Recreating 16th and 17th Century Clothing: The Renaissance Tailo

Demonstrations>Accessories:Western European>Flat Caps and Tall Hats Once upon a time, a really long time ago, I joined a historical re-enactment society. I constructed a huge number of really bad hats back then but I loved hats so I kept at it. Right then and there I made a two-fold vow. I'm proud to say that, to my knowledge, I've not broken the first part of that vow. Let's start with an easy one - Flat caps, in period, were called bonnets, which is a gender loaded word for us modern folk. Flat caps are easy. According to Arnold's pattern the brim consisted of doughnut shaped pieces (one each of lining, felt interlining, and tufted wool outer shell). Only fragments of the crown of this particular cap remained but Arnold assumes that they were simply larger circles. To make your own flat cap you will need to measure around your or the cap recipient's head for circumference. Diameter=Circumference divided by 3.14. And now for the more difficult one - So there you have it! Happy costuming!

The Tudor Costume Page For 1578, the look for most women should approximate that shown on the right, which is taken from the "Wedding at Bermondsey". Most women should wear a smock with a high collar and ruffles (low status) or seperate, starched ruffs (middling to high) at neck and wrists. Over this is worn a long skirt pleated to a waistband, with a contrast coloured bodice over the top. The bodice is front laced, with a point at centre front. It may have details such as stuffed rolls at the shoulder, or tabs at shoulder and/or waist. Discourse over, lets go on to the garments... The shift The first layer is the shift. The sleeves on this shift are just a narrow tube with a neat hem at the end. You'll see lots of shifts on the manor with fuller sleeves gathered onto a cuff. If you're going to be on the manor for more than two or three days you will want two of these. It's amazing how risque it feels posting a picture of me in the Tudor equivalent of bra and knickers! The petticoat The kirtle Finishing touches

Sixteenth-Century Clothing - Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clot The sixteenth century was one of the most extravagant and splendid periods in all of costume history and one of the first periods in which modern ideas of fashion influenced what people wore. Some of the larger cultural trends of the time included the rise and spread of books, the expansion of trade and exploration, and the increase in power and wealth of national monarchies, or kingdoms, in France, England, and Spain. Each of these trends influenced what people chose to wear and contributed to the frequent changes in style and the emergence of style trendsetters that are characteristic of modern fashion. Wealth and the monarchies of Europe Perhaps the single biggest factor influencing fashion in the sixteenth century was the wealth of European kingdoms and powerful city-states in Italy. The powerful kings and queens who led European nations believed that one of the ways that they could display their power was through their clothing. Fashion historian Ruth M. The pressure to keep up