The Importance Of Clothing And Fashion In The Elizabethan Era

Clothing and fashion was an important part of the Elizabethan Era, as it played a major role in distinguishing social classes among the people. Laws were in place about what people could and could not wear to maintain social structure, and to make sure citizens were not wasting their money on frivolous and unnecessary clothing when the money could be better spent on other necessities such as horses. Both men and women had specific articles of clothing that varied depending on someone s social class. Statutes of Apparel There were sumptuary laws in place during Elizabethan times. Sumptuary laws have been in place since ancient times dictating rules that citizens must follow. Failure to follow the laws could be punishable with fines,†¦show more content†¦Another important aspect of upper-class fashion was ruffs. Large ruffs signified a high status and were fan like pieces of cloth that were worn around the neck, on the wrists, and in veils. As clothing was more for appearance and not for functionality, the clothing was worn in many layers and pieces. Most aspects of their outfit were separate pieces of clothing that were tied together with laces. 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. The upper-class also had many accessories. For example, women tended to wear hats or silk hairnets in their hair that were adjourned with jewels while men wore silk hats that had a feather or a jewel attached. It was common for upper-class women to be seen carrying a fan and for both men and women to be wearing perfumed gloves. Jewelry was also commonly worn, but women rarely wore earrings.Show MoreRelatedQueen Elizabeth Of The Elizabethan Era1369 Words   |  6 Pageskeep clothing in line. These laws were made to clearly divide the social classes of the time (Alchin). Knowing these laws was very important, because punishments for breaking the laws were harsh. Queen Elizabeth I saw the significance in the clothes people wear and how appearance alters the way people see others. This is why the Elizabethan people would sacrifice anything, even their health, to be beautiful. Queen Elizabeth definitely influenced the clothing of her Era and some of the clothing todayRead MoreElizabeth an Vs. 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