Costuming (required)
Applicants must make a complete and detailed costume for their persona, including undergarments, overgarments, and headwear. Footwear and accessories need not be made by the applicant, but must be provided. Judging will be based on construction and design; the applicant may be asked to show the inside of their clothing which is to be done in a discreet manner and will not include the last layer of clothing. This chapter will be cover in two sections. Section one the Apparel Law of 1574, section 2 patterns for drawings for costuming.
Elizabethan Clothing from 1540s to 1590s
Christiana Elizabeth Deconisia Constable was born into the wealthy middle class that, was entitle at her later age to the finery of clothing becoming of that of a lady in upper Elizabethan society and to her wealthy husband of the import, export business. Her later years as per the Sumptuary Law called the Statutes of Apparel would dictate the costuming of Christiana Elizabeth Constable. In this section I will walk you through the development of the styles that came into being from the 1540-1590s for the wealthy class of the English people, but will concentrate more women clothing. More emphasis will be given to the 1580s and later than any other year, as this would most likely be the finery that Christiana would be wearing according to the research that I had attained from different sources. I have also included copies of illustrations and patterns for those that may choose to do this era.
Beverly O’Neill
The Sumptuary Law
The word sumptuary comes from the Latin word which means expenditure. This law was imposed by rules to curb the expenditure of the people, and as such might apply to food, beverages, furniture, jewelry, and clothing. These laws were used to control behavior and ensure that a specific class structure is maintained. It should be noted that this law could be traced back to the Romans.
The English Sumptuary laws were well known by all of the English people of the Elizabethan era. The penalties for violating these law could be harsh from fines, the loss of property, title, and even life were imposed of England’s people. The Medieval period ad been dominated by the Feudal system and everyone knew their place. Clothing provided an immediate way of distinguishing who was who. In the medieval fashion and clothing like everything else was dictated by the Pyramid of Power, which has its roots in the Feudal System. However the Feudal system broke down from the ravages of the Bubonic Plaque significantly reducing the population. During the reign of King Henry VIII a new and wealthy merchant class arose, and these men were looking above their station in life. They needed to be kept separate from the upper classes and Nobility so Henry VIII drafted a new series of laws concerning dress and personal adornment and thus Henry updated the existing Sumptuary Laws. His eldest daughter Queen Mary I also refer to Bloody Mary followed suit. The law proved it excellence for maintaining control over the populace.
Medieval clothes provided the information about the status of the person wearing the clothing. This was not just dictated by the wealth of the person, it also reflected their social standing. Only the royalty were permitted to wear clothes trimmed with ermine – the lesser nobles were allowed to wear clothing trimmed with for and otter and so on.
Queen Elizabeth I continued to use the sumptuary laws lust as her father and sister had done previously. During the Elizabethan era the Sumptuary laws dictated what color and type of clothing individuals were allowed to own and wear, an easy and immediate way to identify rank and privilege. In Greenwich on June 15, 1574 Queen Elizabeth enforced some new Sumptuary laws called the Statutes of Apparel; the reasons were to limit the expenditure on clothes – and to maintain the social structure if the Elizabethan Class System. The Sumptuary Laws proclamation included excess, superfluity, unnecessary foreign wares, extremity, manifest decay, vain devices, wasting, allured, unlawful acts, abuses, decay of the wealth of the realm, the rigor if her law, reform, offences, commandeth, punishment, orders and Justice of Assizes. Note: in the early 1500s France, Holland, and Germany had begun the cultivation of dye plants as an industry contributing to the unnecessary foreign ware being imported to England and a reason for the Sumptuary Law of Queen Elizabeth I
The Get Out Clause –
Note also that the meaning of this order is not to prohibit the servant from wearing and cognizance of his master, or henchmen, heralds, pursuivants at arms; runners at joist, tourneys, or such martial feats and such as wear apparel given them by the Queen and such have license from the Queen for the same
The above clauses ensure that upper class traditions and entertainment could continue. Royal servants could wear specific colors and styles normally prohibited to them. Contenders and heralds at joists and tournaments were able to continue relevant armor and colors, and anyone with a license from the queen was also exempt – the Elizabethan Acting Troupes and Actors.
Enforcing Statues of Apparel
The excess of apparel and the superfluity of unnecessary foreign ware thereto belonging now of late years is grown by sufferance to such extremity that the manifest decay of the whole realm generally is like to follow (by bringing into realm such superfluities of silks, cloths of gold, silver and other most vain devices of so great cost for the quantity thereof as of necessity the moneys ad treasure of the realm is and must be yearly conveyed out of the same to answer the said excess) but particularly the wasting and undoing of a great number of young gentlemen, otherwise serviceable, and others seeking by show of apparel to be esteemed as gentlemen, who, allured by the vain show of those things, do not only consume themselves, their goods, and land which their parents left unto them, but also run into such debts and shifts as they cannot line out of danger of laws without attempting unlawful acts whereby they are not any ways serviceable to their country as otherwise they might be:
Which great abuses, tending both to so manifest a decay of the wealth or the realm and to the ruin of a multitude of serviceable young men and gentlemen and of many good families, the queen’s majesty hath of her own princely wisdom so considered as she hath of late with great charged to her council commanded the same to be presently and speedily remedied both in her own court and in all other places of her realm, according to the sundry good laws heretofore provided.
For reformation whereof, although her highness might take great advantage and profit by execution of the said laws and statutes, yet of her princely clemency her majesty is content at this time to give warning to her loving subjects to reform themselves according to such orders as at this present, jointly with this proclamation, are set forth, whereby the statute of the 24th year of her majesty’s most noble father King Henry VIII and the statute made in the second year of her late deer sister Queen Mary are in some part moderated according to this time.
Wherefore her majesty willeth and straightly commandeth all manner of persons in all places within 12 days after the publication of this present proclamation to reform their apparel according to the tenor of certain articles and clauses taken out of the said statutes and with some moderations annexed to this proclamation, upon pain of her highness’s indignation, and punishment for their contempts and such other pains as in the said several statutes be expressed.
For the execution of which orders her majesty first giveth special charge to all such as do bear office within her most honorable house to look unto it, each person in his degree and office, that the said articles and orders be duly observed, and the contary, reformed in her majesty’s court by all them who are under their office, thereby to give example to the rest of the realm; and further generally to all noblemen, of what estate or degree so ever they be, and all and every person of her privy council, to all archbishops and bishops, and to the rest of the clergy according to their degrees, that they do see the same speedily and duly executed in their private households and families; and to all mayors and other head officers of cities, towns and corporations, to the chancellors of the universities, to governors of colleges, to the ancients and benchers in every the Inns of Courts and Chancery, and generally to all that hath any superiority or government over and upon any multitude, and each man in his own household for their children and servants, that they likewise do cause the said orders to be kept by all lawful means that they can.
