HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855.
Charles Brooks, Ed.

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[457] of clothes typical of true Puritan ideas,--clothes that would not patronize coughs, consumptions, pride, or taxes. As the royal family and the nobility led the English nation in habits of dress, they would not be so implicitly followed on this side of the water. As faithful disciples turn their faces to Jerusalem or Mecca, so modern fashionists turn their eyes to Paris; for France is subjugating the world to millinery. Thus it was not with our Pilgrim ancestors. They dared to think for themselves; and they dared to make laws against the customs and costumes of their native land. The single fact that our Colonial Legislature took up the subject of dress,--female dress, too,--is a proof of their clear ideas and consistent characters. What body of men had ever before dared thus to legislate on such a subject? It is very evident to us, therefore, what kind of dress the Medford ladies had not; and we can conceive the dumb wonder and inexpressible blushing which the appearance of one of our expose celebrities would cause among them at an evening party. It is wonderful how the highest civilization brings us back to Eden!

The common every-day dress of our ancestors was very plain, strong, and comfortable; but their Sunday suits were expensive, elaborate, and ornamental. The men, in their Sunday attire, wore broad-brimmed hats, turned up into three corners, with loops at the side, showing full bush-wigs beneath them; long coats, the very opposite of the swallowtails, having large pocket-folds and cuffs, and without collars, the buttons either plated or of pure silver, and of the size of half a dollar; vests, also without collars, but very long, having graceful pendulous lappet-pockets; shirts, with bosom and wrist ruffles, and with gold and silver buckles at the wrist, united by a link; the neckcloths or scarfs of fine linen, or figured stuff, or embroidered, the ends hanging loosely. Small-clothes were in fashion, and only reached a little below the knees, where they were ornamented with silver buckles of liberal size; the legs were covered with gray stockings, and the feet with shoes, ornamented with straps and silver buckles; boots were sometimes worn, having broad white tops; gloves, on great occasions; and mittens, in the winter. A gentleman, with his cocked — up hat and white bush-wig; his chocolate-colored coat, buff vest, and small-clothes; his brown stockings and black shoes; his ruffles, buckles, and buttons,--presented an imposing figure, and