Anne Boleyn - Tudor Queen Who Ruled the Hearts of Modern People

English history is full of mysteries, and there are a number of facts, which are still the subject of research. Anne Boleyn, the queen consort of King Henry VIII of England, is one of the famous names that we can take as an example in this regard. She was the second wife of the king and was recognized as a key figure of English Reformation after her marriage and subsequent execution. The era of English Reformation was the time, when England progressed in various fields, such as art, culture, medieval costumes and more.

But, the word ‘reformation’ refers to the religious reformation against the dogmatism of Roman Catholic Church during that period. First, the king broke with Church of Rome in order to marry her and declared himself the head of Church of England. In this way, Anne indirectly contributed in reformation. Moreover, she was an open minded lady, which can be estimated with the fact that she argued to distribute the revenues to the charitable and educational institutions instead of giving them to church. She made this argument to Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex. It is claimed that Thomas conspired against Anne because of his dispute with her.

Anne Boleyn born in the year 1501, and was the daughter of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Howard. She got the education in Netherlands and France, and returned to England in the year 1522 for marrying her Irish cousin, James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond. But, the plans of her marriage with James failed, and she found the place as maid of Honor to Henry VIII’s first queen consort, Catherine of Aragon. In the year 1523, there was a secret betrothal between her and Henry Percy, son of the fifth Earl of Northumberland. But, the betrothal was broken in 1524, and she was sent back home to Hever Castle. King Henry tried to seduce her, which was one of the absorbing factors for his desire to marry her.
King annulled his marriage his first queen for marrying Anne. Roman Catholic Church declared it as illegal, but the king broke his relations with the church and declared himself the head of Church of England. There is no doubt that it seems that the relation was broken because of the selfish motive of the king. Still, it put some great impacts on the nation. He married Anne on 25th January 1933. She gave birth to Elizabeth on 7th September and could not give birth to son.

The relation of the two could not be continued for the long. She was found guilty for high treason in April 1536. Moreover, she was also accused of adultery and incest. There were no sufficient evidence found against her, but still she was beheaded on 19th May, 1536.

Despite the small time span of her existence as a queen, she became widely popular in England. Her renaissance clothing styles are copied by women in today’s scenario also. Moreover, some films have also been made on her biography. Interestingly, some researchers of occultism claim the existence of the ghost of Anne today also.

Communities of the Renaissance Age and Their Lifestyles

The renaissance age in Europe is undoubtedly an unforgettable era for the people of the western world. It was the era, when a great cultural and artistic rebirth was witnessed in the society. A stunning evolution took place in various fields, such as paintings, sculptures, renaissance costumes and so on. Besides, the lifestyles of that era became the source of inspiration of the modern times also.

An interesting thing about that era was that it was full of diverse cultures. A number of cultures were present during that period, which had their unique lifestyles. The commoners of that era used to constitute the mainstream society. Besides, the communities of serfs, royals/nobles/aristocrats and pirates were some other communities, which were making the societies.

Commoners:  They were the modest people of the society. They gained the huge interest in art and culture, which was reflected in his clothing styles also. The styles of these people were very much inspired with gothic and Germanic traditions. In the renaissance age, the massive clothes became prominent during the renaissance age. The popular women’s costumes of that era include linen chemises adorned with lace edges, lengthened breaches and heavy gowns etc. On the other hand, puffed trunk hose, padded doublet and balloon sleeves were the outfits of the men during that period. On the other hand, they had the healthy eating styles. Some of the eatables they would consume included roasts, soups, pastas, pastries and cheeses etc.

Serfs: Serfs, otherwise known as peasants, were the labor-class people of that era. They would work on the lands of the lords. Most of them would work on the lands of the lords, and they had to do hard labor in order to pay the dues. Sometimes, they also had to pay the rent in the form of money to the lords, apart from the labor. The clothing styles of these people were simple. They would wear a blouse that would be fastened with leather belt round the waist, and an overcoat or mental which was made up of thick woolen material.