And it the intent the same might be better kept generally throughout all the realm, her majesty giveth also special charge to all justices of the peace to inquire of the defaults and breaking of those orders in their quarter sessions, and to see them redressed in all open assemblies by all wise, godly, and lawful means; an d also to all Justices of Assizes in their circuits to cause inquiry and due presentment to be made at their assizes how these orders be kept; and so orderly, twice a year at every assize after each other circuits done, to certify in writing to her highness’s Privy Council under their hands, with as convenient speed as they may, what hath been found and done as well by the justices of the peace in their quarter sessions, of whom they shall take their certificate for each quarter session, as also at the assizes, for the observing of the said orders and reformation of the abuses.
From certain clauses, of the statute of King Henry VIII, and Queen Mary, with moderation in text thereof, to be observed according to her majesty’s proclamation.
Elizabethan Era Clothing Law for Men: None shall wear in his apparel:
Any silk of the color of purple, cloth of gold tissued, nor fur of sables, but only King, Queen, King’s mother, children, brethren, and sisters, uncles and aunts; except dukes, marquises, and earls, who may wear the same in doublets, jerkins, lining of cloaks, gowns, and hose; and those of the Garter, purple in mantles only.
Cloth of gold, silver, tinseled satin, silk, or cloth mixed or embroidered with and gold or silver: except all degrees above viscounts, and viscounts, barons, and other persons of like degree, in doublets, jerkins, linings of cloaks, gowns and hose.
Woolen cloth made out of the realm, but in caps only; velvet, crimson, or scarlet’ furs, black genets, lucernes; embroidery or tailor’s work having gold or silver or pearl therein; except dukes, marquises, earls, and their children, viscounts, barons, and knights being companions of the Garter, or any person being of the Privy Council.
Velvet in gowns, coats, or other uttermost garments; fur of leopards; embroidery with and silk, except men of the degrees above mentioned, barons’ sons, knights and gentlemen in ordinary office attendant upon her majesty’s person, and such as have been employed in embassages to foreign princes.
Caps, hats, hatbands, capbands, garters, or boothose trimmed in gold or silver or pearl; silk netherstocks; enameled chains, buttons, aglets; except men of the degrees above mentioned, the gentleman attending upon the queen’s person in her highness’s Privy chamber or in the office of cupbearer, carver, sewer, esquire for the body, gentlemen ushers, or esquires of the stable.
Satin, damask, silk, camlet, or taffeta in gown, coat, hose, or uppermost garments: fur whereof the kind growth not in the queen’s dominions, except foins, grey genets, and budge: except the degrees and persons above mentioned, and men that may dispend 100 pounds by the year, and so valued in the subsidy book.
Hat, binnet, girdle, scabbards of swords, daggers, etc.; shoes and pantofles of velvet: except the degrees and persons above names and the son and heir apparent of a knight.
Silk other than satin, damask, taffeta, camlet, in doublets; and sarcanet, camlet, or taffeta in facing of gowns and cloaks, and in coats, jackets, jerkins, coifs, purses being not of the color scarlet, crimson, or blue: fur of foins, grey genets, or other as the like growth not in the queen’s dominions; except men of the degrees and persons above mentioned, son of a knight, or son and heir apparent of a man of 300 marks land by the year, so valued in the subsidy books, and men that may dispend 40 pounds by the year, so valued ut supra.
None shall wear spurs, swords, rapiers, daggers, skeans, woodknives, or hangers, buckles, or girdles, gilt, silvered or damasked: except knights and barons’ sons and others of higher degree or place, and gentlemen in ordinary office attendant upon the queen’s majesty’s person; which gentlemen so attendant may wear all the premises saving gilt; silvered, or damasked spurs.
None shall wear in their trappings or harness of their horse any studs, buckles, or other garniture gilt, silvered, or damasked; nor stirrups gilt, silverd, or damasked; nor any velvet in saddles or horse trappers: except the person next before mentioned and others of higher degree, and gentlemen in ordinary, ut supra.
Note that the Lord Chancellor, Treasurer, President of the council, Privy Seal, may wear any velvet, satin, or other silks except purple, and furs black except black genets.
These may wear as they heretofore used, viz. any of the kings council, justice of either bench, barons of the exchequer, master of the rolls, sergeants at law, masters of chancery, of queen’s council, apprentices of aw, physicians of the king, queen, and prince, mayors, and other head officers of any town corporate, barons of the five ports, except velvet, damask, or satin of the color crimson, violet, purple, blue.
Note that her majesty’s meaning is not by this order, to forbid in any person the wearing of silk buttons, the facing of coats, cloaks, hats and caps, for comeliness only, with taffeta, velvet, or other silk, as commonly used.
Note also that the meaning of this order is not to prohibit a servant from wearing any cognizance of his master, or henchmen, heralds, pursuivants at arms; runners at joist, tourneys, or such martial feats, and as wear apparel given them by thequeen and such as shall hall license from the queen for the same.
Queen Elizabeth’s proclamation for the Statutes of Apparel Sumptuary Laws for men June XV of the year MDLXXIV.
See plate. 7-1
Enforcing Statutes of Apparel Clothing Laws for Women
None shall wear
Any cloth of gold, tissue, nor fur of sables: except duchesses, marquises, and countesses in their gowns, kirtles, partlets, and sleeves; cloth of gold, silver, tinseled satin, silk, or cloth mixed or embroidered with gold or silver or pearl, saving silk mixed with gold or silver in linings of crowls, partlets, and sleeves: except all degrees above viscountesses, and viscountesses, baronesses, and other personages of like degrees in their kittles and sleeves.
Velvet (crimson, carnation); furs (black genets, lucerns); embroidery or passment lace of gold or silver; except all degrees above mentioned, the wives of knights of the Garter and the privy council, the ladies and gentlewomen of the privy chamber and bedchamber, and maids of honor.
None shall wear any velvet in gowns, furs of leopards, embroidery of silk: except the degrees and persons above mentioned, the wives of barons’ sons, or knights.
Cowls, sleeves, partlets, and linings, trimmed with spangles or pearls of gold, silver, or pearl: cowls of gold or silver, or of silk mixed with gold or silver: except the degrees and persons above mentioned; and trimmed with pearl, none under the degree of baroness or like degree.
Enameled chains, buttons, aglets, and borders; except the degrees before mentioned.
Satin, damask, or tufted taffeta in gowns, kirtles; fur whereof the kind groweth not within the queen’s dominions, except foins, grey genets, bodge, and wolf: except the degrees and persons above mentioned, or the wives of those that may dispend 100 pounds by the year and so valued in the subsidy book.
