By Pauline Weston Thomas for Fashion-Era.com
King James II Costume - 1685-1689
English Costume History by Dion Clayton Calthrop
- THE MEN AND WOMEN
- A MAN OF THE TIME OF JAMES II - 1685-1689
- A WOMAN OF THE TIME OF JAMES II - 1685-168
This costume history information consists of Pages 341-355 of the chapter on the late 17th century dress in the 4 YEAR REIGN era of James the Second 1685-1689 and taken from English Costume by Dion Clayton Calthrop.
The 36 page section consists of a text copy of the book ENGLISH COSTUME PAINTED & DESCRIBED BY DION CLAYTON CALTHROP. Visuals, drawings and painted fashion plates in the book have a charm of their own and are shown amid the text. The book covers both male and female dress history of over 700 years spanning the era 1066-1830.
This page is about dress in the last Stuart reign of King James II 1685-1689.
For the Introduction to this book see this introduction written by Dion Clayton Calthrop. I have adjusted the images so they can be used for colouring worksheets where pupils add some costume/society facts.
My comments are in italics.
JAMES THE SECOND
Reigned four years: 1685-1689.
Born 1633. Married, 1661, Anne Hyde; 1673, Mary of Modena.
THE MEN AND WOMEN
In such a short space of time as this reign occupies it is not possible to show any great difference in the character of the dress, but there is a tendency, shown over the country at large, to discard the earlier beribboned fashions, and to take more seriously to the long coat and waistcoat.
Buttoning Up
There is a tendency, even, to become more buttoned up - to present what I can only call a frock-coat figure.
The Coat
The coat became closer to the body, and was braided across the front in many rows, the ends fringed out and held by buttons.
The Long Waistcoat
The waistcoat, with the pockets an arm's length down, was cut the same length as the coat.
The Tighter Breeches
Breeches were more frequently cut tighter, and were buttoned up the side of the leg.
The Wider Cuffs
The cuffs of the sleeves were wide, and were turned back well over the wrist.
A MAN OF THE TIME OF JAMES II - 1685-1689
The body-coat has now become the universal fashion, as have also the wide knee-breeches. Buckles are used on the shoes instead of strings.
Of course the change was gradual, and more men wore the transitional coat than the tight one.
By the coat in its changing stages I mean such a coat as this: the short coat of the early Charles II period made long, and, following the old lines of cut, correspondingly loose. The sleeves remained much the same, well over the elbow, showing the white shirt full and tied with ribbons. The shoe-strings had nearly died out, giving place to a buckle placed on a strap well over the instep.
The Growing Periwig
There is a hint of growth in the periwig, and of fewer feathers round the brim of the hat; indeed, little low hats with broad brims, merely ornamented with a bunch or so of ribbons, began to become fashionable.
Swords & Baldricks
Swords were carried in broad baldricks richly ornamented.
The waistclothes of Mr. Pepys would, by now, have grown into broad sashes, with heavily fringed ends, and would be worn round the outside coat; for riding, this appears to have been the fashion, together with small peaked caps, like jockey caps, and high boots.
A WOMAN OF THE TIME OF JAMES II - 1685-1689
Notice the broad collar again in use, also the nosegay. The sleeves are more in the mannish fashion.
The Ladies Simplified Gown
The ladies of this reign simplified the dress into a gown more tight to the bust, the sleeves more like the men's, the skirt still very full, but not quite so long in the train.
Black hoods with or without capes were worn, and wide collars coming over the shoulders again came into fashion. The pinner, noticed by Pepys, was often worn.
Country Folk & Ordinary Citizens Clothing
But the most noticeable change occurs in the dress of countryfolk and ordinary citizens.
The men began to drop all forms of doublet, and take to the long coat, a suit of black grogram below the knees, a sash, and a walking-stick; for the cold, a short black cloak.
In the country the change would be very noticeable.
The country town, the countryside, was, until a few years back, distinctly Puritanical in garb; there were Elizabethan doublets on old men, and wide Cromwellian breeches, patched doubtless, walked the market-place. 
Hair was worn short. Now the russet brown clothes take a decided character in the direction of the Persian coat and knickerbockers closed at the knee.
Clothing Of The Farmer's Wife
The good-wife of the farmer knots a loose cloth over her head, and pops a broad-brimmed man's hat over it. She has the sleeves of her dress made with turned-back cuffs, like her husband's, ties her shoes with strings, laces her dress in front, so as to show a bright-coloured under-bodice, and, as like as not, wears a green pinner (an apron with bib, which was pinned on to the dress), and altogether brings herself up to date.
One might see the farmer's wife riding to market with her eggs in a basket covered with a corner of her red cloak, and many a red cloak would she meet on the way to clep with on the times and the fashions.
The green apron was a mark of a Quaker in America, and the Society of Friends was not by any means sad in colour until late in their history.
Judge Jeffreys' Hempen Cravat
Most notable was the neckcloth in this unhappy reign, which went by the name of Judge Jeffreys' hempen cravat.
King James II Costume - 1685-1689
English Costume by Dion Clayton Calthrop
- THE MEN AND WOMEN
- A MAN OF THE TIME OF JAMES II - 1685-1689
- A WOMAN OF THE TIME OF JAMES II - 1685-168
This costume history information consists of Pages 341-355 of the chapter on the late 17th century dress in the 4 YEAR REIGN era of James the Second 1685-1689 and taken from English Costume by Dion Clayton Calthrop.
The 36 page section consists of a text copy of the book ENGLISH COSTUME PAINTED & DESCRIBED BY DION CLAYTON CALTHROP. Visuals, drawings and painted fashion plates in the book have a charm of their own and are shown amid the text. The book covers both male and female dress history of over 700 years spanning the era 1066-1830.
This page is about dress in the deposed Stuart reign of King James II 1685-1689.
For the Introduction to this book see this introduction written by Dion Clayton Calthrop. I have adjusted the images so they can be used for colouring worksheets where pupils add some costume/society facts.
Page Added 18 August 2010. Ref:-811.