Royals/Nobles/Aristocrats: These were the upper class communities of that era. They would wear the dresses beaded with the jewels. Moreover, their outfits were extravagant, many of which are fashion-statements for today’s people also. The dresses of Queen Elizabeth I were the best examples in this regard. Besides, they would eat the luxurious foods.

Pirates: Mainstream pirates were not part of lawful communities. They would wear the disorganized styles of outfits, which they would loot from the ships. The pirate clothing developed during that era is also the fashion statement of the people of today’s scenario. Their lifestyles were very much like the sailors. They would eat fresh veggies, eggs, meats and cheeses. Moreover, dice, cards, dance and singing were the leisure activities of these raiders, which they would use for fun. There was another class of pirates also, which belonged to the lawful raiders authorized by the government. Such raiders were known as privateers, and their work was to loot the treasure ships of the enemy nations. The privateers would live the lifestyles like nobles as they had the full support of the kingdom.

Contributions of Medici Family in Renaissance Movement

There is no doubt that a lot of political, economical, cultural and artistic activities took place in the renaissance age. A number of renaissance men and women gave their contributions in the flourish of different fields of art and science. Sculpture, painting, renaissance clothing and there were many other aspects, in which the society progressed. On the other hand, a huge growth had also been witnessed during that period.

Medici was unquestionably one of the big names during that period, whose contribution in the renaissance era can never be overlooked. It was a banking family, a political dynasty and later on became a royal family. Prominent contribution of this family is recognized in the economic growth of the society; however, it has some other contributions also. For instance, four popes of Roman Catholic Church were produced by this family. The popes from Medici family included Pope Leo X from 1513 to 1521, Pope Clement VII from 1523 to 1534, Pope Pius IV from 1559 to 1565, and Pope Leo XI  in 1605. So, this family had a great role in papacy also. Moreover, Catherine de' Medici (1547–1559) and Marie de' Medici (1600–1610) were two regent queens of France, who were from Medici Dynasty. The family also became hereditary Dukes of Florence in 1531 A.D.

Besides, the Medici family gained prominence in the wool trade in 14th century. It will be significant to mention that wool was used in manufacturing the medieval clothing as well as some renaissance costumes. France and Spain were two major centers of the wool trade. Besides, the family also rose to power through its social network with elite families by means of partnership, employment and the marriage of convenience. Some of the big families of that period included Salviati, Bardi, Cavalcanti and the Tornabuoni. The foundation of this family is thought to be done by Averardo de' Medici. His son Giovanni di Bicci created the Medici Bank and became the one of the richest men in Florence. Besides, he gained the good support for introduction of proportional taxing system. His son Cosimo the Elder, Pater Patriae, became the unofficial head of states of the Florentine Republic in 1434. Florence was ruled by three successive generations of Medici in a big part of 15th Century. They altogether abolished representative government, still they clearly dominated it.

Medici is supposed to be one of the contributors in the commencement of proper banking system. Today also, many of the facets of the renaissance age influence the modern age including the banking system. This is the reason why renaissance period is supposed to be the era, which showed the path to the modern times.

Positive and Negative Sides of Tudor Dynasty

England was under the crown of House of Tudor around 500 years ago. Henry VII acquired the kingdom of England after winning the War of the Roses. This was the era of flourish of art and culture in Europe. The era, which we know as renaissance age, was going on in Europe, and people were taking more and more interest in the various genres of art. The flamboyant renaissance dresses also belonged to the same era. Besides, the science and technology were also growing during that period.

In this scenario, Tudor monarchs seem to be busy in their own affairs; however, their contribution in this development up to some extent cannot be denied. The first king Henry VII was a peaceful monarch, and he also tried to make peace with France in the year 1492. His son Henry VIII was thought to be of good nature in his early years, but later on his rapport went down. Moreover, he married six wives just for producing a male heir. Finally, he succeeded in this, and Edward was born. We find mixed traits in the nature of Henry. He took part in the protestant reformation actively and declared himself the head of Church of England. Moreover, he also played some role in development of architecture. But, declaring his daughters Mary and Elizabeth illegitimate presents the negative side of his nature. On the other hand, execution of his own wife Anne Boleyn by him despite the lack of evidences also can also not be considered as justified.

