His stockings, no
matter what the material, were tightly stretched over his calves and
carefully gartered at the knee. If he rode, he wore boots instead of
shoes and carried a stout riding whip. About his neck was a white
cravat of great amplitude, with abundant hanging ends of lace. His
waist-coat was made with great flaps extending nearly down to the knee
and bound with gold or silver lace. His coat, of cloth or velvet,
might be of any color, but was sure to be elaborately made, with
flap-pockets, and great hanging cuffs, from beneath which appeared the
gentleman's indispensable lace ruffles. His knee-breeches were of
black satin, red plush, or blue cloth, according to his fancy. They
were plainly made and fitted tightly, buckling at the knee. At home, a
black velvet skull-cap sometimes usurped the place of the wig and a
damask dressing-gown lined with silk supplanted the coat, the feet
being made easy in fancy morocco slippers. Judges on the bench often
wore robes of scarlet faced with black velvet in winter, and black
silk gowns in summer.

The substantial planter and burgher dressed well but were not so
particular about their wigs, of which they probably owned no more than
one, kept for visiting and for Sabbath use. They usually yielded to
the custom of shaving their heads, however, and wore white linen caps
under their hats. During the Revolutionary War wigs were scare and
costly, linen was almost unobtainable and the practice of shaving
heads accordingly fell rapidly into desuetude. Sometimes the burgher's
hat was of wool or felt, with a low crown and broad brim, turned up
and cocked. About his neck he wore a white linen stock, fastening with
a buckle at the back. His coat was of cloth, broad-backed, with
flap-pockets, and his waist-coat, of the same stuff, extended to his
knees. He wore short breeches with brass or silver knee-buckles, red
or blue garters, and rather stout, coarse leather shoes, strapped over
the quarter. He wore no sword, but often carried a staff, and knew how
to use it to advantage.

Mechanics, laborers and servants wore leather-breeches and aprons,
sagathy coats, osnaburg shirts and hair-shag jackets, coarse shoes,
and worsted or jean stockings, knit at home.

The dress of the women of these classes was shabbier still, their
costumes, for the most part, comprising stamped cotton and white
dimity gowns, coarse shift (osnaburg), country cloth, and black
quilted petticoats. In the backwood