Restoration fashion

From Life and Times of Anthony Wood, antiquary, of Oxford, 1632 - 1695, described by Himself:

"A strange effeminate age when men strive to imitate women in their apparell, viz. long periwigs, patches in their faces, painting, short wide breeches like petticoats, muffs, and their clothes highly scented, bedecked with ribbons of all colours. And this apparell was not only used by gentlemen and others of inferior quality, but by souldiers especially those of the Life Guard to the King, who would have spanners hanging on one side and a muff on the other, and when dirty weather some of them would relieve their gards in pattens.

On the other side, women would strive to be like men, viz., when they rode on horseback or in coaches weare plush caps like monteros, whether full of ribbons or feathers, long perwigs which men use to wear, and riding coat of a red colour all bedaubed with lace which they call vests, and this habit was chiefly used by the ladies and maids of honour belonging to the Queen, brought in fashion about anno 1662."

From Tyrannus or The Mode, 1661, by John Evelyn:

It was a fine silken fop which I spied walking tho'other day through Westminster-Hall, that had as much Ribbon about him as would have plundered six shops, and set up twenty Country Pedlers: All his body was dres't like a May-pole, or a Tom-a- Bedlam's cap. A Fregat newly rigg'd kept not half such a clatter in a storme, as this Puppets Streamers did when the Wind was in his Shroud's; the Motion was Wonderful to behold, and the Colours were Red, Orange, and Blew, of well gum'd Sattin, which argu'd a happy fancy: But so was our Gallant over charg'd,... whether he did weare this Garment, or (as a Porter) bear it only, was not easily to be resolv'd.

From Musick's Monument, 1676, by Thomas Mace

I remember there was a Fashion, not many Years since, for Women in their Apparel to be so Pent up by the Straitness, and Stiffness of the Gown-Shoulder-Sleeves, that they could not so much as Scratch Their Heads, for the Necessary Remove of a Biting Louse; nor Elevate their Arms scarcely to feed themselves Handsomely; nor Carve a Dish of Meat at a Table, but their whole Body must needs Bend towards the Dish.

The ascent of French fashion

Pepys's diary, 2 March 1669:

"My wife this day put on first her French gown, called a sac..."

The first "BUY BRITISH" campaign

In 1666, Charles tried to start a strictly British fashion of long, loose fitting vests, but the king of France took to dressing his servants and footmen in that fashion, so Charles and his courtiers had to switch back.

Pepys's diary:

8 October 1666: The King hath yesterday in council declared his resolution of setting a fashion for clothes, which he will never alter. It will be a vest, I know not well how. But it is to teach the nobility thrift, and will do good.

15 October 1666: This day the King begins to put on his vest, and I did see several persons of the House of Lords, and Commons too, great courtiers, who are in it - being a long cassocke close to the body, of black cloth and pinked with white silk under it, and a coat over it, and the left ruffled with black riband like a pigeon's leg - and upon the whole, I wish the King may keep it, for it is a very fine and handsome garment.

17 October 1666: ...The Court is all full of vests; only, my Lord St Albans not pinked, but plain black - and they say the King sys the pinking upon white makes them look too much like magpies, and therefore hath bespoke one of plain velvet.

22 November 1666: ...the King of France hath, in defiance to the King of England, caused all his footmen to be put into vests, and that the noblemen of France will do the like; which... is the greatest indignity ever done by one prince to another, and would incite a stone to be revenged.