After the death of Henry, his only son Edward VI was enthroned in the small age of 9. His devotion towards Protestantism despite his small age seems strange. He tried to secure protestant faith in England. He also changed the will of his own father for this purpose, according to which his older sisters were in the line of succession after him. Edward declared his cousin Lady Jane Gray as his heir. His wish could not be fulfilled as she lost support and Mary disposed him by assembling the army within the short time span of nine days.

Mary proved to be a barbaric queen, as she started killing the innocent Protestants in order to establish the catholic faith again in England. Because of this act, she is known today as “bloody Mary”. Moreover, she married Philip II of Spain for producing the catholic heir, but could not be successful. In the early years, he kept his sister Elizabeth in Tower of London, but she had no other option than declaring her as her heir in the later stages.

Finally, Elizabeth I became the monarch, who was liberal in various aspects. The art and culture flourished a lot in her reign. She herself was an art lover and liked painting and fashion. The medieval shirts worn by her are the fashion statements in wedding parties and various other events, in today’s scenario also.

A Brief Life History of Tudor Monarchs in England

Tudor era has gained a huge significance in the history of England. This was the era of flamboyance. The popular renaissance age also took place during that period, which awakened the cultural instinct of the people. The medieval clothing of that era is a perfect example of this cultural instinct. Besides, the Tudor dynasty established its kingdom, which ruled over more than a century.

Six monarchs were witnessed by the English people during that era, from Henry VII to Elizabeth I. The dynasty comprised of both positive and negative traits. Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary Jane Gray Mary I and Elizabeth I were the monarchs of this dynasty.
Henry VII: Henry VII was the first king from this dynasty, who was born in Pembroke. He defeated Richard III at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and claimed the throne. He restored the stability in England and ruled for 24 years. The policy of Henry VII was to maintain peace and economic prosperity. He married Elizabeth of York who was the niece of Richard III.

Henry VIII: Henry VIII was the son of Henry VII, who was declared king after the death of his father in 1509. In the early years, Henry was known for his friendliness. He was a companion more than a king. He was generous in his affection and gifts. But, in the later years people started describing the king for his fatigue and cruelty. Henry broke his alliance with Rome and declared himself as the head of Church of England. He made an alliance with Protestant German states by marrying the daughter of a Protestant German Duke. He married six girls in distinct periods. Mary I, Elizabeth I and Edward VI were his three children of Henry VIII, who were born through different wives. Edward VI was the youngest, but was declared as his first heir, because he was the only male among them. Mary I and Elizabeth I were given place after him in the line of succession.

Edward VI: Henry VIII died in 1547, when Edward was only 9-years old. He was declared king in this small age. Surprisingly, Edward would take an interest in religious matters. He was a believer of Protestantism, and “Book of Common Prayer” was published during his reign. But, he found his succession problematic. His elder sister Mary I was a devout catholic and Edward was afraid that she would reverse the protestant reforms made by him and his father. So, he removed Mary and Elizabeth from the line of succession. Elizabeth was a protestant, but it was necessary to remove both of them to expel one as per the law. He changed his father’s will and gave the succession to his cousin sister Lady Jane Gray. Edward died in the small age of 15, in the year in 1553.
Lady Jane Gray: Lady Jane Gray was a proclaimed queen after Edward, but her support was lost in 9 days.

Mary I: Mary I was the next monarch from the Tudor dynasty, but she proved to be a troubled queen. She used all means to restore the catholic faith, and burnt many innocent Protestants in stake. Because of this, she is dubbed as ‘Bloody Mary’. She married Philip of Spain to produce a catholic heir, but could not be successful. Finally, she had to declare her sister Elizabeth as her successor. Mary died in 1558, in the age of 42.

