I've been doing some serious research on the equality of women during the Renaissance. I've learned about the "roaring girls", the anonymous women writers, crazy theatrical heroines that changed the perspective of a woman's ability to--- well anyway I've been wondering about pants. It was a really big deal in the US when suddenly the 50's housewife was able to throw on a pair of pant-like things, and I want to know how that happened for women in England...and when. But FIRST I want to know about the silly leggings King James is wearing in this picture. In order to gain perspective on my paper I decided to look up some fun pictures of ole Liz and Jimmy. Then I digressed my research. According to a costume shop in London that specializes in British Renaissance attire, "One style of English Renaissance dress for the wealthy or noble man began with a plain or plaited linen shirt accented at the neck by a small ruffle or ruff. At the wrist, the sleeve was adorned with a similar ruff. Over this was worn a close-fitting square cut vest. Atop the vest, a tunic or doublet, that was slashed and reached nearly to the knee. The V-shaped opening of the tunic revealed the shirt and vest beneath. An example of this style can still be seen today in the uniforms of the "beef-eater" guards at the Tower of London" (Howard). After reading this long description of the layers it takes to dress just a male aristocrat during the Renaissance, I had a revelation. Now I know why they survived in those cold, dank castles without electric heating- LAYERS!!! Howard (costuming specialist) goes on to describe the "hose of finest wool" that went under the boots and the little dress you see James wearing in the top right picture. Though this does not even begin to answer my question about women wearing pants, it helps me to understand the necessity for the goofy layers they wore back then. With fabric and decoration proving your status, it makes perfect, logical sense for the British aristocrats to over-do their wardrobe in order to stay warm and look real good.
I've been doing some serious research on the equality of women during the Renaissance. I've learned about the "roaring girls", the anonymous women writers, crazy theatrical heroines that changed the perspective of a woman's ability to--- well anyway I've been wondering about pants. It was a really big deal in the US when suddenly the 50's housewife was able to throw on a pair of pant-like things, and I want to know how that happened for women in England...and when. But FIRST I want to know about the silly leggings King James is wearing in this picture. In order to gain perspective on my paper I decided to look up some fun pictures of ole Liz and Jimmy. Then I digressed my research. According to a costume shop in London that specializes in British Renaissance attire, "One style of English Renaissance dress for the wealthy or noble man began with a plain or plaited linen shirt accented at the neck by a small ruffle or ruff. At the wrist, the sleeve was adorned with a similar ruff. Over this was worn a close-fitting square cut vest. Atop the vest, a tunic or doublet, that was slashed and reached nearly to the knee. The V-shaped opening of the tunic revealed the shirt and vest beneath. An example of this style can still be seen today in the uniforms of the "beef-eater" guards at the Tower of London" (Howard). After reading this long description of the layers it takes to dress just a male aristocrat during the Renaissance, I had a revelation. Now I know why they survived in those cold, dank castles without electric heating- LAYERS!!! Howard (costuming specialist) goes on to describe the "hose of finest wool" that went under the boots and the little dress you see James wearing in the top right picture. Though this does not even begin to answer my question about women wearing pants, it helps me to understand the necessity for the goofy layers they wore back then. With fabric and decoration proving your status, it makes perfect, logical sense for the British aristocrats to over-do their wardrobe in order to stay warm and look real good.
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