Clothing In The Elizabethan Era

“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” This quote by Rachel Zoe speaks volumes about fashion in the time period in which Shakespeare lived. Many people believe royal women from the Elizabethan era only wore fancy dresses for looks, however, their outfits were more complex because they contained many layers, the law regulated them, and they showed which class they were in.

During this time period, the royal women’s outfits were extremely complex and contained many different pieces such as a chemise, stockings, a corset, a petticoat, a farthingale, a gown, sleeves, a neck ruff, and wrist ruffs (Leed 1). Gowns, embroidered with colorful threads and all kinds of jewels such as diamonds, rubies, and sapphires were handmade

for the royal women of the Elizabethan era. When a royal woman would go outside in the cold, she would add a velvet cloak and gloves of cloth or leather to her ensemble. If it was sunny, she would wear a hat to protect her face. A queen would typically wear all of these things along with many elaborate accessories and make-up. After 1562, royal women, such as Queen Elizabeth I, started wearing more makeup on their face in order to cover their scars from smallpox. They would paint their faces with makeup made of white lead and vinegar, then add red dye to their cheeks. In addition, royal women would wear red powder, called rouge on their lips. Also, wigs were very fashionable during the Elizabethan era. Lastly, to complete their appearance, royal women wore accessories such as fans, earrings, a pearl or diamond necklace, a brooch, and a watch. This era was highly fashion-conscious and greatly influenced by Queen Elizabeth I’s fashion (Thomas 1).
The fashion of royal women in the Elizabethan era was not only a statement because the law controlled what they wore. The Medieval Feudal System set these laws, called the Sumptuary Laws, in place during June of 1574, and they soon became known by all of the people of England (“Elizabethan Sumptuary Laws”). The Sumptuary Laws, which later became known as the Statutes of Apparel, say which types of clothes and the color of the clothing the people could wear (Hun 1). For example, only the royal family had permission to wear clothes trimmed with ermine and the colors purple and gold (“Elizabethan Upper Class Fashion”). Just like any other law, the Sumptuary Laws also had punishments if anyone violated them. Whoever broke these codes faced penalties, fines, and loss of property; they could even lose their title or even their life. After the Bubonic Plague, also known as the Black Death, King Henry VII updated the existing Sumptuary Laws. Just like her father and sister before her, Queen Elizabeth I continued to use the Statutes of Apparel during her reign. The reason for these laws were to maintain the social structure of the Elizabethan social class system. The Statutes of Apparel insured that everyone knew their place in the hierarchy. Just like everything else in the medieval period, the Feudal System dictated the clothing laws (“Elizabethan Sumptuary Laws”).
The Elizabethan era was full of many beautiful gowns, however, not just anyone could wear them.

Clothes were an important symbol of “who was who” during this time period (“Elizabethan Sumptuary Laws”). In addition, which social class a person was in determined which clothes they wore. For example,only royalty and the highest nobility wore colors such as: gold, silver, crimson, deep indigo, violet, black, and white. People who wore the color blue were often servants of the royal family (Hun 2). The queen, the queen’s mother, daughters, sisters, and aunts often wore clothes of gold (Elizabethan Upper Class Fashion). Along with color, a person’s title or status also determined the material of clothes they wore. Women of the upper class were often wearing clothes of velvet, satin, fur, silk, lace, cotton, or taffeta. They used imported materials from other places to make these expensive clothes (Hun 3). Despite all of the fancy garments of the upper class, the queen still dressed more magnificent than everyone else in the land (Thomas 1). On the other end of the spectrum, women of the lower class mainly wore natural colors such as brown, yellow, and beige. In order to follow the dress code, they made their dresses with only wool or linen (Hun 7). Women of the middle class also wore simple dresses like the women of the lower class, however, their dresses were nicer wools and linens and were often white (Hun

6).
In conclusion, royal women’s outfits in the Elizabethan era contained many layers, the law regulated them, and they showed which social class they were in. Many people nowadays believe the Elizabethan women dressed nice just to look pretty and to impress others, however, that was not the case. Lastly, there was always a purpose to each woman’s outfit no matter which social class she was in.