Elizabethan society

Elizabethan society

The hierarchy in the Elizabethan era was very important and the class of each member of society knew where they stood. A change in the class or society of a member was unheard of, the hierarchy is here as follows; at the top is the church, then there is the monarch; Queen Elizabeth I, after the Queen there is the noble people, then the knights and vassals, second to the bottom are the merchants, craftsmen and farmers, at the very bottom of the hierarchy are the peasants and serfs.

The society of each person was generally known of by the appearance of each person; the peasants would wear very practical clothing for working in, never cleaned and would go unnoticed, the higher up the hierarchy we go the better dressed and presented the people become. The Queen, known for her high fashion and elaborate designs would be very well dressed, and presented in bright colours and many jewels and pendants that symbolise her wealth and power. 

The fashion I will be studying is taken form Queen Elizabeth I, her style, her hair, her cosmetics and her clothing where highly important for her image. Seeing the Queen in anything other than her well dressed figure would put a mark on her position and put a doubt on her power, her image was everything. 

Decorated dresses, bright colours, pearls, pendants, ruff's, cosmetics, wigs, hair dye and highly elaborate patterns where worn and used by the noble people, people of high class and royalty. I will be looking into this style for my project and I will create a contemporary look inspired by the hair and makeup of people from this era, especially Elizabeth. 

  

The peasant dance, www.ibiblio.com, 1568, oil on oak panel, Kunsthistorisches museum, vienna WebMuseum: Bruegel, Pieter the Elder, viewed 21.10.15, (digital image)

This portrait shows a peasant dance, this could be an interpretation into what the peasants would have worn, their clothes are very practical and very plain and natural colours, no dye would have been used to make the clothes look any different as it was expensive. The clothes of the merchants and farmers would have been very similar, workers clothes would have been practical and respectful.  

Larkin, William (1580c.-1619) - Portrait of a Nobleman, Said to be Robert, Earl of Essex (Private Collection) viewed 21.10.15 (digital image) www.pinterst.com

This is a porter of nobleman, the clothes he wears are more elaborate and expensive compared to the peasants and people beneath him. 

The Armada Portrait, history.parkfieldict.co.uk viewed 19.10.15, (digital image)

Here we see Elizabeth I wearing very elaborate clothing, her dress is covered in bows, ribbons, pearls and fine jewels. She has a large ruff and her hair pulled back from her face, this reveals a large forehead, in those times was considered beautiful and clever. Her cosmetics are very layered and her skin is very pale, this symbolises her class because working people would be outside, getting a tan; royalty would be indoors, very pale. The symbolism in this portrait shows her power, wealth, loyalty and nobility, none of what she is wearing is practical or probably comfortable, but portrays her image which is very important.

This is the style of fashion, makeup and hair I will be studying, worn by the royalty and noblemen.