Gowns of silk grograin, double sarcenet, camlet, or taffeta, or kritles of satin or damask; except the degrees and persons above mentioned, and the wives of the sons and heirs of knights, and the daughters of knights, and as such may dispend 300 marks by the year so valued ut supra, and the wives of those that may dispend 40 pounds by the year,
Gentlewomen attendant upon duchesses, marquises, countesses may wear, in their liveries given them by their mistresses, as the wives of those that may dispend 100 pounds by the year and are so valued ut supra.
None shall wear any velvet, tufted taffeta, satin, or any gold or silver in their petticoats; except wives of barons, knights of the order, or councilors’ ladies, and gentlewomen of the privy chamber and bedchamber, and the maid of honor.
Damask, taffeta, or other silk in their petticoats: except knight’s daughters and such as be matched with them in the former article, who shall not wear a guard of any silk upon their petticoats.
Velvet, tufted taffeta, satin, nor any gold or silver in any cloak or safeguard: except the wives of barons, knights of the order, or councilor’s ladies and gentlewomen of the privy chamber and bedchamber, and maids of honor, and the degrees above them.
Damask, taffeta, or other silk in any cloak or safeguard: except knights’ wives, and the degrees and persons above mentioned.
No persons under the degrees above specified shall wear any guard or welt of silk upon any petticoat, cloak, or safeguard.
Queen Elizabeth’s proclamation for the Statutes of Apparel June XV, MDLXXIV. See plate 7-2.
The meaning of color – worn during the Elizabethan era provided instant information about the class of people wearing them. A man or a women who were wearing purple clothing would immediately be recognized as that of royalty while gold, silver, crimson or scarlet, deep indigo blue, violet colors and even black or white colors were only worn by the highest nobility in England. The colors on Elizabethan clothing gave information about the status of the man or woman wearing them, and also reflected their social standing in the Elizabethan era. Elizabethan women and men were not allowed to wear any color of clothing they liked no matter how wealthy they were – color, fabric and materials of their clothes were dictated by the Statute of Apparel Law (Sumptuary Laws) for their status or position in society. These laws control the materials, fabrics and colors that a person might wear back in the Elizabethan era. The Sumptuary Laws also control the expenditure of people on clothes – and of course to maintain the social structure.
The range of colors used in the Elizabethan era for producing expensive clothes, were process by a complicated dying process. Expensive fabrics were imported from abroad, and the dyes used for coloring these clothes were of the brightest or darkest of colors. These dyes were expensive to produce and therefore limited to high social structure clothing. The color and its brightness helped determine the price of the garment – lower classes wore colors of yellow, russet (a reddish brown color), orange, green, pale blue, and red. The symbolic meaning of colors during this era were also important, and their meaning symbolized events, which occurred throughout history which dated back to and related to the biblical meanings of color.
If a citizen of the Elizabethan era wore the wrong color clothing, could result in the lost of money, property, titles, known in the Sumptuary Laws, and were strictly obeyed by England’s people. The penalties for violating the Sumptuary Laws could be harsh resulting in fines, the loss of title and even life. People of the Elizabethan era could only wear the clothes that they were allowed under the law.
· The color of black: symbolic meaning was authority and power. Expensive dyes were used to produce the true color of black worn by upper classes. This color was the darkest of all to produce in a colorfast format without the tendency to fade. The color black that fades was to the lower class. Black is symbolic of death.
· The color of blue: associated with the state of servitude and was a popular color worn by servants. Blue has a biblical meaning symbolizing heavenly grace. The blue dye produced by the leaves of woad (woad was a European herb – Isatis tinctoria – of the mustard family grown for the blue dye yielded by its leaves – cultivated as a source of blue dye) was not colorfast and blue clothes were worn by the lower classes and this blue is not to be confused with the brilliant color of indigo, or royal blue, which was produced by using expensive indigo plant dyes from India which met the upper class in Elizabethan time could afford the color of indigo or royal blue.
· The color of brown – symbolic meaning of the color was humility and poverty. Cheap dyes were made from the madder root was used to produce the color of brown, and was not colorfast and brown clothes were used by the lower class and the clergy. Brown clothing also symbolized humility and plainness, and for this reason was associated with monastic life and could be cheaply produced by using coarse, rough, un-dyed dark wool. People, who were allowed to wear brown as deceived by the Sumptuary Laws, were he lower and upper classes.
· The color of crimson: this color associated with the church. Its symbolic meaning was of fire and associated with power and importance as this color stood out. The biblical meaning symbolizing the presence of God and the blood of mankind the Christian liturgical color for Pentecost and represents atonement and humility. Expensive kermes and later cochineal dye was used to produce the color of crimson as this dye held color fast and the brilliant color was worn by the wealthy and not to be associated with the color of red which was produced from a cheaper dye from the madder root. People that were allowed to wear this color were royalty, nobility and members of the council.
· The color of green: symbolic meaning is the renewal of life and nature. The biblical meaning is epiphany. Cheap dyes were used to produce the color green from woad and lichen dyes, and other vegetable dyes which produce a variety of green color. Lichen a plant of the division Lichenes which occurs as crusty patches and or bushy growths on trunks or rocks or bare ground was a source of green dye. People allowed to wear this color were of the lower and upper class.
· The color of gold: associated with royalty and nobles; the symbolic meaning was for divinity, majesty, and wealth. Biblical meaning is for divinity and God’s glory and often used with white for high Holy Days and festival days – the seasons of Christmas and Easter. People allowed to wear this color were duchesses, dukes, marquises, countesses, dukes and marquises.
· The color of Gray: symbolic meaning was of mourning and repentence and has a biblical meaning as the season of Lent, associated with fasting and prayer. Inexpensive dyes were used to produce gray. Gray clothing also symbolized humility and plainness, and for this reason was associated with monastic life and could be cheaply produced by using coarse, rough, un-dyed dark wool. People that were allowed to wear gray were the lower and upper classes.
· The color of Indigo: was a deep rich dark blue sometimes referred to as royal blue. The symbolic meaning of the color of indigo was power, importance, and wealth with the biblical meaning symbolizing heavenly grace. The source if the dye was imported from India from the indigo plants, which is extremely, expense and used to produce the color indigo. Indigo dye held colorfast and this rich color was worn by the wealthy and not to be confused with the color of blue, which was produced by using cheap blue dye obtained from woad. People that were allowed to wear the color indigo during the Elizabethan era were royalty, nobility and members of the council.
· The color of orange: symbolic meaning was the symbol of courage. The cheap whole spectrum of red base color dyes, were produced from the madder root and was used to produce the colors of orange and russet and were not color fast and orange clothes were for the lower class. Under the Sumptuary Laws the lower and upper classes were allowed to wear.
· The color of pink: Symbolic meaning was of joy and happiness with the religious meaning for the third Sunday of Advent. The madder root was use to produce the color of pink, including coral, dark red, russet and brown. Pink has always been closely associated with ladies and young girls and was a favorite color for hose worn by medieval men. People that were allowed to wear pink were the lower and upper classes.
