Types of fabrics worn

During the Elizabethan times, the type of fabric(s) a person wore instantly showed what their status was. As a matter of fact, some lower class people were not alowed to wear certain fabrics. For an example upper class men and woman wore satin, silk, or velvet. As for lower class men and woman they would wear clothes that were normally made by wool, linen, and sheepskin. Elizabethans were not allowed to wear what ever they wanted because that was against the law.

Layers and Layers of Clothing!

The Elizabethan time was an interesting time for fashion. All women wore the same basic style of clothing, and the same basic layering system. There was many layers of clothing that this time era wore.
All women wore these layers of under clothes:

• Smock or shift, also calleda chemise made of linen
• Stockings or hose
• Corset or bodice
• Farthingale- a hooped shirt
• A Roll or Rowle
• Stomacher
• Petticoat
• Kirtle
• Forepart
• Partlet

And these layers of Over Clothes:

• Gown
• Separate sleeves
• Ruff
• Cloak
• Shoes
• Hat

Men were about the same way they had many layers of clothing. Not quite as many layers, but there is more layers than we wear today.

Men wore these under clothes:

• Shirt
• Stockings or hose
• Codpiece
• Corset

And they wore these over clothes:

• Doublet
• Separate sleeves
• Breeches
• Belt
• Ruff
• Cloak
• Shoes
• Hat

Men did not wear as many layers as women, but they did wear there share. Men wore more outer clothes then they did under clothes, as to women who wore more outer clothes then under clothes.

The people of this time, were required to wear this style of clothing. It was a law. They could not pick a chose the clothes they liked best.

Different KINDS of clothing!

Women's Clothing:

In the late 1500's, fashion had become extremely impotant to show status of court. One of the most important pieces of clothing to show this is the hat. The taller hat you have on, the more impotant you are.

As gifts to highly placed courtiers, rich materials, ruffs, jeweled sleeves, and gloves, were given to them. Sometimes they were even a bribe.


Men's Clothing:
The gentlement never wanted to be outdone by the ladies so their legs were covered in hose and meant to be admired. Also, a garder was placed just below the knee so the shape of the calf muscle could be shown. To show off a slim waist, breeches could be worn and to achieve fullness, the breeches were filled with either bran of horse hair.


Both:
Ruffles were worn by both men and women but they were not worn just around the neck, but around the waist also. Jewlery was worn by both sexes too. Not just on ears, wrists and fingers, but on the material of the clothes. Slip-on shoes were mostly worn by women and were never usually seen because the dresses were so long. Guys wore slippers too, but boots were also worn at times.

Away From the Court:
Instead of satin, brocades, and cloth-of-gold, people not in the court, who live in the country, wool and home-spun linen was used.

http://www.aboutbritain.com/articles/elizabethan-clothing.asp

Elizabethan Fashion for Men

Elizabethan Fashion for Men

• Underclothes
  Shirt
  Stockings or hose
  Codpiece
  Corset
  


• Over Clothes
  Doublet
  Separate sleeves
  Breeches
  Belt
  Ruff
  Cloak
  Shoes
  Hat

Elizabethan Clothing and Fashion for men varied according to whether they were a member of the Nobility, Upper Class or one of the poor, working class. But whether a man was wealthy or poor he was not allowed to wear whatever he liked.

He could be richer than a Duke but if he did not have a good title he was not allowed to wear clothes made of the same fabric or even of the same color. Elizabethan clothing was governed by Sumptuary Laws which were made to maintain the strict class structure which had started in the early Medieval era with the Feudal System