'Gone was my sword, my belt was laid aside, And I transformed both in looks and speech; My 'parel plain, my cloak was void of pride, My little skirts, my metamorphosed breech, My stockings black, my garters were tied shorter, My gloves no scent; thus marched I to her porter.' [Illustration: {A man of the time of the Cromwells; a type of jacket}] It is a question, in this time of restraint, of formalism, where anything could be made plain, cut in a cumbrous fashion, rendered inelegant, it was done. The little jackets were denuded of all forms of frippery, the breeches were cut straight, and the ornaments, if any, were of the most severe order. Hats became broader in the brim, boots wider in the tops, in fact, big boots seemed almost a sign of heavy religious feeling. The nice hair, love-locks, ordered negligence all vanished, and plain crops or straight hair, not over long, marked these extraordinary people. It was a natural revolt against extravagance, and in some more sensible minds it was not carried to excess; points and bows were allowable, though of sombre colours. Sashes still held good, but of larger size, ruffs at the wrists were worn, but of plain linen. The bands or collars varied in size according to the religious enthusiasm of the wearers, but all were plain without lace edgings, and were tied with plain strings. Black, dark brown, and dull gray were the common colours, relieved sometimes, if the man was wearing a sleeveless coat, by the yellow and red-barred sleeves of the under-jacket, or possibly by coloured sleeves sewn into the coat under the shoulder-wings. Overcoats were cut as simply as possible, though they did not skimp the material but made them wide and loose. [Illustration: A CROMWELLIAN MAN (1649-1660) Notice the careful plainness of his dress, and his very wide-topped boots.] [Illustration: {Three men of the time of the Cromwells; a type of sleeve; two types of breeches and boot; a type of collar}] The women dressed their hair more plainly, the less serious retained the little bunches of side curls, but the others smoothed their hair away under linen caps or black hoods tied under their chins. Another thing the women did was to cut from their bodices all the little strips but the one in the middle of the back, and this they left, like a tail, behind. Some, of course, dressed as before with the difference in colour and in ornament that made for severity. It had an effect on the country insomuch as the country people ceased to be extravagant in the materials for garments and in many like ways, and so lay by good fortunes for their families--these families coming later into the gay court of Charles II. had all the more to lavish on the follies of his fashions. [Illustration: {A man of the time of the Cromwells; a type of coat}]