Wrapping up: The Tudors
Henry VIII (1509-47) was called ‘the best dressed sovereign in the world’ and Elizabeth I (1558-1603), equally image-conscious, was once described as being like ‘starlight, thick with jewels’.
We’ve seen how they used fashion to set themselves apart from and control their subjects, and how portraiture shows just how aware they were of the importance of appearances.
These outfits were also meant to be seen at court and this video shows what outfits of the 1530s and 1540s might have looked like in the magnificence of the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace.
The Tudors clearly knew the power and meaning of dress, using it as a tool to assert their legitimacy and right to the throne. But what about their successors? Did the Stuarts of the 17th century follow suit?
Join us next week to see how the Stuarts used clothing as a tool for propaganda and performance and to find out how individual monarchs influenced wider fashion trends.
- What has been the highlight for you this week?
- Are there any questions you still have about Tudor royal fashion?
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