Elizabeth I: Elizabeth I was the most famous monarchs of Tudor dynasty. She never let anyone challenge her authority as a monarch. She also faced the pressures to marry, which she never accepted. She was also fond of fashion. During her era, flamboyant renaissance shirt were gaining popularity. Her clothes beaded with ornaments had the special allure. She died in 1558, which was the end of Tudor era.

Medieval History of Men and Women’s Costumes

The time period characterized by fall of Roman Empire and the beginning of renaissance is popularly known as medieval period or middle age. This period saw revival around fifth century and lasted till fifteenth century. It was the period when men’s fashion change rapidly in comparison women’s. Clothing styles of men and women very different from each others. In social setup too their medieval costume differed widely. Lower class people were living in miserable condition; they were forced to wear clothing of last century until disrepair state where they had to buy a new set. New Introduced sumptuary laws divided the society largely on the base color and material of fabric.

Women’s medieval costume

The evidence of women’s clothing, what they actually wore comes from mid-fourteenth century. Female dresses were experiencing a great degree of change. Dresses became tighter with lower necklines and designed to outline the feminine posture. Tight lacing to provide fitting shape, for long waist appearance griddles were used and corset became the one of the significant part of their clothing. Open bodice with attached floor length skirt more popularly called surcoat was the elegant part of their dressing. In actual, in the beginning of fifteenth century gowns replaced all the female wears except surcoat.

Hose, kirtle, smock, gown, surcoat, girdle, bonnet and hood were basic clothing of women. However material and color used in making of these garments were distinct for women of each social status. Upper class women wore garments of expensive fabrics like silk, velvet, damask and taffeta in rich and vibrant colors while lower class women wore apparels of linen, shipskin, wool and cotton. Infact in later period poor people were restricted from using cotton because it was heavily taxed while imported (from India) and kept royals only. Skirt was one of the significant features of medieval dresses of women and petticoat made the way for these fashionable garments which were available in myriad designs and patters.

Men’s Medieval Costumes

Regardless of social standing in society medieval men’s garment were consist of tunic, trousers, cloak and leggings. Single brooch was used to fasten the cloak. Tying, lacing and clasping technique were applied as another method of fastening. ‘Have nots’ wore cloak made from wool. Tunics had length between hip and knee and were tied by belt or girdle. Trousers were worn under short tunic or cloak. With narrow trousers Garters or leggings worn as complementary pairs, two pairs of leggings were worn for protection of legs. Lower class people made use of old clothes to make them while wealthier people’s leggings were custom made.

Social status was supreme during medieval period and this notion made clearer by clothing. Generally scarlet colors like red and purple were meant for nobles especially for kings and princes. Among wealthier people nobles were the trend setter. Their clothing made of expensive fabrics was embellished with elaborate embroideries, laces, ruffles and embedded gems.

Negligence by rulers, miserable living condition and unemployment forced some English people towards the path of piracy. Popularly known as sea robbers, their pirate clothing were basically the looted costumes from hijacked ships of merchants and rulers.

Although clothing were one of the major way of dividing people in social hierarchy but so much of severance resulted in invention of new techniques and clothing designing methods which is still making modern human beings gaga for medieval costumes.

Article Published By: Tudordressing.com

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Renaissance Costumes and its Sub-Culture

Renaissance was the age when set ideals of society in Europe were broken and new ways of thinking emerged and supported. This period has given rise to inspiration for the modern world, for people who want to make a change in the traditional ideas and lifestyles. This is also reflected in the degree of freedom the Renaissance society had in its dress, the range of colours, outfits and patterns of clothing. Renaissance costumes had a variety of clothing for men and women. A Renaissance outfit included cloaks, robes, capes, tunics, shirts and trousers. Renaissance costumes could be made of velvet, silk, satin and lined with fur and brocade for the nobility. On the other hand, common people’s Renaissance clothing was made of cotton, linen, flannel and sheepskin.

