Men’s Costumes: Middle Phase

(1515-1550)

Emperor Charles V with his dog by Titian; 1532

Due to the taste of the Emperor who was
famous for his sobriety of his dress, the Spanish
fashion of tight fittings and somber colors came.
 Men’s Costumes: Final Phase
(1550-1600)

Gradually, the width of the

shoulders decreased and
the width of the hip area
increased. Also, the Ruff
codpiece slowly went out of
fashion.
• Shirt collars, ruffs: from the
square neck of the middle
century, the collar developed
into a ruffle collar, and then
into a separate ruff; very wide;
often of lace; stiffly starched;
The Different types of Ruffs
prevalent at that time.
 Men’s Costumes: Final Phase
(1550-1600)

• Doublet: The neck was cut high;

made with a row of small, square
flaps called Pecedils, just below the
waist. Padded sleeves followed the Pecadils
shape of the arm. Gradually they
became unpadded and closely
fitted. Waist line dipped to a point in
the front with padding to emphasize
the shape.This resembled the
puffed out chest of a peacock
hence it was called a Peascod
Belly. Peascod belly
• Breeches : Three types
– Skin tight versions:
– Venetians : wide at the top and tapering
to the knee
– Open breeches : wide and full
 Men’s Costumes: Final Phase
(1550-1600)

• Trunk Hose : Three types

– Melon shaped : usually paned, heavily
padded and ending at the hip;
approximately the shape of a pumpkin.
– Slops / Galligaskins: sloping gradually
from a narrow waist to fullness
concentrated about the mid thigh where
they ended .
– Culots: A short section not much more
than a pad , around the hips, worn with
tight fitting hose.
Limited to very fashionable court circles.
canions
Canions : An extension from the end of the
trunk hose to the knee or slightly below ,
canions were either made in the same
color or a contrasting one.They were
fastened to separate stockings at the
 Men’s Costumes: Final Phase
(1550-1600)

• Hose and Stockings :

Stockings were more
common with trunk hose and
canions; either cut and sewn
or knitted. In 1589, an English
inventor made a machine for
knitting stockings.
• Outdoor garments : Gowns
were replaced by shorter and
longer capes flaring out
sharply from the shoulder.

A tailor ; 1571 by Giovanni Battista

Moroni
An example of middle class
 Women’s Costumes:
Overview
Undergarments assumed a new function apart
from protecting the skin from the garments and
protecting the garments from being soiled by
perpiration. Stays were made of cloth shaped as
an under bodice and laced together at front, back
or both.Stiffening was provided by a busk, a new
device made from a flat, long piece of wood or
whale bone that was sewn in one or more
casings.This is believed to be a forerunner of the
corset.A few egs:
Steel/ iron ‘corsets’
The function of the Stay is to provide shaping and
support to the outer garment. Also used were
Verdugale, BumRoll and Wheel farthingale.
 Women’s Costumes: Early Phase
(1500-1530)

• Chemise : The chemise was an

underdress to protect the garments
from sweat and body oils.
• Dresses: Fairly plain; somber colors.
Bodices were fitted, skirts long and
full, flaring gently from the waistline
to the floor in the front and trailing
into long trains at the back(buttoned
or pinned to the waist).
Necklines mostly square or V-
shaped
Women wore either a single dress
or two layers in case of two dresses Chemise; the under dres
the outer skirt might be looped up in
front to display the contrasting skirt
 Women’s Costumes: Early Phase
(1500-1530)

• Trains on outer gowns often had

decorative underlining.
• Sleeves were of three types -
-Smooth fitting narrow sleeves with
decorative cuffs
-Wide funnel shaped with
contrasting lining
-Hanging sleeves
• Outdoor dress: Long, full cloaks
Countess Katherina von
Mecklenburg a front-laced gown
in the German fashion, with
broad bands of contrasting
materials, tight sleeves, and
 Women’s Costumes: Middle Phase
(1530-1575)

Women’s costumes marked by Spanish

influences. Emphasis on dark colors,
especially black.
This phase represented a gradual
evolution in style, not a radical one.
• Dresses: Instead of an underdress and
an outer dress, women wore a
petticoat(underskirt) and an over dress.
Silhouette resembled an hourglass;
bodices narrowed and skirts gradually
expanded to inverted cone shape with
inverted V opening at the front.
Bodices and skirts were sewn
together.The waist dipped to an
elongated V at the front. Jane Seymour 1536-37
• A rich, jeweled belt outlined the by Holbein
waistline and fell down the centre front
to the floor.
Women’s Costumes: Middle Phase
(1530-1575)

• Petticoats: Although it was separate, it was

visible through the inverted V at the front.
Usually cut from rich, decorated fabric (often
brocade/cut fabric). Back of the petticoat
was covered by the skirt of the dress.
Front: expensive fabric ; Back: lightweight,
less expensive fabric
• Supporting Garments: Verdugale Spanish
farthingale was constructed to provide
support to the flared, cone shaped skirt.
Constructed of whalebone, cane or steel
hoops graduated in size from the waist to the
floor and sewn into a petticoat.
 Elizabeth I as a princess ; 1546
The ruffed cuff of the chemise is visible
at the end of the sleeve. Large detachable sleeves
match the fabric of the petticoat.
The skirt is supported by the verdugale
or Spanish farthingale.
 Women’s Costumes: Middle Phase
(1530-1575)

• Ropa: an outer gown or

surcote made either
sleeveless with short, puffed
sleeves, or long sleeves
puffed at the top and fitted for
the rest of the arm’s length.
Fell from the shoulders,
unbelted in a n A-line to the
floor. Mostly, it was to display
the dress beneath, although
some were even closed at
the front. Elizabeth I ; 1550
The development of the Italian
ruff. The animal on her left
hand is a symbol of her virginity
Mary Tudor, Queen of England;