The Elizabethan Era

689 Words2 Pages

The Elizabethan era lasted from 1550-1625, it was a time of great change in English culture. “For perhaps the first time in history, man viewed his recent past with contempt, dismissing the Middle Ages, somewhat unfairly, as a hopelessly backward period.” (Kemper 67). Queen Elizabeth I ruled from 1558-1602. Queen Elizabeth drastically changed the design of clothing. She created new sumptuary laws that stated who could wear what distinct colors and articles of clothing. The Elizabethan era was a time of change in all aspects of life, especially the design, and laws governing clothing.

Clothing was forever changed in the Elizabethan era. What came of this era was the Renaissance and the Reformation. Both of these periods in time had a major effect on the way of life. The Reformation was created by Protestants who were disengaging from the church. They were angry with the Catholic church and accused the church of corruption. Martin Luther was a leading figure in this movement, and was ridiculed by the church. From the 1530s-1540s the Catholic church tried to regain their supremacy over Europe, they sent out missionaries, and had biblical lectured held throughout the world. The Protestants did succeed in leaving the church and starting a different religion; but the Catholic church is still one of the biggest and longest lasting religions of the world. The people of the Renaissance tried to recreate their culture. “Renaissance man looked back to classical antiquity and attempted to create a way of life based on the glories of ancient Greece and the grandeur of ancient Rome... Yet Renaissance classicism went far beyond simple reconstruction of the classic past” (Kemper 67). The Renaissance was depicted as a time of extravagan...

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... to the extreme. We do not have Sumptuary Laws installed by the government but there are rules the clothing must abide by. The Elizabethan era was a time of culture and the love of arts. This era of time will forever live on as a time of change and a new found love for the beauty that humans can create.

Works Cited

Alchin, Linda. "Elizabethan Clothing Allowed for Men." Elizabethan Era. N.p n.d. Web.

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Kemper, Rachel H. A History of Costume. N.Y.: Newsweek, 1977. Print.

Sandeen, Del. "Elizabethan Fashion for Men." LoveToKnow. N.p n.d. Web. 20 May

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Tomecek, Jan. "Elizabethan Fashions - Page 2." Elizabethan Fashions - Page 2. N.p n.d.
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