In contrast, our industrialised societies have much less freedom in forms of dress, colours and styles. As traditional societies become industrialised, the wide range of clothes gradually becomes less in use in such industrialised societies. However, as opposed to the Renaissance society, dress is not class-bound in modern society. Hence, some people in modern times are trying to combine the freedom in the wide range of dresses from the Renaissance period with the freedom from class in modern society. Of course, it means that only those can wear a certain dress who have the money to afford it. Hence, a complete freedom from class is not possible in this attempt.

Pirate clothing is an important of this experiment described above. It has become fashionable with the notion that an outlaw of history can be perceived as a person trying to redefine his or her society. This dress projects this image by using the fashions from the pirate clothing of history, but in a modern setting by men who are not really living in contradiction to the law, but live outside the mainstream culture. The most popular dress from the Pirates’ costume is the shirt.

These are usually long and loose-sleeved with frills and brocades and available in dark and white shades. Accessories with pirates’ costume often include a carved, embossed and engraved sword. It gives a mediaeval look to the Pirate clothing ensemble, eventhough it is no longer required to carry a sword in the modern world.

The renaissance sub-culture of clothing and accessories underline the fact that a historical aspect of culture can be re-defined in a different environment to make a completely different and even opposite statement.

A Brief Description on Renaissance Era

1490s is the time when costumes began to acquire a Renaissance look of extravagance in Europe. Even within this framework, different parts of Europe followed different styles. England followed a more mediaeval look in Renaissance dresses than other parts of Europe. Flowing lines, puffed long sleeves, head-dresses, velvet and silk lined with brocade and laces became the norm in aristocratic Renaissance clothes. On the other hand, common people largely stuck to the mediaeval clothing made of wool, coarse cotton, flannel, linen and sheepskin.

In our contemporary times, people following Renaissance sub-culture use these styles and mix them with styles from Victorian era, punk culture and our modern fashions to create a dressing fashion which doesn’t have any boundaries. Dark colours, black and white and some bold colours such as red and maroon, deep blue and purple are used in these clothes. Flowing gowns from the Renaissance style are popular I modern Renaissance sub-culture, though with much less gathers. Laces, trimmings, frills and embroidery are also popular. These are mixed with punk style disjoined clothing and modern sleek lines in outfits.

Pirate shirts formed a unique feature in the Renaissance period. These were characterized by loose and long sleeves, frills and laces lining the edges and neckline, ends hanging till the waist or thighs. These shirts used black, white, brown or grey shades and were made of cotton, linen or flannel. These features have been utilized by the modern Renaissance sub-culture and have been combined with features from other styles, such as splashes of red, blue or yellow and brocade linings. Uneven, zigzag edges, stripes, asymmetrical look are some other features used to mix the traditional Renaissance dress with the punk style. Tunics, coats, cloaks and headgear complete the Renaissance ensemble of modern time. Accessories may include swords.

These swords are often carved and studded with gems and are made in the style of scabbards carried by the warriors and kings in the past. Renaissance sub-culture also recreates the world woven by the English literature, by drawing from the figures described in English literary work.

Mixing these styles creates a fashion of dress without boundaries. People who wear the dresses of this sub-culture give the impression that they can draw from the inspiration of Renaissance spirit and at the same time walk in tune with today’s society. They can experiment and don’t stay within the boundaries of the social norms as prescribes by tradition.

Spectrum of Styles with Renaissance and Medieval Clothing

The Medieval Period lasted from 5th to the 14th century, giving way to the Renaissance. A defined class stucture and rigid laws applied to all walks of life including medieval clothing. Inappropriate clothing resulted in the wearer liable to pay fines. The common class made do with materials at hand while nobility had access to the finest fabrics from around the world. Peasants wore practical medieval clothing like a tight tunic with a rope or leather belt. Higher up the ladder nobility were free to wear clothes according to their rank like fancy robes, surcoats, belts with jewels, hose, robes with puff sleeves and fur trim. Women wore richly adorned, tight dresses usually consisting of a tight form fitting, tightly laced bodice matched with a high collar or low neck dress with a long train finished with a mantle or surcoat. Knights were the military with their unique suit of armor covering an outfit of linen shirt and trousers, woolen stockings and a padded coat. Royalty wore bright, vividly coloured, long sleeved tunics with a surcoat. Ends of the tunic or robe were finished with fur trim and hose and shoes completed the attire. Fancy velvet hats with jewel embellishments were the preferred form of headdress for royalty. Medieval costumes were elaborate and categorized according to classes following strict sumptuary laws.

