Elizabethan Era Fashion Italian Elizabethan Era Fashion Italian Servent
Due to laws prohibiting who was immune to wear what, and the cost of materials, there was a vast difference in attire between the classes. Not but did materials vary, just styles as well, as the lower classes opted for practicality in their vesture by necessity. Lower classes, such as laborers and apprentices would wear linen, a light, cool fabric derived from the flax plant, wool, or sheepskin. Cotton had been in production since antiquity, just its import and industry was prohibited in Elizabethan England in society to protect the wool industry, one of England's chief exports. It was not until cotton farming in the new globe and Eli Whitney's development of the cotton wool gin in 1793 that cotton go a favored cloth (Cotton).
An example of centre-class women'due south dress, c. 1570
Fabrics available to those in the upper classes included silk, satin, velvet, and brocade. As this was prior to the industrial revolution, all harvesting, weaving, and product of fabrics and clothing was done by hand, thus greatly influencing price. As with material choices, the lower classes were limited in the corporeality of clothing they could beget, and may simply take one set of wearable. Liveries, uniforms worn by servants with their master's colors or emblems on them, were provided by the master to the servant. Liveries were exempt from many of the sumptuary restrictions, as they represented the upper course chief, not the servant.
While the the materials and sumptuousness of clothing varied greatly between the classes, the bones elements of an outfit were much the same. As with today, styles went in and out of mode, often rapidly.
Women
The styles of the gowns worn by women in Renaissance England inverse from year to yr, but the basic styles remained the same. Women wore gowns comprised of a tight-plumbing equipment bodice and a fuller skirt that would hang down to the ankles. Dresses cut to betrayal much of the neckline were adequate and fashionable. Clothing of the upper classes was heavy and cumbersome, and restricted motility for the wearer. Women of the lower classes wore much less restrictive styles, both for freedom of motion, and considering they did not have servants to help them apparel. In dressing, a lower grade women would wear a much looser corset, or none at all, and would possibly eschew other underpinnings such every bit bum rolls (crescent-shaped cushions worn around the hips) or farthingales (hoop skirts used to hold the skirts out) for added condolement.
All women'southward outfits started with a shift (a loose, linen smock worn to protect the gown), and stockings, which were normally knee-loftier. Petticoats were added both to make full out a gown and to keep the wearer warm.
Men
A man'due south outfit would start with a shirt, similar to today'south clothes shirt, just defective the neckband and cuffs we are familiar with, instead sometimes utilizing lace collars and cuffs. Over this would go a doublet, or fitted elevation, and finally over that a jerkin, a close-fitting jacket. Men of the working class similar their female person counterparts dressed for utility and might merely wear the shirt solitary.
Instead of trousers as we are used to them today, men would wear hose on their legs. The upper hose were (frequently poufy) knee-length trousers which were met by the under hose, or stockings, on the lower leg. In the reign of Henry Viii, doublets became shorter, creating a space between the upper hose and the doublet. In club to preserve modesty, the cod piece became popular once again, having been around since the middle ages. The cod piece was originally a cloth or creature skin pocket in the from of hose or trouser, but were now made from various materials, and oftentimes padded or used for storage - Henry Viii used his codpiece to store money. Once more, these additions to the outfit would be more common in an upper class private or person at court than the average Englishman (Kosir).
Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southhamptam
Children
Children in Renaissance England were considered simply modest adults, and their dress reflected this. Children were dressed in article of clothing very similar to their parents, and both young boys and girls wore dresses during infancy and toddlerhood. For young boys, this aided the mother in toilet training and intendance giving. When boys were old enough (usually effectually the age of seven, when they could start helping their fathers) they were "breeched," or put into their first pair of breeches, or hose. This exercise continued up until the 19th century in the Western Globe, and portraiture of young children is oft difficult to gender without tell-tale props such as swords or hats.
Which groovy abuses, tending both to so manifest a disuse of the wealth of the realm and to the ruin of a multitude of serviceable young men and gentlemen and of many expert families, the Queen's majesty hath of her own princely wisdom so considered as she hath of late with great charged to her council allowable the same to exist before long and rapidly remedied both in her ain court and in all other places of her realm, according to the sundry proficient laws heretofore provided.