· The color of purple: always associated with royalty, the symbolic meaning was for penitence and mourning, the biblical meaning is the liturgicakl color for the seasons of Lent and Advent. Only the most expensive dyes were used to produce the color of purple, it therefore became associated with wealth and power. People that could wear this color were the queen, queen’s mother, children, and sisters, aunts, and the king, king’s mother, children, brethren and uncles. The purple is produced from an extremely expensive dye called Tyrian purple, which originated in Tyre in Lebanon. The Phoenicians owned the monopoly for this purple dye, which was made by crushing thousand of Mediterranean Murex a seashell. It was know to take ten thousand Murex mollusks to dye one toga. The purple dye was worth more than its weight in gold and therefore came to symbolize both wealth and power. The production of Tyrian purple ceased with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and was replaced with the cheaper dyes like lichen purple and madder when Queen Elizabeth was twenty years old.
· The color of red: symbolic meaning was of fire and associated with power and importance, the color made from the madder root. The red dye was not colorfast and red clothes were worn by the lower classes and not to be confused with the brilliant color crimson which was produced from the expensive kermes and cochineal dyes producing cloth which could only be affordable to the wealthy. People that could wear red were the lower and upper classes.
· The color of white: symbolic meaning of the color of whit was for purity and virtue. Pristine white color was difficult and expensive to produce and therefore worn by the wealthy. Only those who could jeep their clothes clean would wear pristine white. The biblical meaning for holiness and is a Christian color for all high Holy festival days of the church year, especially the seasons of Christmas and Easter. The color white is used for baptism, marriage, ordination, and dedications. Pristine white should not be confused with the natural, cheap off white natural wool, which was cheap to produce, as was white linen. People who could wear white were the lower and upper class.
· The color of yellow: symbolic meaning was of renewal and hope. The colorfast dye was produced from saffron, the dried stamen of the oriental crocus from the Mediterranean, was imported into Europe and was very expensive and only used to dye the clothes of the wealthy. Yellow is the Christian color for the season of Easter when used with white. Yellow was also associated with envy, greed and treachery. Cheap dyes such as weld (a European plant – Reseda luteola – cultivated as a source of yellow dye also called rocket, dyer’s mignonette and also known as dyer’s broom) were used to produce the ordinary pale color of yellow. People that were allowed to wear yellow were the lower and upper classes.
Summary of Dyes
Cheap Dye used in coloring cloth during the Elizabethan era.
· Woad was a European herb (Isatic tinetoria) of the mustard family grown for the blue dyes, yielded by its leaves – cultivated as a source of blue dye. Woad was one of the most common dyes used in England and in its production produced a terrible smell. The leaves were dried, crushed and composted with manure through fermentation over several weeks.
· Madder was a European herb (Rubia tinctorum) the root of which was used in dyeing cultivated a source of red base spectrum dyes including orange, russet, pink, coral, light red, dark red, russet, and brown..
· Weld was a European plant (Rededa luteola) cultivated as a source of yellow dry also called dye rocket, dyer’s mignonette and also known as dyer’s broom. Used to produce different shades of yellow.
· Linchen, a source of green dye from the plant of the division Lichenes, which occurs as crusty patches or bushy growths on the trunks of trees or rocks or bare ground. Used to produce various shades of green.
To produce varying colors of cheap dye the fabric was heated with the dye. Other elements were added to the dyes to produce a variety of different colors which included wine, salts, shells, mosses, sheep urine, lentils, fungus, vinegar, wild cucumber, walnut, oak galls, insects, iron oxide, barely malt, plants, barks, roots, berries, and flowers; many dyes such as woad were produced by being composted with manure.
Expensive Dyes used in coloring during the Elizabethan Era.
The expensive dyes had to be imported, at a great cost, from abroad. These dyes are.
· The source of dye for Tyrian Purple was made in Tyre, Lebanon by crushing thousands of seashells – Mediterranean Murex
· The source of the dye for Indigo, the deep, rich blue was from the indigo plants (Indigofera tinctoria of India) and was imported from India. Indigo dye was produced by a process of fermentation, filtering and finally drying into cakes of dye.
· The source of the dye for Crimson cloth was cochineal from the bodies of the Cochineal insects from Central America produced by the Aztecs. The Cochineal dye, were discovered by the Spanish explorers of South America from the Aztec Indians. This source of insect lived on the flattened stems of prickly pear cactus. Cochineal dye was produced by the process of crushing, boiling then drying. Spain processed the lucrative monopoly of the expensive cochineal due. Another, older source of the dye for crimson and bright scarlet cloth was Kermes a Mediterranean insect. The Kermes dye was obtained from the dried bodies of the female insects (Kermes vermilio Plamchon a Kermes ilicis) which were found in southern Europe on the small evergreen kermes oak. The history of the Kermes dye dates back to the ancient Egyptians and Romans. Kermes dye, were produced by a process of drying the bodies of the insects and then fermentation.
Crimson / Scarlet dye was produced from two sources – the Cochineal insects from South America and the Kermes insect from the Mediterranean.
· The colorfast yellow dye produced from saffron, the dried stamen of an oriental crocus. The saffron dye comes from the bright red stigmas of the saffron crocus found in areas in the Mediterranean including Spain and Greece and the orient. The Crocus sativus stigmas are the female part of the flower, and drying the saffron, and boiling with other plants then drying produced saffron dye.
Other dyes
Brown and Black Dye – was obtained by using black walnut, oak galls, or iron oxide.
Fabrics:
Materials and fabrics used in the Elizabethan era clothing was extremely important as the materials worn during this time would provide instant information about the status of the person wearing them. A man or woman who wore clothes made of satin, silk, or velvet would be immediately recognized as a member of the Nobility or upper classes. People of the Elizabethan era wore clothing generally made from wool, linen and sheepskin. It did not matter how wealthy they Elizabethans were – the color, fabric, and the sumptuary laws governed the materials used in their clothing.
Elizabethan nobles and the upper classes wore clothing made of velvets, furs, silks, lace, cottons, and taffetas. Knights returning from the Crusades introduced silks and cottons from the Middle East. Velvets were imported from Italy.
Cheap fabric was worn by the lower classes made of wool, linen, and sheepskin, however they were allowed to wear trimmings made from taffeta and velvet.
Common Elizabethan materials and a samplings fabrics, is as follows:
Brocade, Buckram, Calico, Cambric, Canvas, Corduroy, Cypress, Damask, Felt, Flannel, Grogram, Holland, Lawn, Linen, Lockram, Plush, Russet, Sarcenet, Satin, Shag, Silk, Tabbinet, Taffeta, Tiffany, and Velvet.
Table of Clothing fabrics used in the 16th century
Linen and Hemp fabric
Lawn: Often transparent, woven of gossamer-fine thread; used by the wealthy for partlets, ruffs, collar, aprons, kerchiefs.
