What Is Queen Elizabeth's Style

In this essay I want to examine how the corset evolved from a staple of the British feminine wardrobe of the Nineteenth Century into a symbol of an outmoded tradition – only to later return as a statement of female liberation. I am going to look at different aspects of this development including technological advances, economic facts, external events, particularly the First World War and changes in social, political and aesthetic attitudes. I will also look briefly at the role of Chanel on the silhouette and how this impacted on the corset: focusing on the trend to towards ‘opulent androgyny’ in the 1920’s. Finally I will examine the resurgence of the corset

During the 1500s, one woman prevailed in a society dominated by males. Queen Elizabeth I of England served for forty-four stable and prosperous years. She claimed the throne in 1558 and reigned until her death in 1603. Because of her strong leadership, this time period was known as England’s Golden Age or Elizabethan Era. Queen Elizabeth’s accomplishments were possible because of her educational background, Protestant upbringing, and unmarried status.

Queen Elizabeth I was a fashion icon for both men and women. At the dawn of the Elizabeth reign women wore dresses that covered them from head to toe. Drilled collars development into more of a complex, which grow into the Elizabethan ruffs. By opening up the ruffs at the collar to expose more of the neck and collar changed the design of the ruffs into more of a feminine and seductive look.

In Victorian England, the rich were very well off and had a lot of putative luxuries. One nice thing about being rich then, were the beautiful, elegant houses and what went on inside them. “A wealthy family… would have lived in a large house with at least three storeys” (Durham University), many rooms, and servants. It may not seem important to living someone here in America today, but their children got very good educations. As crazy as this may seem, many of the families “would not use their kitchen [because] all their food would have been prepared by servants” (Durham University). Another luxury the rich had were their clothes. Unlike the poor, the wealthy had plenty of clothing, and often the women “needed help getting dressed” (Durham University) because under most of their dress were extremely tight corsets and large hoop skirts called crinolines. The men wore, along with their suits, various assortments and combinations of waistcoats, hats, pocket watches, handkerchiefs, and gloves. The children wore “miniature versions of adult clothes” (Durham University); “boys wore dresses until they were about five” (Durham University), and some kids wore sailor suits, but crinolines were not wore until much older. Both housing

Such as, their wealth and social status. The rulers even created laws specifically concerning clothing. These laws stated the colors as well as the type of clothing an individual was allowed to own and wear in public. First of all, depending on your social status during the Elizabethan Era your option of clothing is limited. The working class and peasant were

The extreme and distorted silhouettes of the Elizabethan Era are in stark contrast to the pared back fashion of the war years. Furthermore, Queen Elizabeth’s intelligence and ruthlessness made her a formidable political force (Fischel, 2012) and due to portraiture being the main artistic genre of the time we can see the way Elizabeth influenced and dictated the fashions of her day. On the other hand, fashion during the war years was dictated by fabric rationing and the need for more practical and comfortable clothing was apparent especially in women’s

Queen Elizabeth I was born September 7, 1533 and died on March 24, 1603. She ascended to the throne in 1558 when she was 25. Elizabeth I held the throne until her death 44 years later (Marvel 2). She was the only daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn (Berry). Her half-sister Mary and her brother Edward VI were both born of King Henry VIII although they had different mothers. Elizabeth I chose not to have a spouse, as she preferred to be married to her country and her people (Biography.com). Elizabeth, a single queen of England, made an impact to the people and their needs.

In the Elizabethan era, their lives were governed by strict laws and rule. According to “Elizabethan Era,” “the Parliament regulated the clothes that can only be worn by each rank and it was considered a defiance of the order if a laborer wore clothes of the rich.” The Parliament governed the citizens very strictly, and even decided what the people would wear. Stated by Melanie Jones, “a person's class determined how they could dress, where

In the earlier parts of the sixteenth century, everything was changing in England. Everything from their queens right down to fashion. The fifteenth century was a time if simple styles, anything that would create a simple silhouette of a woman. The sixteenth century was different, this era is what we now call Elizabethan fashion. Clothing wasn't just merely an insignificant thing in the days of Elizabethan England. There are some very small yet important items that must be worn to have a proper Elizabethan outfit. Everything was equally important, all the way down to the make up that was worn. During the Elizabethan times they had everything, specific outfits and accessories, some more lavish, according to classes. In fact, it is quite significant