The term sumptuary refers to the sumptuousness, or the excesses clothing. Sumptuary restrictions were not new to the English monarchy or people. Henry VIII's offset Parliament met in January 1510 and passed a sumptuary law which took a cracking deal from earlier acts in 1463 and 1483. The acts passed during the Elizabethan reign build further on her begetter's act, only share many qualities. Nether Henry, colors and cloths were restricted past form, it allowed for the fining of offenders, and also concerned itself non simply with men'south apparel simply women's too. Henry and his parliament continued to amend and strengthen these laws, focusing on the penalties imposed, further restrictions on fabrics and fabric length, and continuing to allow the King to brand special license for those he saw fit (Hooper 433). Elizabeth, upon taking the throne, further stipulated what could be worn and by whom. She offset set up orders to ensure the earlier acts were followed. A annunciation dated October 21 1559 put the responsibility of ensuring these laws were enforced in the hands of magistrates and men of ability. A letter of the alphabet was and so sent to the City corporation, urging the passing of this annunciation, and suggesting two watchers per parish be posted to bear out this job (437). Afterwards, again in response to what Elizabeth I termed "the excess of apparel and the superfluity of unnecessary foreign wares" that were believed to cause serious problems for the realm, a series of statues were put into effect, including the largest on June 15, 1574 (Hooper 437). The last statue was the most detailed, and specifically listed fabrics, colors, and designs and very explicitly designated the wearing of them to particular nobles.
All these restrictions, from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I served several purposes, both overt and covert. The most explicit purpose was to address the problem of upward and coming young gentlemen and nobles, who in the effort to look their all-time and clothing the all-time materials available, would spend over their means. This was not only a problem for their families, but the monarchy, as this money could be better spent towards goods that were of better apply to the nation. It was likewise vitally important in a strictly course-based and class-segregated society like Tudor England that people dressed according to the standards of their own class and gender. A grade arrangement does non piece of work efficiently if 1 cannot tell to which grade a person belongs, and blurring of class lines takes some of the significant abroad from higher positions. This clear distinction between groups is besides necessary to curb attempts at upward mobility by the emerging center form of merchants, and to maintain social conformity and etiquette, which Elizabeth strongly favored. Additionally, these laws curbed the influx of unnecessary foreign goods, in an effort to support English commerce (436).
The penalisation for violation of these statutes were fines and/or jail times amounting up to three months for the 1562 statute forbidding any person under the rank of Knighthood wearing silk trimming on hats and other sundries. During Henry'southward reign, the 1533 Act for Reformation of Excesse in Apparayle had a fine of 3 shillings and 4 pence for every 24-hour interval of the criminal offense (435). This was not an astronomical fine, just information technology tin can be imagined it would be a strain on a member of the working classes. Those employing servants who had violated the restrictions could face a large fine as well for not releasing the servant from his employment or hiring him again. Penalties paid were fines, not fees, and person of lower condition could not buy the "rights" to a specific item or cloth (Secara).
In 1561 restrictions were put on the corporeality of material to be used in hose, and obliged tailors to enter into bonds to notice these provisions. Refusal meant imprisonment and loss of occupation. Searches were made regularly to ensure cooperation, and servants and apprentices were taught also to follow the law (440). On January 24, 1565 Richard Walweyn, a servant whose master had also been brought up on charges for an "outrageous great pair of hose," was detained until he could acquire more appropriate hose for himself. In another instance, merchant tailor Thomas Bradshaw was convicted of wearing unacceptable hose. The courtroom ordered that all the stuffing and linings of one of his said hose shall be cut and pulled out presently, and he to exist put in his doublet and hose, and so led dwelling house through the street to his Mrs. House, and there the lining and stuffing of the other to be likewise cut and pulled out (441)
Violators of higher office were dealt with more gently. In one case, offenders described as "gentlemen" were fined �20 and ordered to right their attire. Even with punishments, the statutes were difficult to enforce. In that location were appointed officers at court, and alderman were charged to monitor their wards. Elizabeth I set the responsibleness of enforcing the restrictions on all � clergy for their flock, masters for their servants, neighbors for i another (Secara). All the same, neighbors were not likely to turn 1 some other in if they wished to violate the statues themselves. By 1566, Elizabeth issued precepts ordering guards at the gates of the urban center past vii in the morning time to:
...having a diligent heart during all the said time to all and every such person & persons as they shall see in that location to enter into the City of London, or pass or repass at or by the same gate using or wearing whatsoever neat and monstrous hosen, silk, velvet or weapons restrained and prohibited.