Cambric: Very high quality linen of a plain, even weave, very white: used in the finest shirts, smocks, rails, kerchiefs, aprons.
Holland: Good to mid quality; used for shirts, smocks, coifs, rails, shirts, smocks, aprons and kerchiefs for yeomen and husbandmen.
Lockram: A course loosely woven fabric of hemp or flax; used for coifs, rails, shirts, smocks, aprons, and kerchiefs for yeomen and husbandmen.
Canvas: A hemp cloth available in several qualities; could be striped or tufted; used in shirts and smocks for yeomen and husbandmen; heavier canvas for doublets, interlinings for doublets, upper bodies, beeches.
Buckram: Weighty, fairly coarse; glued for paste buckram; used for farthingales, lining, edging and interlining of coats, gowns; paste buckram for stiffing bodies, standing collars, hood.
Wool
Scarlet: Broadcloth of the highest quality; dye in kermes (see dyes) usually red; used for petticoats, waistcoats, hose, gowns, cloaks lining.
Broadcloth: Finest woolen cloth, 54 to 63 inch wide of plain weave, with a weft of good quality carded short stable wool, well fulled, a nap raised on it and then sheared; for gowns, coats, cassocks
Stammel: Lesser quality than the above; always red; used in petticoats for the middling and lower sorts
Kersey: Cloth a yard wide with fairly coarse twill weaves, not as much fulled as broadcloth; used for hose, petticoats, stockings, linings, and cloaks.
Russet: Country russet, a coarse narrow wool, un-dyed and unfinished: broad russet is of better quality and might be dyed: London russet, as wide and costly as broadcloth. Used for beeches, petticoats, kirtles, coats, and gowns.
Frizado: Similar to but better quality than frieze: used in gowns, cloaks, petticoats and kirtles.
Frieze: Very thick, heavy, plain weave, well fulled cloth, with raised hairy surface on one or both sides. Made of cheaper fleeces unfit for finer cloth: used in outer garments such as gowns and coats, and linings and interlinings for the wealthy with silk and worsted; and in natural, un-dyed colors for petticoats, kirtles, gowns, coats, jerkins, beeches and hose.
Kendall: A narrow woolen fabric dyed green, often lightly napped and used in coats, and gowns.
Cotton: Not the cotton from the cotton plant; narrow wool, loosely woven and fairly light-weigh – raising the nap was known as cottoning; used in bum rolls; linings of coats, doublets, gowns, kirtles, and stomachers.
Flannel: A lightweight cloth with a plain open weave, made of loosely spun wool, soft and spongy; used in petticoats and waistcoats for the ordinary Elizabethan folk: warm linings for the fashionable.
Worsted: A well twisted yarn, spun from long fleece; and a smooth, strong light, cool, fluid fabric woven from this yarn; used for summer gowns, kirtles, doublets and aprons.
Grogram and buffin: Ribbed worsted sometimes mixed with silk; buffin was more delicate that grogram: used in gowns, cassocks, and petticoats.
Russells: A luxury worsted with a satin weave, and sometimes a damasked pattern: used for gowns and kirtles.
Say and serge: Lightweight hardwearing twills: serges have a worsted warp and a woolen weft: used in linings, and everyday wear for the middle class.
Bay: Light weight cloth, of loose, plain weave; worsted warp and wool weft, with napped surface; used in petticoats, gowns, and linings.
Silk
Velvet: Expensive weave with two warps, one of which is passed over metal rods in a loom to create loops which were left or cut to form pile; the use both warps in one fabric would make a pattern. Velvet is restricted by the Sumptuary Law (see above): used in gowns, kirtles, jackets, jerkins, doublets, hose, parlets, shoes, and headgear for the wealthy; also guarding garments of less costly or lighter weight materials. Velvet was used for purses, partlets, and bonnets, for the non-wealthy folk.
Satin: Twill weave in which the weft thread are not seen on the surface and the vertical warp threads give a rich, glossy sheen: used in gowns, kirtles, coats, jackets, jerkins, doublets, linings and unseen portions in velvet and cloth of gold garments.
Damask: Smooth weave, often with a satin background, on which bringing the weft threads to the surface creates a design: used fir summer gowns, kirtles, coats, jackets, jerkins, and parlets.
Taffeta: Plain weave silk with a stiff papery quality, could be a single color or changeable; tuft taffeta was woven with raised spots or strips cut to produce a velvet pile of different colors to ground: used in gowns, kirtles, coats, doublets, hose, petticoats, stomachers, and garment linings, pull outs and hat linings.
Grosgain: Type of taffeta, with wefts thicker than the warp to give a ribbed surface; sometimes tabbied – given a moire’ effect: used in gowns, kirtles, and jerkins
Sarcenet: Lightweight even weave taffeta: used for linings, pullouts and small items.
Other cloths mixed fibers
Cloth of gold, cloth of silver and tinsel: Woven with a warp of silk and wefts of silk and/bullion, and were restricted by the Sumptuary Law (see above). Cloths of gold or silver were weighty and could be patterned by means of differing wefts or with raised loops like an uncut velvet: used in gowns, coats, jackets, doublets, stomachers, kirtles, partlets, and shoes. Tinsel was the cheaper and lighter version, lighter, un-patterned, but displaying both the colors of the silk and the glitter of the bullion
Chamlet: Light weight material made of a mix of silk with hair, and or linen; could be watered or grosgrain; the most affordable silk: gowns limited to those that made 40 pounds a year: used for doublets, coats, jackets, and kirtles.
Cyprus: Thin and transparent, usually a silk/ linen mix, sometimes with a crepe weaves: used in linings, hat bands, especially black cypress for mourning
Mockado: Sometimes called mock velvet, however the pile is of wool not silk; the ground is of any combination of wool, silk, and linen; it might be plain striped or tufted, the pile being of different colors to the ground: used in gowns, kirtles, coats, and farthingales.
Fustian: The only common fabric for the Elizabethan era that might contain cotton thread; featured a linen or worsted warp making it strong and smooth and a cotton or wool weft making it soft and fluffy; made in Lancashire and Genoa, Milan which is twice the price of the others and Naples with a dense velvety nap, this could be embroidered and perfumed. Prices for this fabric could range from 8d to 4s a yard: used for doublets, kirtles, gowns, sleeves, and linings for all of the above.
Satin de Bruges; bridges satin: Cheaper imitation of silk satin with close packed warp threads hiding the linen weft threads. The warp could be silk or worsted: used in the unseen portions of garments by the wealthy class and to replace satin by the lesser classes.
Linsey-wolsey: Loosely woven cloth, of linen warp an d woolen weft; used in gowns, coat, petticoats by the poorer classes.