The Renaissance era was more progressive, paving the way for more flamboyant and stylish renaissance clothing that built on styles of the previous era. While the peasant’s clothing was purely functional, made from available material, the nobility went overboard in the use of fine fabrics like muslin, silk and velvet. Typical Renaissance costumes comprised of long sleeved loose fitting shirts with a short leather or velvet jacket or sleeveless jerkins, sometimes topped off with a flowing, elaborate robe. Bottom renaissance costumes were made up of fitted breeches and cod pieces, stockings and heeled shoes. Renaissance costumes worn by noble women were layered. Over a shift women wore underskirts with a whalebone corset topped by a cone shaped hoop skirt with an embroidered petticoat sitting above it. A ruffled shirt added another layer at the top with a gown overlaying all these. Brightly coloured, embellished and embroidered, the gowns formed the focal point. Leather shoes and embroidered stockings completed the ensemble. Royalty wore similar but more expensive and more elaborately embellished renaissance costumes.

The peasants or gentry did not have much choice; nobility followed set patterns and pirates alone seemed to have the greatest latitude in wearing clothes they could lay their hands on. Today, pirate shirts have an exclusive style and charm of their own with loose flowing sleeves gathered at the wrist and collars to match. Accessories like a tricorn hat, wide sash and belt and a knife stuck in the belt give a rakish air.

Dressing up for a party or a themed event? Choose from a range of pirate clothing, renaissance costumes or medieval costumes. Period clothing has a spectrum of flamboyant styles to show you off at your best. All these are available at stores and online shops where you can pick, match and assemble your gear to perfection at the best prices.

Characteristics of Medieval Clothing and Renaissance Costumes

Any person in Tudor era was easily recognized by attire. During those periods every person had to follow the rules (whether rich or poor) imposed on clothing based upon the color and material of fabric. For Royal ladies fashion was important, they were the trend setter, great fashion icon for commoners. Medieval dress had many layers, over all it was a collection of different fabrics and other materials. The designing patterns and fabric used in making of costume were unmatched and at the peak. Let us consider a few peculiar points’ medieval clothing bearing in mind the fabric and designs.
* Materials and fabrics – Medieval costumes of royal and wealthier people were made from the fabrics of silk, satin, taffeta, sarcanet, scarlet and velvet. Scarlet a plain fabric and sarcanet was a form of delicate silk. If colors that give lustrous and rich shades to fabric weren’t available in the region then they were imported at great expense from Middle East countries. Most commonly worn clothes were of silk, satin, tinseled, and silver. They were made from blended fabric or pure fabric with engraved embroideries. Only upper class people were allowed to wear medieval clothing of rich fabric. Commoners were only allowed to use cotton, sheepskin and linen as fabric and black or grey color.
Slashing technique – Limiting fabric and color of costume to a particular section of society lead to the creation of new technique called slashing. This technique was a way of answering to rule makers who imposed restriction over the use of bright colors and luxuriant fabric on lower strata people. A cut was made on the outer surface of cloth from which inner lining popped out and creates a contracting effect. One more method was developed called ‘Pink’ in this method fabric was cut into diamond shape through which inner lining appeared. Picking was more delicate than clashing.
Geometric Shape – Rather than designing dress in natural shape of body, royal ladies chose to go for geometric shape. In order to get desired shape fabrics were quilted or padded and for stiffing, whalebone or buckram was used. To get flat triangular shape corsets were worn under the gown. Wearing medieval dress was difficult process for royal ladies and need atleast two helpers to fit into them but all was endure for the sake of fashion and beauty.
Exquisite Sleeves – Sleeves were the most elaborate part of the medieval costumes. Designed with very fine details they were available in various styles, even in padded form too. Sleeves were separately sewed and attached to main outfit by tying or pinning. Padded wings on shoulder hide the joins of sleeves. Ruffs were added part of collar and sometime around cuffs also.
Tudor style of dressing had great degree of impact on renaissance costumes during later periods. Long voluminous dresses with funnel shaped sleeves and same old rule on clothing were derived from Tudor period. But the situation was not same for pirates. Pirate clothing was became more flamboyant and many new addition were introduced.
Medieval clothing of Tudor period and renaissance costume were almost had same approach in terms of fabrics and patterns with little changes designs.

