Elizabethan Fashion

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Elizabethan Fashion The Elizabethan Era was a time that reflect the mood and values of the 16th century though the use of fashion. It was a period in which a lot of originality and creativity was evident was used to create new styles of dress (Black & Garland 16). The Fashion in Elizabethan England at this time reflected the values and Ideals of the era. It was an Era that based everything on the Great Chain Of Being; which was a concept that everyone had a position in the social standings of society that was given to him or her by God (Leed 1). The citizens in England during the 16th century had their ordered stations in life, and their clothing reflected who they were in society. Society was broken up into three major categories; peasants, middle class and nobles. If your clothing reflected the status of a different class then yours, you would be fined under Sumptuary Laws (Leed 1). Elizabethan Society was a society very different from today, but like today, the fashion reflected the mood and influences on society. The Fashion that was displayed in Elizabethan England was shaped by the impacts of Queen Elizabeth, the Spanish influence, Christopher Columbus, their desires for youth and beauty, and the strict social order. With these five influences the difference of the style of clothing worn in upper... ... middle of paper ... ... Costume. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1948. 5. Elizabethan Embellishments (Internet) The Costume Homepage February 1st, 2000 URL: 6. Leed, Drea. Women's Clothing for the lower orders (Internet) The Elizabethan Costume Homepage February 1st, 2000 URL: 7. Racinet, Albert. The Historical Encyclopedia of Costumes. New York: Facts on File Publications, 1988. 8. Vecellio, Cesare. Vecellios Renaissance Costume Book. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1977. 9. Weiditz, Christoph. Authentic Everyday dress of the Renaissance. New York: Dover Publications, 1994. 10. Wilcox, R. Turner. A History of Fashion. New York: Charles Scribners sons, 1969.

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