he liked the clothes they wore , as he wrote to his son he seemed to be writing to his son almost daily a chemise , vulgarly called a shift in your country , and a thin muslin gown constitutes the entire female dress , some , indeed old-fashioned people , may have a bit of handkerchief about the neck , or bosom , but those who know how to dress consider such an encumbrance , & , of course , despise them .