Fashion Paper
Elizabethan Fashion (1550–1599): two historical images, two contemporary images
Margret, the Duchess of Norfolk vs. The High neck dresses at the 2013 Oscars The image of Margaret Audley, the Duchess of Norfolk, was a work done by Hans Eworth in 1562. The work highlights the fashion of the times very ably. Margaret wears a high-collared gown that was very fashionable with nobles in the 1560s. The gown is complete with the puffed hanging sleeves that were often made as an addition mostly for the winter season. In addition to this, she wears a high-necked bodice underneath, and she has a tight undersleeve used as first as underclothing and as a form of bras.
She tops that up with a long petticoat well-knit with a decoratively embroidered forepart. The fashion was just in its maiden year when Hans did the painting in 1562, meaning that the narrative told about Margaret and her love for fashion is an accurate one (Cassin-Scott 7).In contemporary fashion, the image that captures the influence of dress, and that which has some resemblance with Margaret Audley is the high neck gowns. The high neck gowns today are synonymous with Hollywood female stars. The best version of the high neck gowns that heavily borrow from the Margaret dress is well highlighted in the 2013 Hollywood appearance of Seth McFarlane. The actress graced the 2013 Oscar Awards after party spotting some distinct high neck gowns. The resemblance with the Margaret dress, was majorly because of the collar concept and secondly because of the texture (Crane 19). The design possesed a more contemporary use of the decorative pieces that leaned back unlike the Margaret dress. The starlet chose colour Cream whereas Margaret had some good combination of black and gold. Her pearls were a bit elaborate unlike the contemporary dress design Seth wore at the 2013 party.
Elizabeth 1 vs. the contemporary evening dresses (Janae Monae with her ruff neck)
In this painting dubbed he Darnley Portrait of Elizabeth I completed in 1575 she wears a doublet with a fringed braid trim. The trim then forms button loops, and it has a matching petticoat of the same texture and matching the colour scheme. The whole concept was not English neither was it from the Elizabethan fashion but rather inspired by what is thought to be Polish fashion. As it is observed by (Muir 20), this method of trimming used here may be a Polish fashion because it has very similar trimmings with the à la hussar that were trending in the 19th century. The queen was always flamboyant and in this painting it is believed that she must have been clad in the usual aristocratic women’s garments like the chemise, a petticoat, corset (iron stiffened) and stockings. The visible accessories here are the gown, the sleeves, and neck and wrist ruffs.Elizabeth 1 has been influential in today’s fashion in many ways. In fact, most of the dress designers mimic her dresses. The same …
