The Sumptuary Laws – origins and passing of laws
The meaning of Color
Textiles.
The meaning of Color
Textiles.
Comment: From Christiana - In designing one’s historical costuming one must take a look at their social class within the society and era they wish to present. In making historical costuming one must set a budget as cost can get rather expensive, and there may be requirements of sumptuary laws within their anachronism group that the person is a member of. An example would be wearing a blue belt, which is reserved for the knight status within Adrian Empire. Also types of accessories may also not be allowed such as circlets and or spurs as these two are reserved as badges of the members status within the Adrian Empire. So in short cross-reference with the Adrian Empire rules for the sumptuary laws as of which can be found in the “Newcomer” manual or if you are of another anachronism group check with their laws that govern dress. Also if one belongs to other anachronism groups, please check with their sumptuary laws as well, otherwise one may have to make several different sets of clothing just to satisfy the sumptuary laws of different anachronism groups.
The first step is selecting a persona, and the first place to begin is to do some “RESEARCH” from relievable sources such as history books published by relievable publishers such as universities presses; the internet making sure that it is also from relievable internet addresses, although it is much harder, and from paintings of the era, as a resource for finding inspiration in designing your own historical costuming, and with this research it will determine the play name, or what I Christiana refer to is the persona’s name. A note, of caution should be taken here in designing a persona, and that is to create a persona that does not copy cat some historical person, although you may wish to use some of the items this person represent. It is best to stay away from well-known historical persons of history, such as royalty, bishops etc., although one may wish for their refinements which to some degree can be done. The next is to look at your own mundane life, and see what may fit into the persona that one wishes to create. This does make the job a whole lot easier and will make it more pleasurable for yourself in presenting the persona of your choice. An example would be if in mundane life you are a carpenter, maybe, journeyman carpenter of the era that you wish to represent?
Also when one creates the persona, please do not cross contaminate with other clothing from other periods of time. If you are representing late Angle Saxon, and wish to wear some clothing that comes from the Elizabethan era, we are looking at a 500 year spread, and the clothing represented in the Elizabethan time would most likely would have not existed within the Angle Saxon Era. It is however possible for it to be reversed for lets say embroidery designs as these would have been past down through generations to the Elizabethan period, but I Christiana cannot stress enough; “DO your RESEARCH.” It is also possible for cross culture exchanges on clothing but please keep in mind the same years and social class that one is representing for their persona.
Sumptuary Laws - of the middle ages were dominated and highly influence by the royal class of their times and it is noted that the sumptuary laws date back as far as the Roman Empire if not earlier and the law dictated the expenditure of the ordinary citizen. Sumptuary in Latin means expenditure, and the laws set forth would curb the expenditure of the people towards items of clothing, jewelry and may have an influence of furniture, beverage and food. The law was also used to control the behavior and ensure that a specific social class be maintained.
1281 to 1309 was the first record of the sumptuary law legislation in the City of London in 1281, which regulated the apparel of workman. Clothing was supplied to these related workman by their employer as part of their wages. Fashions and trends between countries were frequently imitated of which the first Sumptuary Law was probably copied from an European country. The second recorded time of the sumptuary legislation occurred during King Edward II (1284-1327) and this was related to food expenditure, which had a proclamation against “outrageous consumption of meats and fine dishes” by nobles.
King Edward the III (1312 – 1377) passed sumptuary Laws to regulate the various classes of English people and to promote garments made in England and preserve class distinctions by means of clothing, and dress. The law of 1336 attempted to curb expenditure and preserve class distinction.
“no night under the estate of the land, esquire or gentlemen, not any other person, shall wear any shoes or boots having spikes or points whichb exceed the length of two inches, under the forfeiture of forty pence.”
1337 the law was designed to promote English garments and to restrict the wearing of furs.
1363 the law again amended to include the following.
Women in general to be dressed according to the position of their father or husbands
Wives and daughters of servants were not allowed to wear veils with a value of 12p
Yeomen’s, and artisan men’s wives were not allowed to wear silk veils
The use of furs was confined to ladies of knights with a rental above 200 marks a year
A knight’s daughter or wife was not to wear cloth of gold or sable fur
The knight-bachelor’s wife and or daughter was not to wear velvet
An Esquire or and gentleman’s wife or and daughter was not to wear velvet, satin or ermine.
The laborers wife and or daughter were not to wear clothing beyond a certain price or a girdle garnished with silver, and clothes of gold and purple silk were confined to women of the royal family.
In the period from 1066 to 1603 AD western European culture there was some form of sumptuary laws as set by the era and by the country that the persona is based from.
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 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..
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 such as wear apparel given them by the queen, and such as shall have 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.
