Late Period Dress

The transition from the gothic style of the High Middle Ages to the styles that would become the signature of the 16th century began in the 1470s and became more prevalent in the 1480s. The emphasis on large swathes of fabric which was a feature of the 15th century transformed into an emphasis on tailored garments, with padded and boned undergarments to create the fashionable figure. In the last half of the 16th century styles became more international as the Habsburg dynasty came to rule over most of western Europe and therefore affected the styles across the continent.

Some of the more commonly recognised styles are:

• Tudor an English style from approx. 1510-1550

• Elizabethan approx. 1550-1600. Whilst Elizabeth I was English, the style that was worn in England at this time was international

• Cranach German/Saxon style from early 1500s. Named after the Saxon court painter, Lucas Cranach the Elder

• Flemish Peasant a named coined by Drea Leed to describe the style of dress worn by market women in Flanders after 1550.

• Venetian courtesan refers to the style worn by these women in the mid 16th century.

External Links

• Mode Historique - http://www.modehistorique.com
• A Festive Attyre - http://homepage.mac.com/festive_attyre
• The Elizabethan Costuming Page - http://costume.dm.net/

These sites contain links to other late period costuming sites and current dress diaries for this period.