In the second decade of the 17th century, short tabs developed attached to the bottom of the bodice covering the bum-roll which supported the skirts. By the 1630s and 1640s, collars were accompanied by kerchiefs similar to the linen kerchiefs worn by middle-class women in the previous century often the collar and kerchief were trimmed with matching lace.īodices were long-waisted at the beginning of the century, but waistlines rose steadily to the mid-1630s before beginning to drop again. Ruffs were discarded in favor of wired collars which were called rebatos in continental Europe and, later, wide, flat collars. The cartwheel ruff disappeared in fashionable England by 1613. Long sleeves were worn with deep cuffs to match the ruff. Separate closed cartwheel ruffs were sometimes worn, with the standing collar, supported by a small wire frame or supportasse used for more casual wear and becoming more common later. In the early years of the new century, fashionable bodices had high necklines or extremely low, rounded necklines, and short wings at the shoulders. Helena Fourment in the hairstyle and neckline of c.

These paintings are the progenitors of the fashion of the later 17th century for having one's portrait painted in undress, and do not necessarily reflect clothing as it was actually worn. In England from the 1630s, under the influence of literature and especially court masques, Anthony van Dyck and his followers created a fashion for having one's portrait painted in exotic, historical or pastoral dress, or in simplified contemporary fashion with various scarves, cloaks, mantles, and jewels added to evoke a classic or romantic mood, and also to prevent the portrait appearing dated within a few years. Overgowns with split sleeves (often trimmed with horizontal rows of braid) were worn by both men and women.įrom the 1620s, surface ornament fell out of fashion in favour of solid-colour satins, and functional ribbon bows or points became elaborate masses of rosettes and looped trim. 1600–1620, as was reticella tinted with yellow starch. In England, embroidered linen silk jackets fastened with ribbon ties were fashionable for both men and women from c. Geometric reticella deriving from cutwork was elaborated into true needlelace or punto in aria (called in England 'point lace'), which also reflected the popular scrolling floral designs.

The great flowering of needlelace occurred in this period. 1614–18.įigured silks with elaborate pomegranate or artichoke patterns are still seen in this period, especially in Spain, but a lighter style of scrolling floral motifs, woven or embroidered, was popular, especially in England. Scrolling floral embroidery decorates this Englishwoman's dress, petticoat, and linen jacket, accented with blue-tinted reticella collar, cuffs, and headdress, c. In the early decades of the century, a trend among poets and artists to adopt a fashionable pose of melancholia is reflected in fashion, where the characteristic touches are dark colours, open collars, unbuttoned robes or doublets, and a generally disheveled appearance, accompanied in portraits by world-weary poses and sad expressions. The social tensions leading to the English Civil War were reflected in English fashion, with the elaborate French styles popular at the courts of James I and his son Charles I contrasting with the sober styles in sadd colours favoured by Puritans and exported to the early settlements of New England ( see below). The ruff lingered longest in Spain and the Netherlands, but disappeared first for men and later for women in France and England. Spanish fashions remained very conservative. Sleeves became very full, and in the 1620s and 1630s were often paned or slashed to show the voluminous sleeves of the shirt or chemise beneath. The silhouette, which was essentially close to the body with tight sleeves and a low, pointed waist to around 1615, gradually softened and broadened. Her long, rounded stomacher and jacket-like bodice are characteristic Dutch fashions

Robe culrs