The summer of 1571 is rolling to a close, ladies and gentlemen, and hourglasses are in!
Men, get a headstart boosting your masculinity this fall with a designer doublet, an armor-like breastplate extending to the shoulders and covering the back and chest, embellished with intricate lacing and stuffed with horsehair, wool, or rags. (You think that's uncomfortable? Suck it up—try putting on a corset.) Complement it with boots, a shirt, hose, ruff, long cloak, and hat on a special occasion, and you're ready to hit the floor! Breeches should reach the knees and be joined by a codpiece in the front. Beware of beards and/or mustaches—keep them trimmed nicely and they can be a definite yes. In an outfit like a suit of armor, you can always be a gallant knight in the eyes of that special someone.
Peasant men can look forward to homespun garments of wool, canvas, fustian, or leather, knitted hose, and hobnail shoes. Appropriate field clothes include tunics, loose breeches, canvas leggings, and thrummed hats. (You'll never be royals...sorry not sorry.)
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| Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset |
Ladies, flaunt your fabulous figure in a stylish dress suited to your socioeconomic status. The royal family sports crimsons and other bright hues trimmed with ermine, but that kind of lux just ain't for the lesser nobles, who've got to settle for fox or otter trim on velvet, silk, and satin. Peasants in the nearing autumn weather can expect to don homemade cotton, leather, or wool garments in pastel colors.
Broad shoulders, wide hips, and a sleek waist are the way to go, girls, via a separate bodice, sleeves, and kirtle reinforced with wire or whalebone farthingale. For the less curvaceous, a bumroll can add an extra boost to your hip volume. (Most importantly, don't forget the ruff!) Peasant women, keep chugging along in petticoats with front-laced bodices with blue or black kirtles. (Bloodstains, ball gowns, trashing the hotel room...)
The paler the skin, the higher your (apparent) social rank! Pamper your face and neck with ceruse: a makeup base of white lead and vinegar, cheek dyes of cochineal or vermilion, drawn-on beauty spots, red lipstick, and plucked eyebrows.
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| Mary Queen of Scots |
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| Queen Elizabeth of England |
This sounds like a legitimate fashion blog. I never realized that pale skin was a sign of a high social status for women of the time, how interesting.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Alex. This could probably pass off as an advertisement for VS or something like that. I never knew that hip rolls even existed, so, it was really nice learning about the fashion trends of the day.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that broad shoulders, wide hips, a sleek waist, and pale skin was the "perfect" woman back then. The standards have changed a lot since then.
ReplyDeleteI also did not know that skin tone showed social status. Or that the men wore very uncomfortable clothes just like the women.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that the paler your skin was was an indication of your social rank! Weird, but fascinating :)
ReplyDeleteWow! I didn't know that they used white lead and vinegar as a make up base, that's gotta hurt!
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