Fashion3

Haley F. Hairstyles were always a big deal during the Elizabethan period. Your hair always had to look better than everyone else’s. Everyone always kept up with the latest trends. Men were very particular about their hair. They would spend hours in the barber shop, waiting for their new due to be perused. Barbers of the time would stiffen, starch, powder, perfume, wax, and dye the hair a spectacular red. Their hair was worn shoulder length and was curled with a hot iron, these were called lovelocks. When and/or if men of this time became bald, they would purchase wigs, normally white or yellow, to keep up with the latest trends. Facial hair was also a big priority for the men. Every inch of hair upon there face, had to be cut to perfection and were considered to be attractive. Beards were normally cut pointed, square, round, oblong, or T-shaped. Women went through great extremes to make sure that their hair looked perfect. Blond was the preferred color of this time period. They would spend a whole day in the sun just to make their hair a little lighter. False hair was common and was made from white or yellow silk. Hair accessories were popular during this time. But the most popular accessories of all were the hairnets. Often made of silk, but if you were poor and wanted to keep up with the latest fashion, your hair net would be made of crepe. Crepe is a lightweight fiber and often has a ridged surface. The nets were often garnished in jewels and gold! Hairpins, combs, pointy hats were worn to emphasize the look During this time it was not uncommon for men to wear tights, makeup, or jewelry. Slashing was a very "in" trend of the time. Fine or thin slits would be cut in the outer layer of the outfit, and more elaborate colors and patterns would be pulled from out from the layer underneath. Ornamentation was a wide spread trend. Soap was just invented and was very expensive and fine clothes, such as silk, could not be washed with it. In 1550, ruffs became a trend in the world of England. Under the ruffs, a doublet would be worn over the shirt and would be buttoned down the front. It includes a short skirt like attire at the waist and would normally cover the holes wear the breeches would be tied into place. Peascodes were rare; it is kind of like a doublet only it follows the line of the chest to the diaphragm. Over the Doublet, men would wear a jerkin. This was often made of silver or Spanish leather and would cover part of the legs. Over the Jerkin, a gown or a cloak would be worn as the final layer. Girdles would be worn around the waist and it would carry his purse and other tools he may have needed at that time. Armor was worn for particular sports such as jousting or other tournaments.
 * What were popular forms of hairstyles, clothing, men's and women's fashion, and children's fashion in Shakespeare's England? How were these different in urban/rual life? How were these different in Noble/merchant/common life?**

The goal of women’s fashion was to make the lady look as attractive as possible. The women’s dress was just as difficult as the men’s. The main part of a women’s dress is the bodice and the skirt. The bodice always had a flat front and would come to a point in front, just below the waist. To do this, women would have the lace on there corset laced as tight as possible. Women’s waist had to be as small and thin as possible and they would do anything to get it that way. Sleeves were puffy and ruffles were worn to symbolize high society. The ruffle was meant to come down in the front of the face and come up along the sides and the back of the head. Queen Elizabeth wore this trend often, as you can tell in most of her portraits. Sleeves were the most complicated part of the dress by far. Imagine, a small collection of pieces held together by jeweled fasteners. The fabric under the outer sleeve created the puffy look. Women would use any element of clothing to make them selves appear more lovely than everyone else.

Children’s fashion was simple, for the time. Before children were five, they all dressed very similar. Little boys would wear dresses, as would the girls. In family portraits a little boy may have a sword and the little girl may have a doll. By the age of seven, young boys were “breeched” and dressed just like there fathers. When young girls would turn five, they would relate there clothing to there mothers. [|Try going to this link for information on womens clothing!]

WORKS CITED

Picard, Liza. //Elizabeth's England//. New York: St. Martins Griffin, 1927. 123-146 and 271-278. Print. Holland, Peter. //William Shakespeare//. Oxford: OXFORD University Press, 2007. 20-23. Print. Sighters,. //Shakespeare's London//. New York: Kingfisher, 2000. 8-9. Print.  Stewart, Gail. //Life in Elizabethan England//. Michagan : Thomson Gale, 1949. 43-53. Print.