Renaissance Costuming

Index (click to jump to section/page):
Elizabethan Women's Clothing
Women's Shape Timeline
Renaissance Clothing by Raveness
Women's Accessories
Elizabethan Links
Class Strata & Why?
Pattern Review
Plackets NEW
Elizabethan Men's Clothing
Elizabethan Necklace Instructions
Early Italian Renaissance Clothing
Tudor (Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary) Clothing
Flemish (Bruegel - Mid 16th Century)
Early 16th C. Women's German Clothing (not active yet)
 

"For the taylers doe nothing else but invent new fashions, 
disguised shapes, and monstrous formes of apparell every day." 
Philip Stubbes, Anatomie of Abuses, 1583

Elizabethan Women's Clothing

The first thing you'll do whether you are a peasant or nobility, is get on your chemise or smock. It is a simple piece of clothing that is kind of like wearing an undershirt so you don't get all sweaty on your nice clothes. Peasants are also suspected as using these as night gowns. And they are very comfortable when used like that. Chemises/smocks/shirts were anywhere from shirt length to long enough to keep your legs warm. But a lady would never show anything from her shoulder to her wrist. It would be scandalous! However, if a woman is working, they may roll up their sleeves to the elbow (see detail from Bruegel's "Haymaking" to the right and later below). 

I have not yet found any evidence to suggest that the smocks were in any color other than white. Even peasants could wash their shirts and put them out on the grass in the sun to dry which would bleach them white. Of course for a lower class persona, a few stains can help to make your character look real. Nothing looks quite as nice as a linen shirt all hand-sewn. I like to make the base of the garment by machine, and do the details and stitching that will show by hand. If you can't get a hold of a lightweight (or hanky-weight) linen, use a nice lightweight 100% cotton. If you use a poly blend (which some broadcloths are) it will not let your body breathe as much and you will get hotter faster. It's especially important with this first layer.

This may seem odd, but this is the best stage to put on your stockings and shoes. Once you get that farthingale and especially the corset on, you aren't going to be able to put them on.

The next thing to  put on is optional, an under-petticoat. These were worn for warmth, modesty (flashing if your farthingale flies up on you), and possibly even as (this is gross) toilet paper. It's something I heard, because they didn't have real toilet paper and restrooms weren't exactly popular. I am not suggesting you use it that way. Ick. These would simply be anything from old skirts, to flannel skirts especially for those cold days.

Next is the farthingale (right). A Spanish farthingale, which is what I will explain next, was used from the beginning of the 16th century until around the late 1570s. After this time a French farthingale was used for a different look.  If you are a peasant, you will probably not be able to afford such a luxury (And if you're a peasant, an annoyance or even hazard while you're trying to get things done!). The farthingale is a hoop skirt, which is a skirt that has stiffened horizontal bands at intervals that gives the skirt it's shape. The bands are usually made from some sort of boning, though there is a pattern for a Corded Petticoat on the Renaissance Costuming Page. Picture from the Renaissance Costuming Page's History of the Spanish Farthingale.

Next you put on your corset. There are several patterns for an Renaissance corset that are available. One is from the Elizabethan Costuming Page How to make an Elizabethan Corset. Then there are 2 patterns (tabbed and un-tabbed versions) that you can order from Alter Years. Lynn McMasters will create a custom Corset Pattern for you if you order it from her site. There is something to remember about corsets. There are different types. Renaissance corsets are tube like. Victorian era corsets are very shapely. Each uses a busk, but the Elizabethans know a busk as a piece of wood that is flat and fits down the front of your corset to give that flat look. Victorians know a busk as 2 pieces of metal that go in the front of the corset and have hooks to keep it together. The Victorian style Corset will not give the proper Renaissance look.  Renaissance corset stops at the hips, with the exception of the tabs that help keep the corset from digging into your hips (OUCH!).

Now for the bumroll. The bumroll's existence in period is questioned, if they were around they were the predecessor to the French farthingale (a large padded roll worn around the waist to give the dainty waist on a plate look). They are, simply put, a small roll filled with rags or stuffing that tapers at the ends and ties in the front.

Then on to the partlet if you have one. It is basically a collar that you put on that covers down your back, closes in the front and loops under the arms, but has no sleeves. It's meant just to show up under the bodice, or over top, kind of like modern dickies. Middle class sometimes had them and upper classes did, but not very often did the lower classes. It was left open in the front to expose the bosom if the lady was unmarried and closed if they were married (but like most things, this is not a rule and was "broken" by many women of the day) . See the Renaissance Tailor and Constructing a 16th Century Flemish Outfit for more about both kinds of partlets. Tudor partlets were something a little different, see the Tudor Clothing page for more detail.

Now for the petticoats or kirtle. If you have any petticoats that you want to wear to keep the farthingale's ribs from showing through, you should put them on here. This can be omitted if the bones don't show through to the next step, or if one has a kirtle. A kirtle can mean either a petticoat or a petticoat that is attached to a structured bodice (which is sometimes called a kirtle and bodice, or petticoat bodies, or kirtle and bodies)  that is used like a modern day full slip (see picture to the right, don't let your farthingale bones show through like an under-fed dinosaur).

The forepart is an elaborately decorated panel of material that is kept flat (no gathers or pleats) in the front. The sides (where it will not show when wearing the overskirt which can be worn open in the front) are of less expensive material because who's going to see that part anyway? That tactic is called "Faking" and was very popular in Renaissance England.  The picture is from Simplicity's Pattern 3782, and while it needs a little tweaking to make it historically correct, it's pretty good and illustrates the 2 skirts for us here nicely (It just needs a separate chemise).