Offenders were taken to the magistrates at the Guildhall (443).
Despite the possible toll in fines to offenders, the best enforcement was public opinion. Public embarrassment was a very effective penalization. Wearing something that did not fit into society'due south view of the acceptable could be pointed at for ridicule (Secara). Ridicule at court or most town for a violation or inappropriate item would exist more damaging, and public, than a fine, every bit in the example of tailor Thomas Bradshaw, for whom the major punishment was being marched through London to his home in his torn, illegal attire. The mention of his "Mrs." in the above account also implies that violators would also face up censure at home.
The specific items restricted were detailed, and covered every aspect of the Elizabethan costume. Among the restrictions listed in Elizabeth I'south 1574 statute were:
Regal silk and sable fur: Reserved strictly for the Queen, Male monarch, and their family unit members.
Velvet: The colors cerise and reddish being reserved for only the highest nobility: dukes, marquises, and earls.
Tinseled cloth: Cloth that was woven with strands of gold and silver, that is, tinsel, was reserved for the nobility including viscounts and barons.
Golden, argent, or pearl embroidery: Reserved for dukes, marquises, earls (including the children of all three), viscounts, barons, and Knights of the Garter.
Lynx and civet cat fur: Restricted to the to a higher place ranks, and including the wives of men who tin can dispend �100 by the year.
Enameled buttons, chains, etc.: Restricted to the above nobility, and including wives of barons' sons, and wives of knights.
Silk, satin, and damask: Reserved for the above, and including knights' daughters.
The statues covered both men and women'southward clothing. These statues were specific to all ranks of the nobility, and dictated the allowances from the Queen down to knights. The only non-nobles permitted these types of materials and items were those who were in service to the Queen through diplomatic positions, the privy sleeping accommodation, or other courtroom office, or those men and women in service to nobles, who were permitted materials in their liveries.
There was not only concern in this period for men and women dressing above their condition and means, but also, men and women testing gender boundaries by cross dressing. Just as sumptuary violations blurred course lines, so did Renaissance cross dressing blur gender lines. In a strictly gendered and homosocial environment, this was of great concern. The most public case of cross dressing was in theatre. Women were not allowed onto the stage, and therefore young men and boys would play female person roles, dressing completely for the part. This raised concerns about homoeroticism and feminization (Cressy 438). Instances of cantankerous-dressing abound in Renaissance theatre, not only in males dressing for female person roles, but female characters dressing every bit males. That is, a male player would dress equally a female character who in turn dresses as a male. A classic Shakespearean example is Equally You Similar It, wherein the female charatcer Rosalind (played by a male actor) dresses equally the male Ganymede.
Off-phase, women would cross-dress for a number of reasons, including to avoid rape, be able to travel alone, practice a profession, or merely to take adventures (Cressy 440). A notable instance of female person cross-dressing is Mary Firth, likewise known as Moll Cutpurse, awell-known grapheme most London, who regularly dressed every bit a man, smoked, and appeared on phase (462). Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker'southward The Roaring Daughter is based on Firth. She was forced to appear in courtroom for her transgressions, although was treated lightly (462).
For the near role, off-stage cantankerous dressing was viewed as a prank, or distraction and punishments were oft balmy in the courts (461). Punishments, like for violating sumptuary statutes, were often focused on public embarrassment. One women in 1578 was required to ask her male parent'south forgiveness before communion (460).
Cressy, David. "Gender Trouble and Cross-Dressing in Early Modernistic England." The Journal of British Studies, Vol. 35, No. 4 (Oct., 1996), pp. 438-465
Elizabeth I, "Statute Issued at Greenwich," 15 June 1574.
Hooper, Wilfrid. "The Tudor Sumptuary Laws," The English language Historical Review. Vol. 30, No. 119. July 1915.
The Faces of Elizabeth I and Luminariium.org. Includes potraits of Elizabeth I, demonstrating the irresolute mode of her reign.
Elizabethan Costume Page. Large list of links for anyone interested in Renaissance Costuming. Includes histories, images, tutorials, and other resources.
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