They had lush forms, excess amounts of thick flowing hair, and their bodies were perched in playful or alluring poses. Women were depicted with the heavy lidded and voluptuous features that were prevalent in the styles advocated by Pre-Raphaelites. They were adorned heavily in decorative patterns and accessories. As the English Aesthetic Movement came into play and role of women became a bit less restrictive, their attire within art also changed to include loose and flowing garments with a more whimsical appeal. Corsets and voluminous garments were mostly abandoned in society and some women, such as American Amelia Bloomer and Lady Haberton of England even made attempts to spread the adoption of trousers into their everyday

Queen Elizabeth 1 is known for her era, and also her refusal to get married, on the subject, she is quoted say,"I would rather be a beggar and single than be queen and married." She was strong, and knew what she wanted, this also showed in the arts, and how they changed, during her period. During the Elizabethan era, the three main signifagant characteristicts are all in the arts, which Eliabeth 1 changed, and helped develop greatly. Art, fashion, and music are the most signifagant, and will be discussed in that order. Elizabeth 1's era changed not only her time, but the present day, and after reading about the arts, that should be evident and obvious.

There were a multitude of influences on clothing choices in this powerful era, most notable was the creative renaissance man, Henry VIII and the royal Queen Elizabeth I. In fact, there were sumptuary laws made by them permitting people of different classes to wear only certain fabrics, colors, or garments. For instance, peasants were confined to one color and one material while queens, like Elizabeth I, wore extravagant jewels and garments of multiple colors. In addition to Henry VIII and Elizabeth I contributions to fashion, there were new innovative minds coming into play such as Catherine of Aragon, who introduced her intricate spanish blackwork embroidery and the farthingale, an accessory that gave a distinct round barrel look to dresses. Furthermore,

Women’s clothing took hours to put on. Women in the Elizabethan time wore puffy sleeves, and tight-fitting dresses. Back in that time the women tried to look more petite than they look even though they wore multiple layers on (History of Fashion). Women had to cover all of their bodies. Women who were in the upper class wore knee-length, of full chemise. A chemise was a thin white (dress for girls), puffy shirt-dress. A chemise was usually made of undergarment made of linen. Stockings were knee-length and were usually made or wool, silk or linen. What was strange was a farthingale. A farthingale was a dome shaped skirt (made stiff of whalebone or wood) that was worn underneath the dress. A women’s petticoat was worn over the farthingale to add more volume to the gown. A kirtle was worn above the petticoat. The kirtle was decorated in the front section. Gowns were expensive materials. They split in the middle to reveal the kirtle. The ruffs were worn by the women also. The shoes, were made of leather, silk, velvet, and brocade (rich fabric). The women in this social class, wore looser corsets (which usually clinched at the waist), less layers, and wore simple clothes that were less cumbersome (large or heavy)

There was more to fashion for the upper-class than just clothing. Both men and women would spend lots of money and many hours going to a barbershop. Citizens needed to always be up to date on the latest styles. Women tended to dye their hair either red to copy Queen Elizabeth the First or blond. It was also in style to have high hairlines, so women would have their hair plucked until their forehead extended higher. Men also took lots of pride in both their facial hair and hair on their head. In a lot of cases, men wore wigs to be able to have a fashionable hairstyle. Wigs for men typically came in white or blond.

During the French Revolution people were discouraged and scared to wear any article of clothing of which made them appear to be from money, but after the revolution had ended, France’s new emperor Napoleon III and his Empress Eugenie decided to change this trend by emphasizing the importance of one's appearance and demanded for luxury items. One of the designers of which helped introduce this trend by designing hourglass silhouettes for his garments was Charles Frederick Worth. Worth was a major designer of the time and had been said to be the creator of Haute Couture, his garments were loved by many, even the Empress who has been said to have “ensured Worth’s success as a popular dressmaker from the 1860’s onward” (Krick). Due to the Empress’s attire consisting of this particular silhouette resulted in it become a popular trend. Women wanted to look and feel great during this time so they may be envied by others, they were also expected to uphold to these dress standards by men to prove they would be/are a suitable wife. Thus, with all these contributors, the hourglass silhouette was