From Tudor fashion to Elizabeth I

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that began in Italy in the late Middle Ages and then spread
to the rest of Europe between the 14th and the 17th century. It encompassed the revival of learning
based on classical sources, the development of perspective in painting, and advancements in science.
The Renaissance had wide-ranging consequences in all intellectual pursuits, but is perhaps best
known for its artistic aspect and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and
Michelangelo, who have inspired the term “Renaissance men”.
Renaissance fashion and costumes mirrored the advancing culture.
 Nobility dressed themselves in elaborate and brightly coloured robes, gowns and other
vestments.
 The upper class reserved silk for themselves, and in some areas, peasants were forbidden
to possess it.
 Embroidery of gold and silver thread were sewn to draw and depict scenes from legends,
nature or religion.
 Rich people adorned themselves in jewelry, furs, and elaborate belts. Fashion represented
a status symbol, in fact it was usually the wealthy or ruling class that drove Renaissance
fashion. However, one very popular fashion trend, the technique of “slashing” was
originated within the lower classes.
 The beret was also invented during these times, it could be highly decorated by either
jewels or embroidery.

Women’s dresses about 1640

 Women’s dresses consisted of the bodice, the petticoat and the gown.
 The low décolletage was covered by a broad bertha collar and a neckerchief.
 The characteristic skirt of the period was in fact two skirts, the overskirt being gathered up
to reveal the skirt underneath.
 Hair was generally worn rather flat on the top of the head, with thick curls at the sides.
 The hood or chaperone was often silk lined and worn only for outdoors.
 A half-mask of black velvet covered the upper part of the face: masks were very popular
and used to protect skin from the sun.
 A fur stole was worn around the neck and shoulders, and a large matching fur muff was
carried in the hand

What did the Tudors wear?

Our knowledge of how the Tudors dressed comes largely from the portraits that were made of the
royal and noble members of Tudor society. From early Tudor fashion to late, sumptuary laws
controlled the clothing Tudor men and women could wear.
Women dresses
 The most popular style of this period was the open robe style. It consisted of a bodice
joined to an open-fronted skirt, in the shape of an inverted V, to show the petticoat.
 The bodice was stiffened with whalebone and ended slightly below the normal waistline,
which was also open in front, with decorative robings.
 The opening of the bodice revealed a stomacher, decorated with ribbon bows.
 The skirt was distended sideways by means of an oblong hoop made of whalebone or rods
of osier.
 The sleeves, which ended just above the elbow, were close-fitting and decorated with
ruffles of lace.
 The farthingale = Catherine of Aragon introduced the Spanish farthingale to the English
Court: a conical under-garment which gave structure to the wearer’s skirt.
 From around the 1580s, Elizabeth I popularised the Drum, or French farthingale. This
exaggerated the female silhouette.

Baroque and the 17th century

Baroque roughly corresponds to the 17th century. This style started around 1600 in Rome and spread
to most of Europe. It is a style that expresses drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture,
painting, literature, dance, and music.
 Fashion is characterized by the disappearance of the ruff in favor of broad lace or linen
collars. Waistlines rose through the period for both men and women.
 The silhouette, which was essentially close to the body with tight sleeves and a low,
pointed waist to around 1615, gradually softened and broadened.
 Sleeves became very full, and in the 1620s and 1630s were often paned or slashed to show
the voluminous sleeves of the shirt or chemise beneath.
 Other notable fashions included tall or broad hats with brims for men, while hose
disappeared in favour of breeches.
 For women, the wide, high-waisted look of the previous period was gradually superseded
by a long vertical line, with horizontal emphasis at the shoulder. Full, loose sleeves ended
just below the elbow at mid century and became longer and tighter in keeping with the
new trend.
 The body was tightly corseted, with a low, broad neckline and dropped shoulder.