Tudor Fashionistas by LNor19: Trendsetters

It's the high up that set today's hottest fashion and as it was with the Tudors too. Queens, Princesses, Duchesses, these women were trendsetters, what they wore was what everyone at court was wearing. Meet the Fashionistas of the 16th Century!

The proximity of France and England helped fashions reach the island country. One of the first major fashion statements would be in the 1490's to 1510's, the French Queen, Anne of Bretagne's 'French Hood', it's popularity would surge across Europe.

While the Queen of France was setting trend, so was the Queen of England. Elizabeth of York would help in making the 'English Steeple Hood' more elaborate, accenting it with jewels and rich thread, all happening around the same time as Anne, 1490's-1500's.

From 1510-1520 French fashion would advance faster than English fashion, however both fashion were clearly adavancements on the previous decade's. Queen Claude, Anne of Bretagne's daughter, is wearing the updated version of 'French Hood', of which her mother made famous. Also with French fashion, the skirt worn by Claude is wider and more round then her mother's more loose skirt. In England, Queen Katherine of Aragon would help progress with updating the 'Steeple Hood' into the 'Gable Hood', giving England's headwear more structure, she also wore Flemish and round hoods, snoods and Juliet caps. England's skirt also slightly changed, Elizabeth of York's skirt is layered and 'frumpy' whilst Katherine's is layered but 'sleeker' and more fitted looking, this is due to Katherine bringing the 'Spanish Farthingale' to England. Both Katherine and Claude would popularize the fur-trimmed bell sleeve on gowns.

Above, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour both reigned as Queen Consort of England in the 1530's. Here, both women don the popular 'English Gable Hood', Their fir-trimmed bell sleeves were also mimiced throughout the English Court. However a difference not shown these pictures is Anne's fondness of 'French Hoods', Anne would help create popularity of the 'French Hood' in the English court, whilst Jane would stress the wearing of "Gable Hood.'

Below, Showing France's adavancment in fashion as to England is Diane De Poitiers, Mistress of Henri II, and Eleanor of Habsburg, second wife of Francois I. They are wearing French fashions from the 1530's, their counterparts above wearing 1530's English fashion. The French sleeves still have a fir-trim but now are attached to 'slashed' sleeves as opposed to covering a thin sleeve as still worn in England. The skirts also have a round, wide shape, whilst Jane and Anne wear a loose, flowing skirt. Diane wears the common headwear of the time, a 'French Hood', whilst Eleanor wears a 'Bag Snood', which is a net that holds her hair up.

For Tudor jewerly and gemstones see: Tudorcrazy Library