The Elizabethan Period boasts of western European clothing with vast opulence, the risen ruff, women’s use of the farthingale, and the shedding of the men’s codpiece, among many other fashion developments. Clothing during the Elizabethan period was a mixture of different cultures contributed by the French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, and Spanish. Some of the common wardrobe pieces included linen ruffs, Italian doublets,decorated hoses with trims and parallel cuts, and black jerkins to name a few.
Clothes defined the status of an individual when peasants wore stiff and plain clothes while aristocrats wore embroidered shirts and chemises.
Most affluent citizens during this era could be identified with the blackwork and edged laces on their shirts, heavy cut velvets and brocades which were designed with embroidery in gold, silver, jewels and bobbin lace, and during the latter part of this period gave rise to the use of multicolored silk with embroidery.
Most of these clothes were clasped using buttons, ribbons or cords which were made of silver and gold and accented with gemstones, aiguillettes, or aiglets using precious metals.
Clothing during the Elizabethan Period also saw the distinct fashion of women of this era. Their clothes were narrow-shouldered with wide-cuffed trumpet sleeves and they used gloves made of perfumed leather with their cuffs delicately embroidered. The latter part of the period saw the popularity of folding fans replacing the use of ostrich feather flat fans as accessories for their gowns.
In addition, Elizabethan women gave much detail to their hairstyles and headgears wherein they styled their hair by parting it in the center and fluffing it over the temples. This kind of hairstyle is seen on many of Queen Elizabeth I’s portraits. Subsequently, the front of the hair was curled and puffed high over the forehead.
For more men’s and women’s fashions from the Elizabethan Period, drop by realmcollections.com.