A ceynt she werede, barred al of silk,
A barmclooth as whit as morne milk
Upon hir lendes, ful of many a goore.
And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute,
Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute.
The tapes of hir white voluper
Were of the same suyte of hir coler;
Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye.
And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Miller’s Tale. The carpenter’s much younger lusty wife Alison is flirtatious and has a wandering eye for the men. So she likes to dress like a little doll, with a belt of striped silk and smock embroidered on both the front and back. Her collar is silk as are her bonnet ribbons.