Things I've learned about the Elizabethan Era

What I’ve learned about the Elizabethan era:

Clothing:

·      It was known as the golden age.

·      Dresses and materials were regarded as social hierarchy.

·      Own social classes had their own colours like: the expensive ones were red, purple, white and black because they were expensive colours to dye on clothes.

·      Blue, green, orange and yellow were the cheaper colours and it didn’t matter too much if the clothing became faded over time.

·      When she was younger dresses were straight than as she became older they were puffier.

·      Men wore cossets and padded trousers.

Beauty and hair:

·      Women’s beauty signified delicacy and purity.

·      Wealthy figures were allowed to wear make up.

·      Elizabeth was considered beautiful by her pale skin and orange hair.

·      Ingredients used in cosmetics were: coal, ceruse and egg whites.

·      Ceruse- is a mixture of white lead and vinegar for white skin; this was applied on the face, neck and chest.

·      Ceruse was very dangerous and it could cause leas poisoning, pimples, dizziness and for your skin to burn and peel.

·      It was not natural beauty.

·      They had high thin eyebrows.

·      They had very pale skin, which they used the white lead for.

·      Smooth unblemished skin was very rare.

·      Elizabeth caught the pox at 28, which left her with scars; she disguised them by using lots of make up.

·      White past was applied first then egg glaze to smooth out any wrinkles.

·      Cochineal extract, which is crushed beetles, were used for lipsticks and is still used for lipsticks today.

·      To wash their face they would use lemon juice and honey.

·      Men sometimes said women would go to hell if they wore make up.

·      Male writers accused women of faking themselves to marry men.

·      Men also hated the white lead as they couldn’t see a women’s reaction if they were blushing.

·      Poor women did not have enough money, resources or cosmetics and would work outside which give them a tan, having a tan was considered attractive.

·      The lack of dental care they had as they would clean their teeth with honey and use sugar toothpicks, in the later stages of Elizabeth’s life her teeth were black.

·      Women bleached their hair golden like Elizabeth’s by using: saffron and oil, which would make an orangey yellow paste and celandine a yellow flower. They would then sit out in the sun and let the paste dry and dye their hair.

·      If women could not afford the ingredients they would use fake hair.

·      Elizabeth had over 80 wigs.

·      They plucked their front hairline for a bigger forehead as it was considered beautiful if you had no front hairline.

Portraiture:

·      Portraits were used to show her innocence and power they also included a lot of symbolism within them.

·      Her dad broke away from god by making the church protestant so she wanted to portray herself in her portraits as being loyal to the people.

·      Someone would paint her first then other artists will add to the painting.

·      A lot of the portraits would show her in a good light and if she didn’t like the painting she would get rid of it.