Go Ahead to Fulfill Your Dream of Childhood By Women's Renaissance Costumes

In her childhood every girl trust in make believe stories of princess and also believe that they are the princesses of the story. When you grow adult you find these stories far from realities but now no more, you can live your childhood dream of dressing like a princess. Don’t put those stories aside instead take part in costume based events like renaissance festivals or pirate themed parties. Such occasion will give you the ample opportunity to get dressed in renaissance costumes of princess theme.

The most eye catching part of these renaissance dresses are their voluminous structure. Long flowing gowns in various colors and shades, exquisitely designed long sleeves in funnel shape, frills or narrow shape give these gowns aesthetic look. Over to this, these dresses are made from soft materials like silk, brocade and velvet and are much comfortable and fabulous to wear. Detailing is much important for these larger than life size dresses because this thing is the main essence of classic clothing and completes the overall look. Detailing can be done by netting, frills, sequins and belt of colorful fabrics. Such fine work of art set a blend between cloth and its design thus the outcome we get is improved version of costume. In earlier era this type of clothing was only achievable to some small but high profile group of people but now people of any age belonging to any strata can enjoy feel of renaissance clothing.

If you feel incomplete in renaissance after wearing it then that must be a headpiece. It a good idea to wear a matching headgear to dresses like a lady of renaissance era. Numerous things are there to choose for instance hats, crowns, veils and wimple. Your choice of headwear depends on social status of character you want to portray. Also when you order for theses accessories you surly want them to long last that is why whenever you buy them purchase from established sellers whether they are offline or online sellers.

There style are varies in several numbers. You don’t have to settle for what rest are wearing. For varieties internet is best available medium to search for. You can select the design, color and fabric of material in which you are interested and still you will get your own space of individuality, this feature of internet shopping makes it pleasing experience.

Ladies you may have particular character in mind associated with this type of costumes like peasant or princesses but if you want to do something new and much more exciting then how about dressing like a pirate. Who says pirate character must be represented by men only. There were many famous women pirates too like Mary Read, Ann Bonney and Grace O’Malley.

So go and grab your favorite renaissance costumes and pirate costumes. You can make your set randomly also. Get a loose white colored full sleeve renaissance shirt and a loose black colored pant. For accessories golden loop, tricorn hat, a bandana, eye patch, exotic fur and thigh high boots are OK along with dark make-up.

