the throng, selling geese" (1805) "the men generally wear grey or drab coloured cloth, manufactured out of the wool of their own country sheep, coarsely and tickly woven" (1807) "The men wear a coarse woollen cloth of a sky blue colour for coat, breeches, and waistcoat, with worsted stockings of the same colour; through in Radnorshire the colour is a drab. Even many of the clergy are so prejudiced in favour of their paternal dress, that they despise a sable havit, and retain the country clothing" (1827) "Today the Welsh lasses have thot proper to clothe their legs and feet. Yesterday in one walk from Merthyr we saw so much nakedness as quite to shock us. This, bye the bye is one of the means of distinction between the sexes for we never see the men without shoes or stockings" (1861) "The men wear low-crowned hats, and are for the most part clothed in coats and vests of deep blue cloth, home spun and with brass buttons, have knee breeches of corduroy, and are very partial to showy silk neckcloths" (1878) "A short man, broad, clumsy, wearing a coat of sky-blue cloth, corduroy breeches to the knee, a motley woollen waistcoat, a blue ribbon hanging on his breast, indicating the nature of his office and message through the country which he tramped; black woolen stocking on his legs, and two strong leathern boots on his feet; a hat made of rough cloth on his half-bare head" Gentry costume in Wales Most gentry would have worn the latest fashions which they bought either via agents from Paris and London or from local tailors who read the articles on the latest fashions which most newspapers published. Again, clothing worn by the Gentry were very similar in style in England and Wales, However Welsh Gentry sourced their clothing locally. Eccentric Dress Although eccentric dress was not typically worn, it was worn by some mountain guides to achieve good payment, such as those guiding tourist up Cadair Idris and Snowdon. Evidence Written descriptions Over 80,000 words of descriptions of Welsh costumes were written during the 18th and 19th centuries, mostly by English middle-aged, middle-class men, but with a few exceptions – the descriptions by women tend to be lengthy and detailed and probably reliable. There are few descriptions in Welsh or by Welsh people in English (but see T. J. Llewelyn Pritchard's descriptions in