Construction of the fabric and weaves
It should be noted the terms used to describe fabric refer not to the fiber but to the methods of spinning, weaving, and finishing of the cloth. Worsted is a tight, smooth yarn, spun from long, smooth fleeces, whereas wool if fluffy, bulky product of short crinkly fleeces. All textiles mention above are created from interwoven threads crossing at right angles. Threads are stretched lengthways on the loom are called the warp, while those that are woven from side to side form the weft. The plain weave is produced when each weft thread passes under one warp thread and over the net (see diagram plain weave). The ribbed surface of grosgrain is plain weave. A twill weave is created when each weft thread passes over three warp threads and under one, creating a tiny area of fabric where the warp is seen prominently on the surface (see diagram of twill weave) Twills have diagonal lines of these minute raised areas appearing across the fabric. The smooth gloss of satin is a specialized form of the twill and in satin, grosgrain and most other weaves can be woven in wool, worsted or mixed fibers, as well as silk.
Woolen and part woolen cloths were fulled and finished which involved to a varying degree of washing and pummeling. The aim was to felt the fluffy surface of the wool threads together, hiding the weave and making the cloth stronger and warmer to wear. In the finishing process, a nap might be raised out from the felt, which could be left rough or sheared short and smooth. Materials were produced for specific purposes; the elasticity for full-length hose called for a woolen fabric with fairly loose twill weave which is only lightly fulled.
Cotton, leather and fur played an important part in clothing. Cotton thread was used as a weft and only used in such fabrics as fustian. Pure cotton fabrics were woven in the East and was known as calicoes, which began showing in England by the end of the Tudor period, but was not the common used fabric as that of linen and hemp fabrics. Spinning process for cotton was primitive; the thread was not strong enough to serve as a warp, which prevented pure cotton fabrics from being manufactured closer to England. Raw cotton fiber was been imported at least from the 13th century and its primary use was the stuffing of clothing, padding of armor and bedding.
Leather was primary used in men’s clothing and frequently specified for doublets, along with canvas and fustian. Common types of leather were sheep, calf, buck, does, buff and spruce. Chamois leather was used in lining fabric hose. Buffed leather, naturally tanned, was soft and could be draped like woven cloth was used in clothing.
Furs were used extensively by the fashionable for the purpose of warmth and decoration, mainly in lining however the 1533 Act of Apparel denied it to the agricultural workers. Husbandmen were not to wear fur at all, not even lamb or rabbit fur were allowed to the yeomen. For the middle class, there was, a variety of affordable furs which, included fox, beech marten (foyne), grey jenet (civet cat), wildcat, budge or bogey (lamb), shanks (from the legs of sheep) and corney (rabbit). Squirrel was consider, a prestige fur of the previous centuries and mink rarely appear in the royal account but leopard was available even to the gentry and other wealthy persons. All noble men were permitted lynx and black jenet, while sable and ermine were reserved for high nobility and the royal family.
Dying was a huge professional industry, and only small items like stocking may have been dye at home or at the tailors. Fleece could be dyed at any three points in the fleece journey from the sheep to the wardrobe. Dyeing the wool before it was spun offer the opportunity to spin multicolored yarns, which, produced the flecked fabrics, known as mingle, medley or motley. Another method was to dye the spun wool, which allowed the weaving not only of changeable fabrics, with a warp of one color and weft of another, but also stripes, checks and damask. And the third the woven cloth could be dyed in one piece a much more demanding process with greater risk of not getting the color even and failure. This method added considerable cost to the cloth particularly if over dyeing with a second color was needed to reach a certain hue.
Upper Middle, and Noble Woman:
The upper middle class was composed of wives and daughters of merchants, businessmen, some skilled artisans, landowners and bureaucrats. There were many women as high ranking servants, and even a few that were merchants in their own rights. The wearing of their clothing was intended to show that their husbands were financially secure, and that they were attractive, modest and accomplished in womanly arts. A noblewoman was likely to either be administering the domestic affairs of the estate, with a staff of hundreds, or was attending at court; in either case it was important that her clothing make a significant statement about her statue in the Elizabethan era.
Underwear; one of the most daunting sights to many aspiring Elizabethan costumers is the amount of underpinning it takes to get the proper lines for the upper class or noblewomen costume. In short, a court level gown requires at least a pair of bodies, bum roll, and a farthingale, in addition to a smock, drawers, and a petticoat. Other items that maybe needed depending on style, were the farthingale sleeves, shoulder rolls, or a supportasse (see ruff).
The Smock: upper class and noblewomen, as for peasants, the basic undergarment is the smock. This is basically a low square necked T shaped smock style, which was worn with another garment called a partlet, which is a high-necked, collared smock. These smocks can be hip length, but they were also knee length.
Partlets; is a rectangular fill-in for the open necked bodice. If a smock with a low square neck is worm, the partlet must be worn over it. The edges of the smock can show slightly, and the lower front neckline of the smock may be as much as several inches higher than the bodice, showing an embroidered edge, but the partlet must still be worn over it. Partlet is cut with a straight standing collar, which may have a small fabric or lace ruff attached and/ or have a larger ruff basted or pinned to it. The partlet has ties or tiny buttons at the neckline. The edges of the partlet are usually worn tucked into the bodice and ate finished with a rolled edge, but sometimes were worn pinned to the outside of the bodice. The partlet fastened under the arms with ties, they could be worn with the collar closed or open. Partlets that were open were supposed to be note maidenhood and were worn more commonly by unmarried ladies. The parlets were usually made from coarse linen to fine silk with some covered with black work embroidery, usually matching a pair of sleeves, they could be decorated with embroidery, pearls, jewels, shirring, lace insertion etc. Usually bands of lace or embroidery trimmed the front openings.
Petticoats: seem to have been identical to the skirts of the Elizabethan era, and were often decorated similarly.
Corsets; known as a pair of bodies, is not designed to squeeze the waist down to a tiny size, but to smooth the lines of the torso, compressing it into a smooth cone shape. The waist is not overly compressed, and the breast, are flattened, resulting in a high, mounded bust-line.
Farthingales: come in two varieties, the Spanish and the French. For the period that Christiana portrays, she will be using the Spanish farthingale. The Spanish farthingale or hoopskirt should be a straight angle from the waist to hem. The farthingale diameter should be about two thirds of the women’s height. Some farthingales were made with a riffle over each hoop, which eliminated the need for a petticoat.
Bum roll; is a crescent shaped pad that is worn around the waist, which helps to support much of the weight of the skirt. Bum rolls can be of any size on cross section from 2 inches to as large as 6 inches for very large ladies and heavy skirts. The bum roll is usually made of sturdy fabric stuffed very firmly with waste, with ties at the points of the crescent to hold them on. Without the bum roll the skirt drapes straight from the waist and makes it look thick. The bum roll was worn by all women of the Elizabethan era except those that wore the simplest of peasant clothing.
Drawers: or Englishwomen did, not generally wear bloomers.
