CLOTHING FOR MEN IN SALEM VILLAGE

The clothing for a man of the early 17th century who lived in Salem Village consisted of a number of garments, mostly still recognizable today. The basic garment was the linen shirt, which was considerably longer and looser than its modern counterpart. Breeches were designed in a variety of styles and fabrics, from elaborate trunk hose to plain knee-length. Stockings were tailored of cloth or could have been the relatively new knit type. Shoes were the most common sort of footwear, but boots had become fashionable as a result of Charles I’s fondness for them. A doublet, close-fitting and padded, was the usual upper garment. Capes and loose-fitting coats were the usual outer-wear for men and women. There were many styles of hats and caps which were worn inside and outdoors.