Then you put on your overskirt. This was a skirt that usually had an opening in the front that could be open to show the forepart or closed for a different look. It was usually fastened in the front which was hidden by the point of the bodice. Many gowns also had skirts that were attached to the bodice (please see Janet Arnold's "Patterns of Fashion: The Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women C. 1560-1620"). 

Peasants wouldn't have either the forepart or the split overskirt. At Renaissance Festivals you will commonly see peasant women wearing 2 skirts, and tuck the "overskirt" up to keep it from getting in the mud and grime to keep it looking good longer while the older "underskirt" is the one getting icky. When the older "underskirt" wears out, the newer "overskirt" takes it's place and another new "overskirt" is tucked up and kept nice. The skirt can also be attached to the bodice. As research has shown me, for noble class women, the skirt was attached to the bodice in most cases. I have also come to the conclusion that for working and peasant women, rather than a second skirt, you commonly see them in portraits wearing a kirtle (skirt & bodice sewn together) with an over-gown, or a gown and apron. Aprons can be in many colors such as white, blue, orange and red. Usually an apron is just a rectangle of fabric with a string sewn in the middle 1/2, so that the quarters on each end hang free, and tied around the waist. A little band of color or a bit of simple embroidery is seen on a few "good" aprons. Perhaps ones that were worn on special occasions. Notice how high the hem of the skirt is. Ankles were ok to show so you didn't ruin your clothing. The no-ankles thing seems to be more of a Victorian invention. But really, you shouldn't be able to see your feet if you are in court garb and standing still. But skirts should be a few inches off the ground so you don't trip. 

Next for the Bodice, Woman's Doublet, or Gown and Sleeves. Yes, the bodice and the sleeves are 2 separate things  (but never say always)! The bodice would be heavily boned and used without a corset for the lower class, but would be lightly boned or stiff fabric used for the upper classes who would not think of going out without their corset ( or heavily boned kirtle). The sleeves usually tied onto the bodice right at the arm hole by little loops. They had many styles of sleeves, curved, open, closed, 2 piece, slashed, hanging, puffed at the top and tight at the wrist. Look at portraits and see which ones you like.

They didn't always have their skirts and bodices separate, actually all the extant examples of women's clothing of this period that I can think of, (that aren't doublet bodices) are all gowns with the bodice and skirt as one piece of clothing (which makes it so nice and easy to put on and you don't have to worry as much about your skirt shifting around on you). "Bodices and Skirts were always separate but may have been attached by hook and eye." This is one Ren-Fair-ism that I can't stand.

In late Elizabethan England (1590s on), a stomacher was used as a decorative center front panel which your bodice pinned, hooked, or laced to at the sides. It would often match the forepart and or sleeves (painting to the left is a Portrait of Mary Rogers: Lady Harrington, 1592, Tate Gallery, London). In earlier Tudor times, a stomacher works differently. See the Tudor Clothing page for more information.

Please don't forget the headwear. A coif, and some sort of hat are great. Even an embroidered coif for indoor wear is great. I'm still learning more on the subject. There are some great patterns out there. Check out Lynn McMasters' website, she has some great hat patterns for most of the 16th century. There are some nice ones in the Margo Anderson Accessories Package, plus she gives you a free coif and flat cap pattern in adobe format on the website. Drea Leed has a page called "the Headd Shop: Tudor & Elizabethan Headwear".

Shape Timeline of 16th Century English Women's Clothing

Tudor  Elizabethan  Surcoat  Doublet  Wheel Hoop

Renaissance Clothing by Trish:

Trish's Renaissance Garb Closet
 Menswear Renaissance Garb Closet

Women's Accessories

Hats

Elizabethan women should always wear some kind of headwear. Yes, noble ladies, very late in the period, did stop wearing headwear, and went on with very small pillbox type hats or even just jewelry in their hair. But it was something in their hair besides just letting it go loose. Anyone portraying any persona lower than the uppermost noble classes, should wear some sort of hat. Just get used to the idea that your persona couldn't afford lice treatments, and the cheaper alternative would be to wear a hat all the time.

Jewelry

Many necklaces were made mostly of pearls. They were very popular. Long chains draped in multiple strands and hanging over a broach was very popular. Pins on sleeves and other unusual places were popular, not just center front bodice, or over the heart. Pearls or other jewels worn on pins or clips in the hair was popular especially very late period. Rings on every finger except the middle, even multiple rings on the same finger. Dangly earrings were very popular, especially the single large pearl. All jewels should not be very faceted, it was difficult to do in period. Jewel settings should not be set in prongs, but in a bezel setting where the gem is set into a tube, and the edges rounded over the edge of the gem to keep it in. Also see Elizabethan Necklace Instructions to make your own beaded necklace.

Gloves

Gloves were popular among men and women, to keep their hands out of the sun, and to keep them from getting too dry and chapped. Leather gloves would often be given as gifts and could have embroidered cuffs or pinked around the finger joints for ease of movement and to show off rings worn underneath.

Girdles

Girdles were jeweled belts often seen in portraiture of the time with a tassel, religious icon, or book suspended from the tail in front.

Fans

Fans would sometimes be worn from a lady's girdle, but were more often just carried in hand.

Drinking Vessels

Cups, goblets and other drinking vessels would not have been worn on the belt or anywhere else. It would have been kept in a basket or bag so it wouldn't get full of road grime. For the most noble, would have been carried around by their servants.

Pouches

Middle and lower classes wore pouches or purses at their girdles, but like the cups, the nobility would have someone to carry it around for them. Keys, needle cases and other utilitarian items may have been suspended from it as well.

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