Like the men's, the cut and colour of women's clothing would have been largely dependent on their status and income. In Syr John Owens we have women who portray all social status', from the lowliest camp follower in 'hodden grey' and bare feet, to Officers wives in silks and lace.
Illustrated we can see a lady and her maid picking herbs. The Lady is the wife of an Officer, and as such is tightly laced into a fine woollen suit of bright green and russet, with the wide cut sleeves and trailing
skirts, fashionable in the 1640's. Her maid wears more dowdy colours, in rougher fabric, with shorter skirts for ease of working and safety around the kitchen fire. She also wears a linen coif to protect her hair, unlike the fine felt hat of her mistress.
Children would have been dressed in skirts, regardless of their sex, until the age of six or seven. At this age boys would be 'breeched' and bought their first pair of men's britches, and girls would be dressed exactly as their mothers
© Copyright 1998-2007 Sir John Owens Regiment of Foote.