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 first step is selecting a persona, and the first place to begin is to do some “RESEARCH” from relievable sources such as history books published by relievable publishers such as universities presses; the internet making sure that it is also from relievable internet addresses, although it is much harder, and from paintings of the era, as a resource for finding inspiration in designing your own historical costuming, and with this research it will determine the play name, or what I Christiana refer to is the persona’s name. A note, of caution should be taken here in designing a persona, and that is to create a persona that does not copy cat some historical person, although you may wish to use some of the items this person represent. It is best to stay away from well-known historical persons of history, such as royalty, bishops etc., although one may wish for their refinements which to some degree can be done. The next is to look at your own mundane life, and see what may fit into the persona that one wishes to create. This does make the job a whole lot easier and will make it more pleasurable for yourself in presenting the persona of your choice. An example would be if in mundane life you are a carpenter, maybe, journeyman carpenter of the era that you wish to represent?
Also when one creates the persona, please do not cross contaminate with other clothing from other periods of time. If you are representing late Angle Saxon, and wish to wear some clothing that comes from the Elizabethan era, we are looking at a 500 year spread, and the clothing represented in the Elizabethan time would most likely would have not existed within the Angle Saxon Era. It is however possible for it to be reversed for lets say embroidery designs as these would have been past down through generations to the Elizabethan period, but I Christiana cannot stress enough; “DO your RESEARCH.” It is also possible for cross culture exchanges on clothing but please keep in mind the same years and social class that one is representing for their persona.
Sumptuary Laws - of the middle ages were dominated and highly influence by the royal class of their times and it is noted that the sumptuary laws date back as far as the Roman Empire if not earlier and the law dictated the expenditure of the ordinary citizen. Sumptuary in Latin means expenditure, and the laws set forth would curb the expenditure of the people towards items of clothing, jewelry and may have an influence of furniture, beverage and food. The law was also used to control the behavior and ensure that a specific social class be maintained.
1281 to 1309 was the first record of the sumptuary law legislation in the City of London in 1281, which regulated the apparel of workman. Clothing was supplied to these related workman by their employer as part of their wages. Fashions and trends between countries were frequently imitated of which the first Sumptuary Law was probably copied from an European country. The second recorded time of the sumptuary legislation occurred during King Edward II (1284-1327) and this was related to food expenditure, which had a proclamation against “outrageous consumption of meats and fine dishes” by nobles.
King Edward the III (1312 – 1377) passed sumptuary Laws to regulate the various classes of English people and to promote garments made in England and preserve class distinctions by means of clothing, and dress. The law of 1336 attempted to curb expenditure and preserve class distinction.
“no night under the estate of the land, esquire or gentlemen, not any other person, shall wear any shoes or boots having spikes or points whichb exceed the length of two inches, under the forfeiture of forty pence.”
1337 the law was designed to promote English garments and to restrict the wearing of furs.
1363 the law again amended to include the following.
Women in general to be dressed according to the position of their father or husbands
Wives and daughters of servants were not allowed to wear veils with a value of 12p
Yeomen’s, and artisan men’s wives were not allowed to wear silk veils
The use of furs was confined to ladies of knights with a rental above 200 marks a year
A knight’s daughter or wife was not to wear cloth of gold or sable fur
The knight-bachelor’s wife and or daughter was not to wear velvet
An Esquire or and gentleman’s wife or and daughter was not to wear velvet, satin or ermine.
The laborers wife and or daughter were not to wear clothing beyond a certain price or a girdle garnished with silver, and clothes of gold and purple silk were confined to women of the royal family.
In the period from 1066 to 1603 AD western European culture there was some form of sumptuary laws as set by the era and by the country that the persona is based from.
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 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..
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 such as wear apparel given them by the queen, and such as shall have 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.
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
Colors 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.
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.
Textiles
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.
Closing
With textiles from the past eras, these can be rather difficult to attained, and in most cases somewhat expensive, although not imposible to attain if one searches. If one can find these fabrics, and wishes to recreate the historical garb, the draping and texture will add to the garment showing of been more relistic. There are modern day textile mixers such as polyester, rayon, and other man make fibres. To keep cost down, one may wish to look into a blend of these textiles, with some natural fibres been used to make some of the lesser expensive textiles and to get the feel and the look of the real fibres that were used by prior to the 1900s. Also one should note that cotton was not a common item back in the period that one wishes to protray, although there is Eyptain Cotton that was name during this period, but would be consider an expensive textile to use back in this period, as this item would have been imported. The common North American Cotton, that is commonly available at most fabric shops today, was not known in 106 to 1603 and therefore should be used with this in mind. It is great for undergarments, but as for exterior showing it should be avoided unless mixed fabric like linen and cotton, and should be of solid color. Avoid using pattern material, as the pattern may not be of that of the era that you are trying to create in your persona.
I Christiana use a later persona from approx 1544 to 1603AD of a wealthy class merchant lady, and have done research within the apparel laws and as such tried to keep as close as possible to the period I represent, and along with the fact that there is trade with lower European countries. Therefore this article is more closely related to my persona's era, but should give one a good idea of where to start on their research to create a garment to their persona's era and social class.
Acknowledgements:
www.middle-ages.org.uk
www.elizabethan-era.org.uk
The Tudor Tailor – Ninyla Mihaila – ISBN 10:0-89676-255-6
No comments:
Post a Comment