wear, particularly in winter, under their shirts, long wide drawers; and in the mountain districts cover their feet with the sandals already described, but commonly wear boots in the plain. The girls have no covering on the head, but their hair is plaited in braids, which are disposed cross-wise on the head, and fastened with pins. Married women wear head-dresses of white linen, and the richer part of them of muslin.