However, white-faced, comely, with light-brown hair, mature women were considered to be the standard. It partly tells us about the tastes of Russian men who liked full-chested beauties; besides in Russia did not know corsets, and female bodies developed freely as the nature ordered them. The western travelers who were used to tightened waists of Versailles and Hoffburg, found Russian women corpulent. Women in Russia were not indifferent to the appearance. Women dressed up in the long, running sundresses embroidered with gold. Magnificent sleeves extended from top to bottom and absolutely hide hands if were not seized on wrists by sparkling bracelets.
A married woman never showed up with her head uncovered. Women reddened cheeks to emphasize the beauty, and wore the most magnificent and expensive ear rings and rings their husbands could afford. As a rule, the groom and father of the bride gave out young women to marry the person who to they were permitted to see for the first time only after all interested parties - her father and the groom, - came to the final consent. When all was, young bride was ordered go to the groom under a linen cover. After the wedding the young wife came to the house of the husband - in a role of an object of domestic use, not having any independence, not connected with the husband. Her assignment was - to look after the house and to care about his convenience, to grow his children.
That is what Russian women were like in the late 17th century, before Peter I came to power.