Outer Garments: The Forepart: after a lady donned her undergarments, she would put on her underskirt: referred to as a kirtle, with its decorated forepart. The kirtle is a plain skirt, gored or pleated to fit over the farthingale, petticoats and the bum role. The forepart is usually a decorated front panel, which may be removable with ties, or pins.
Overskirt; after the forepart, the lady will out on the overskirt, it is separate from the bodice. The overskirt maybe attached to the bodice forming a gown. Whether or not the bodice is attached or not: if the bodice is low necked, the overskirt must be made of the same fabric, and color as the bodice. The only unmatched bodices and skirts were those with the high-necked doublet style bodice, not the low-necked ones.
Upper class skirts were almost always straight rectangular panels, very occasionally slight gored. The skirt was usually attached to a band or to the lower edge of the bodice with a technique called cartridge pleating, or gauging. The overskirt was almost always split up the front.
Trained skirts were worn, but may have been reserved for ceremonial occasions. There is also another type of skirt worn known as a safeguard, usually made to match a cloak; that was worn for riding.
The bodice; There are basically two types of bodices that were worn by the upper class; these were the square necked bodice and the doublet style.
The square necked bodice is similar to the peasant style, but fitted to go over a pair of bodies. It is always marched fabric of color and fabric to that of the overskirt to give the effect of a complete gown. The bodice was often fastened with hooks and eyes up the center front, but could be laced at the curved side back seams. Lacing is not a design element and should be kept as simple and unobtrusive as possible.
The doublet style is of a high neckline with a standing collar, and is fastened down the center front. This doublet was usually shaped with side front seams, and the front opening was curved to accommodate the high bust-line created by the pair of bodies. The doublet bodice could be made of different fabric and color that contrasts with the skirt, and may have been made of leather. The doublet is trimmed along the edges of the collar, skirting and wings, and sometime the curved back seams and in bands on either side of the button front. Vertical or diagonal slashes along the front, was also popular in the Elizabethan era. Both these styles of doublets would had shoulder wings and usually skirting of which were made of the same fabric and color as the doublet.
Sometimes a triangular front panel, called a stomacher, is used, which is attached to the bodice, fastened with buttons, or points, or pinned on.
Surcoats: gowns and ropas are all names for the same type of loose coat like garment. The surcoat was worn either over the bodice and skirt for extra warmth and decoration, or on their own over undergarments, or with a loose, a line dress called a kirtle. The surcoat was flared from the shoulders. In front, it is cut to flow smoothly down. In the back it was pleated in deep pleats, either from the shoulder line or yoke, to give extra fullness. The pleats were sometimes stitched down to an internal stay to give the yoke effect. Surcoats often had trains and were opened all the way down the front, and fastened with buttons, often with ornamental frogs or jeweled mountings. The surcoat was usually worn open to show the kirtle or petticoat, and a few were cut with shaped openings to allow the gown to fall open at the proper angle. Some surcoats had sleeves, most typically a short puff style with contrasting decorated straight lower sleeve, which was probably tied to the kirtle.
Sleeves; were thought of as a separate garment, and came in many styles, with an incredible variety of decorations, and were often used to give a basic bodice or doublet a new look. The sleeves could match the bodice fabric, but didn’t need to.
Patterns, Stitches, Pleats – Elizabethan Period.
As there are many patterns that are available through research, I Christiana have selected the ones that I will most likely be wearing. These patterns and diagrams do not contain the sewing instructions, or are sized for any given person. As I have a Reeve and a Lady’s servant, I will not be covering the patterns that will be used to equip them with Elizabethan Garb. One could write an entire book on this, subject, therefore I will cover the basics in women’s garb. To see patterns they are contained at the end of the chapter. Between using the combination of the following books The Tudor Tailor and Patterns of Fashion, the cut and construction of clothes for men and women I have generate a few articles of clothing for the persona. Contained in these following pages of diagrams, are the patterns for most of Christiana’s garb. In the earlier portion of this chapter I have cover the sections of color and fabric. In constructing Christiana’s garb, the primary fabric used is wool, boil wool, and Milton wool, along with linen and raw silk for the rough and cottons for the foundation, as these are washable. Anything requiring damask, satin, or velvet is unfortunately made from polyester, as the real stuff if either not available in Canada, or is just too dam expensive to afford. Wools can be expensive, but one can look for a ½ price to 70% sale when the fabric stores clear out the season’s goods. This is how I was able to keep the cost down. Lets begin with the skirt and smock pattern and work our way to the more lavish garb.
Hairstyles, Makeup, and Accessories
Hairstyles: Hairstyles was an important issue for both sexes and took pride and joy in making their hair look as fabulous as the next person’s. People of this time would spend hours waiting to receive a splendid hair dos, and was not an issue of cost with the wealthy class. During this time men took much pride in their hair as women did, some spending whole days sitting in the barber shop talking to one another. The barber would stiffened, starch, powdered, perfumed, waxed and dye the hair a fashionable red. Hair was worn shoulder length and curled with hot irons, (love locks). When men went bald they would depend on wigs to keep up with the fashion trend and these wigs were usually a fashionable white or yellow color. Facial hair was also a concern thus men would keep their beards trimmed to fit the fashion. Long beards needed little care, but the short beards called for a hairdresser where the beards could be cut pointed, square, round, oblong or T-shaped. In the daytime men would brushed the beard to keep it tip-top shape and at night would often encased the beard in a special wooden press.
Women went through great extremes to achieve the look that was in, as they would dye their hair blonde, which was a favorite hue. Women would even spend whole days sitting in the sun because they believed that the sun added a golden glint. Women wore many accessories in their hair; the most popular of all accessories was the hair net. Sometimes the hair was worn loose, filling in the pouch like bag. Hairpins and hair combs were added to the net to give the hair a better look.
Makeup: The upper class women and nobility wore makeup and Christiana was no different when it came to makeup. White face make up usually made of white lead and vinegar was a useful aid in hiding the signs of ageing and to acquire the pale look. Face paint made from plant materials and leaves were also applied, and it was even know that some of the women dye their hair yellow with saffron, cumin seed, celandine and oil. Expensive dyes such as Cochineal was used to redden lips. Madder and vermilion was also used to achieve the effect. White lead is poisonous, and I Beverly will not be using this form of makeup, however will use a paler base of foundation makeup.
Hats: All people in the 16th century wore at least some kind of head coving. Head coving would vary depending on class, gender, age, and personal taste. The most ubiquitous Elizabethan hat was the coif, or biggin meaning hat you wore at the beginning of life. In its simplest form it was plain linen cap, closely fitting to the head and covering most of the hair, with strings to tie under the chin. The more elaborate coifs for women were shaped with a point on the forehead, and were often decorated ornately for the upper class, sometimes made of strips of bobbin lace sewn to form a fabric, or covered with embroidery, often black work embellished with gold threads and spangles and edge in gold lace. The coif was as an under-cap for another hat, which might be pinned to it. The workman and farmer for the purpose of keeping hair out of the eyes often wore a coif by itself. While they can be embellished, the fabric was usually white linen. The middle class wore the caul and upper class women and it function as a hair net and was often made of netting, or cloth decorated to resemble netting. With the upper class it could be highly decorated, even made of gold thread and jeweled.