Renaissance Costumes - Renaissance Fairies and Events

Down the ages fashion has been evolving with the invention and development of various fabrics, colors and embellishments. The renaissance age is a glorious celebration of fashion statement, with extravagant and flamboyant styles emerging in this period. The royals and nobles led the brigade, vying with each other to show off their riches and status in the form of renaissance dresses that were made of costly fabrics and furs with rich brocade and lace trimmings further embellished with jewels and feathers. Stand a modern well dressed man next to a fully well dressed renaissance period courtier and he will look like a plain fowl next to a resplendent peacock. It is therefore not surprising that today renaissance fairies celebrate renaissance costume and renaissance dresses, giving people an opportunity to deck themselves in the finest period costumes and have a gala time recreating the gaiety of a time gone by. Hairstyles and head gear had just as much importance as the renaissance costume.
An invitation to attend a renaissance faire or an event with a medieval theme is an opportunity to display yourself at your flamboyant best. You could choose to dress like an Italian prince, a French Noble, an English courtier, a musketeer, a simple commoner or a dashing pirate in pirate clothing. Men and women can dress up and look extremely striking as well stylish in renaissance costumes. Women have a number of choices in renaissance dresses, ranging from a simple peasant dress to an elaborate princess gown with all the trappings and accessories to give a royal look.
Renaissance costumes you choose to attend a renaissance faire or event need not necessarily be made of the same expensive brocades, lace, furs and silks but there are modern versions that are just as striking in looks, color, appearance and feel to help you project the right image. Women will simply love to dress themselves in renaissance dresses with rich brocade, velvet bodice and matching embroidered skirt and sleeves with appropriate accessories or the other equally tempting and stylish options in renaissance dress designs. Among other designs women can opt for a gown and a skirt with a long train, cone shaped topped by a square neckline bodice edged with lace and jewels. Sleeves can be embellished in faux fur. Another choice is the late 1500s style with plenty of ruffs with plunging necklines, wasp waisted renaissance dresses.
When you choose a particular renaissance costume do not forget to accessorize it with the right articles. Arm garters give a unique look to your arms. Wands as well as scepters can add a magical or divine touch to the whole ensemble. Head gear is essential and choosing the right hat to complement your renaissance dress will set it off to a new level. Feathers can add a touch of gay insouciance.
Men can choose to be clad in richly royal renaissance dresses on the one hand or dress like a buccaneering pirate with the right pirate clothing including accessories for a flamboyant look.
There is a vast selection of renaissance costumes and pirate clothes available in stores as well as online and having a perfectly matched outfit sets you up for a perfectly enjoyable renaissance faire.

Elegance Looks in Renaissance Costumes

Renaissance costume had some really interesting designs for both men and women; the designs were more of lavish as well as sophisticated. Furs and silks were mainly used as it depicted luxury and status. It was kind of showing of one’s social status through means of clothing. It is generally believed that fashion came into existence with the era and nothing like style or trend was seen before this. Initially these renaissance clothes restricted the movement but later it changed eventually. Layers were generally preferred and women costumes included skirt, vest, bodice, collar and an underskirt. Men’s wear consisted of coats and clothes that gave a square look to man’s body. Lots of padding was done to make the shoulder broader. They also wore long tunics which went down to the knees. Men’s fashion focused on material that had a bold look, long sleeves were preferred, tight body garments, brimmed caps and leather jackets.

Pirate Clothing also gets its emergence during that phase and people still follow it. It is one section of clothing that fits well for both the genders and it is gaining popularity in social events and Halloween parties. These costumes are getting a huge come back and you can even get them at local stores at a very low price or even on sale. When thinking of buying pirate clothes, pirate shirt is a must and you need to accessorize it with chains, rugged piece of cloth and eye patches. On for your special occasion if you really want to impress people by your pirate look the look is incomplete without a trendy pirate hat. Renaissance clothes are generally loose-fitted clothes, and there is a lot of variation in it. With growing fashion you can add the latest accessories to enhance the pirate or the renaissance look. Color variation varied for whites to blacks and dark brown. If today you want to try the same look, choose a pant that is two sizes bigger.

With the influence of today’s you can complete a pirate look or your Renaissance Clothing with a smartly tied bandana on the head, silver loop earring and a sword. Today you can buy all these clothing and suitable accessories online and have a changed look on your special occasion. Kids very much prefer this look for their school functions and birthdays party moreover this is a hot favorite theme for adults. Some fun loving couples experiment with the pirate look or renaissance costume on their weddings as well.

Wearing Renaissance Clothing and Pirate Clothing has always been a matter of prestige during that era and it continues even today. You feel like kings and queens and women specially flaunt their figure on the occasion they wear those fitted gown that enhances their beauty.