As Mrs. Knight was so observant of how others dressed, let us take a look at her own costume, as described in Brooks’ Dames and Daughters of Colonial Days:  “Debby looked with curious admiring eyes at the new comer’s costume, the scarlet cloak and little round cap of Lincoln green, the puffed and ruffled sleeves, the petticoat of green-drugget cloth, the high heeled leather shoes, with their green ribbon bows, and the riding mask of black velvet which Debby remembered to have heard, only ladies of the highest gentility wore."[129]

The most famous or most dignified of colonial gentlemen were not above commenting upon woman’s dress.  Old Judge Sewall mingled with his accounts of courts, weddings, and funerals such items as:  “Apr. 5, 1722.  My Wife wore her new Gown of sprig’d Persian.”  Again, we note the philosopher-statesman, Franklin, discoursing rather fluently to his wife about dress, and, from what we glean, he seems to have been pretty well informed on matters of style.  Thus in 1766 he wrote:  “As the Stamp Act is at length repeal’d, I am willing you should have a new Gown, which you may suppose I did not send sooner, as I knew you would not like to be finer than your neighbours, unless in a Gown of your own spinning.  Had the trade between the two Countries totally ceas’d, it was a Comfort to me to recollect, that I had once been cloth’d from Head to Foot in Woolen and Linnen of my Wife’s Manufacture, that I never was prouder of any Dress in my Life, and that she and her Daughter might do it again if it was necessary....  Joking apart, I have sent you a fine Piece of Pompadore Sattin, 14 Yards, cost 11 shillings a Yard; a silk Negligee and Petticoat of brocaded Lutestring for my dear Sally, with two dozen Gloves...."[130]

A letter dated from London, 1758, reads:  ...  “I send also 7 yards of printed Cotton, blue Ground, to make you a Gown.  I bought it by Candle-Light, and lik’d it then, but not so well afterwards.  If you do not fancy it, send it as a present from me to sister Jenny.  There is a better Gown for you, of flower’d Tissue, 16 yards, of Mrs. Stevenson’s Fancy, cost 9 Guineas and I think it a great Beauty.  There was no more of the sort or you should have had enough for a Negligee or Suit."[131]

And again:  “Had I been well, I intended to have gone round among the shops and bought some pretty things for you and my dear, good Sally (whose little hands you say eased your headache) to send by this ship, but I must now defer it to the next, having only got a crimson satin cloak for you, the newest fashion, and the black silk for Sally; but Billy sends her a scarlet feather, muff, and tippet, and a box of fashionable linen for her dress...."[132]

He sends her also in 1758 “a newest fashion’d white Hat and Cloak and sundery little things, which I hope will get safe to hand.  I send a pair of Buckles, made of French Paste Stones, which are next in Lustre to Diamonds...."[133]