The flat cap is the flat crowned brimmed hat and was worn by all ages and classes, male and female. The flat cap was usually worn over a biggin. The toque is similar to a flat cap, but the crown is a circle pleated into the brim.
The French Hood in its simplest form was stiffened crescent, usually angling backwards, with a veil hanging from its upper edge. With French hood there was a tiny pleated ruffle of gold fabric around the inner edge. Later it lost the ruffle and was mounted on a shaped band similar to that of the muffin cap, or occasionally on an attifet. For nobles, it is trimmed along the upper and lower edges of the crescent with jeweler’s work called upper and lower bilaments. The upper class and noble women wore the French hood.
Accessories: Nobleman wore narrow leather belts that were elaborately tooled and gilded, with additional straps and hangers to support the sword. Middle class woman might wear narrow leather belts with some decorations.
It should be noted that Elizabethan clothing did not have pockets, therefore people, and this includes Christiana carried their money and other small essentials in pouches, which were known as purses. Pouches could be hung from the belt, and for ladies worn under the skirts with accessed through an opening in the skirt seam. One of the popular styles of pouch was a flat; purse shaped one with a flap front and a loop on the back through which to pass a belt. Another style was the round-topped pouch with a stiffened circular opening and a flat, hinged lid.
Jewelry was only available to Nobility or the upper class. Gold, silver, copper, and copper gilded metals, ivory together with precious and semi precious stones were used. Cheaper alternatives were also available and were made of bone, horn and wood.
Some of the jewelry items that were used are:
Brooch – used in a variety of ways to pin or clasp and worn on various items of clothing around the neck or on hats and on buckles.
Chains – made of gold as were often a symbol of high office. Men of the upper middle class were likely to hold governmental offices either local or national, which signified by the collars of offices. These were heavy chain and plaque necklaces with seals or insignia worked into the patterns.
Earring (ear pickes) Worn by both sexes as a single gold hoop or pendant with jewels.
Bracelet/ Armlet – gold and silver with precious jewels
Necklace – gold and silver with precious jewels
Pendant – replace the brooch in popularity and worn as crosses, cameos and jewels suspended from ribbons or chains
Pin – Made in gold or silver and sometimes studded with jewels
Rings – Solitaires, clusters wedding or signet rings made of gold and silver with precious stones.
For the less wealthy and of other decorative items used for jewelry
Rosary Beads – made of precious stones but also color glass.
Carceanet – a close fitting gold necklace, bracelets and hair ornaments, often featuring costly jewels.
Buckles – were used as ornaments for shoes and belts
Buttons – Highly decorative items covered in fabrics and made in a vast amount of materials including gold, silver, copper, bone, jewels, horn, mother of pearl, jet, ivory, glass or wood.
Promander – A round, highly decorative case container for sweet smelling herbs or perfume.
Mirrors – Hung from girdles, as part as fans or worn in brooches
Billiments – Strands of gold work and jewels sewn to the neckline or edges of garments of clothing
Ear string – a black string threaded through the hole in the left ear to sometimes hang to the shoulder.
Elizabethan era for gemstones as follow and were surrounded by gold. Pearls were the most popular item for expensive jewelry and worn in a string or a single pearl. A list of precious gemstones were diamonds, emerald, sapphires, rubies, topaz and opals. Semi precious were turquoise, onyx, carnelian, bloodstone, amber, crystal, coral, and agate.
Cloaks of the Elizabethan era were an essential item of clothing, for both men and women. Cloak lengths varied from the waist to the knees and even as low as the ankles. Women’s cloaks were fastened at the neck and covered the shoulders; men’s cloaks were flung back over the shoulder and draped over their backs. Cloaks for the men had long ties to hold them in position while being, fasten under the arm and tied across the body in front. Cloaks were full and often fastened with broaches, clasps or gold chains. There was one that was called a jornet, which is decorated and hung with points and tassels. Points were lacings with metal ends, which were usually of buttons or hooks for fastening together such clothes as doublets and hose. Cloaks were practical and were worn for warmth as well as fashion. Many were hooded and was especially popular with Elizabethan ladies. Cloaks were also use to demonstrate by the Elizabethan people their rank or position by wearing fur lined cloaks reserved to royalty, privy council and barons, and other people of this class.
Cloak patterns are reality simple and the circle cloak is the simplest, but requires more fabric than the ten-panel cloak. The ten-panel cloak, usually fit better than the full circle ones. The ones that Christiana usually wears are below the waist to the knees and are of the ten-panel design.
Credits
Internet:
Mhtml:file://D:\templateeliz.mht District 186 School site (hairstyles)
Mhtml:file://D:\lowwomen.mht
Mhtml:file//D:\upwomen.mht
Mhtml: file://E:\Elizabethan%20Upper%20Class%20Fashion.mht
Mhtml: file://E;\Materials%20&%20Fabrics%20used%20Elizabethan%20Era%20Clothing.mht
Mhtml: file://D:\Dye.mht
Mhtml: file://E:\Period%20Pleats.mht
Mhtml: file://E:\Elizabethan%20Ruffs.mht
Mhtml: file://E:\DawnPages%20--%20Elizabethan%20Ruff.mht
Mhtml: file://D:\accessoriesliz.mht
Mhtml: file://D:\Elizabethan%20Jewelry.mht
Mhtml: file://D:\lizjewel.mht
Mhtml: file://E:\liztrim.mht
Mhtml: file://D:\Elizabethan%20Make-up.mht
Mhtml: file://E:\Elizabethan%20Foundation%20Garments.mht
Books and reference materials
McCall’s Needlework Treasury – A Randon House Book 1963
The Tudor Tailor, Techniques and patterns for making historically accurate period clothing, Ninya Mikhaila; Jane Malcolm-Davies – Custom and Fashion Press ISBN-13: 9780896762558
Patterns of Fashions the Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women c1560-1620; Janet Arnold – Macmillan London Limited ISBN 0 333 38284 6
Handouts and Seminars
Handout; Long armed cross stitch – Alicia le Wilfulle
SCA – Elizabethan Foundations
Class – Tapestry Stitch – Danescombe Academy – 2009
Class – Cloth and wooden buttons – Danescombe Academy – 2009
Additional Reading Materials
A History of Costume; Rachel H. Kemper – Newsweek books, New York
Costumes Kostume Trajes – L’Aventurine, Paris 2002 ISBN 2-
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