Elizabethan Costume

Interesting Facts and information about Elizabethan Costume

The Law, Licenses and Elizabethan Costume
Did the costume reflect the period of the play?
Meaning of Colors and Materials of costumes
List of garments for men and women's costumes

Picture of Queen Elizabeth I

Elizabethan Costume

Elizabethan Costumes
The Elizabethan Era was a period in English history dominated by the Class structure. People who lived
in the Elizabethan era were not allowed to wear whatever they liked! It did not matter how wealthy
they were - the fabric, and even the of their clothes were dictated by their rank, status or position and
these strict rules were enforced by English Law! These laws about clothing in the Elizabethan era were
called Sumptuary Laws.

Elizabethan Clothing

Elizabethan Era Index

They were designed to limit the expenditure of people on clothes - and of course to maintain the social
structure of the Elizabethan Class system! So it was illegal to wear various items of clothing - disastrous
for clothing actors in appropriate costumes! The English Sumptuary Laws were strictly obeyed! The
penalties for violating Sumptuary Laws could be harsh - fines, the loss of property, title and even life!
Elizabethan men only wore clothes that they were allowed to wear - by Law! But like the Laws of today
there was a 'get out' clause! The nobility wanted to maintain the elite class system but they also wanted
to enjoy the new form of entertainment that the Theatre had to offer!

Elizabethan Costumes - the Get Out Clause

The English Sumptuary Law of 1574 ( The Statutes of Apparel ) stated the following:

" Note also that the meaning of this order is not to prohibit a servant from wearing any cognizance of his
master, or henchmen, heralds, pursuivants at arms; runners at jousts, tourneys, or such martial feats,
and such as wear apparel given them by the Queen, and such as shall have license from the Queen for
the same."

The above clause applied to actors ( and their costumes ). Acting Troupes had to be licensed. Licenses
were granted by the Queen to the aristocracy for the maintenance of troupes of players - such troupes
included the Earl of Leicester's Men, Lord Strange's Men, Chamberlain's Men and the Admiral's Men.

Did Theatrical Costumes reflect the correct period of the Play?

Whatever play, and whichever era the play was set, in the actors generally wore the dress of their own
time. The theatre was new - the plays were new. The plays had to be produced in a hurry in order to
ensure a rapid turnover of new material for the insatiable Elizabethan audience and to beat the
competition from rival theatres. Not enough time had elapsed to build up a ready made store of
costumes which reflected the correct period of the play. Perhaps the costumes in a play, such as Julius
Caesar, would have been easier to develop as togas are relatively easy to produce. In this instance a
combination of Roman clothes and Elizabethan clothing might well have been seen together. The
picture at the top of the page depicts a Scene from King Henry IV (Part 2) by William Shakespeare. The
play is set in the early 1400's. King Henry IV lived 1399-1413 but this is the type of costume that would
have been worn by the Shakespearean actors - the Elizabethan dress of the day.

Clothing worn during the Elizabethan period - the Theatrical Costumes

Elizabethan clothing of the Upper Class was sumptuous. The materials were luxurious and covered a
whole variety of colors. Due to the Statutes of Apparel (The Sumptuary Laws ) ordinary Elizabethans
were not able to wear the latest fashions. Fashionable clothes would only be seen at a distance, when
wealthy nobles or Royalty were in view! Costumes in the Elizabethan Theatre would therefore double as
a fashion show!

Elizabethan Costumes - the Meaning of Colors and Materials - Character Recognition

All people of the Elizabethan period understood the meaning of different colored clothing - a concept
somewhat alien in our modern age. Most of us would recognise that purple had been the color
associated with royalty since the days of the Roman Emperors - but nearly every color of clothing had its
own meaning during the Elizabethan era! And this meaning was totally understood by the audience. The
colors of the costumes therefore conveyed an enormous amount of information as soon as the actor
walked on to the stage! The types of materials and fabrics would have had a similar effect. Many of the
plays had historical themes featuring the royalty and nobles of the land. As soon as a character walked
on the stage the fabric and color of his clothing would indicate the role of the character he was playing Elizabethan Nobles and Upper classes wore clothing made of velvets, furs, silks, lace, cottons and
taffeta. To understand more about this concept of character recognition by colors and materials please
click the following links:

Material & Fabrics used in Elizabethan Era Clothing

The Meaning of Colors
Elizabethan Upper Class Fashion

Elizabethan Costumes - the Female Roles

During the Elizabethan era only men were allowed to act in the theatre until 1660 - it was judged to be
unseemly for a woman to undertake such a role. Young boys were therefore hired to act in the female
roles. Elizabethan Women's clothing was extremely elaborate and was constructed with many layers of
clothing. It would have taken some considerable time, and the help of a dresser, to dress in the costume
of a female. Wigs, or periwigs as they were called, were readily available as they were in fashion at the
time so this was not a costume problem. However, the make up used by Elizabethan women was! It was
lead based and highly poisonous! The young boy actors were therefore very unhealthy, had unpleasant
facial skin diseases and a high proportion actually died of poisoning.

Elizabethan Make-up

Interesting Facts and Information about Elizabethan Costumes

Some interesting facts and information about Elizabethan Costumes can be accessed by the detailed
information provided in the Elizabethan Clothing section. As the actors usually wore the dress of the
day Elizabethan costumes can be easily emulated. An overview of the names of garment required as
Elizabethan costumes follow:

Elizabethan Costumes for Women

Elizabethan Costumes for Men

Underclothes!

Underclothes!

Smock or shift, also called a chemise made of linen

Shirt

Stockings or hose

Stockings or hose

Corset or bodice

Codpiece

Farthingale - a hooped skirt

Corset

A Roll or Rowle

Over Clothes!

Stomacher

Doublet

Petticoat

Separate sleeves

Kirtle

Breeches

Forepart

Belt

Partlet

Ruff

Over Clothes!

Cloak

Gown

Shoes

Separate sleeves

Hat

Ruff

Cloak

Shoes

Hat

Elizabethan Elizabethan Costume

Details, facts and information about the Elizabethan Costume in the Elizabethan Theatre can be
accessed via the Elizabethan Era Sitemap.

Elizabethan Costume
Interesting Facts and information about Elizabethan Costume
The Law, Licenses and Elizabethan Costume
Did the costume reflect the period of the play?
Meaning of Colors and Materials of costumes
List of garments for men and women's costumes

Queen Elizabeth's Coat of Arms

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Alchin, L.K.
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Queen Elizabeth's Coat of Arms

Elizabethan Costume

The cosmetics worn by women during the time of Queen Elizabeth differed radically from those we wear
today. Not only were the materials used--kohl, ceruse, vermilion, etc--far different, but the look that
women tried to achieve was different as well. Standards of beauty change over the centuries. To
understand the cosmetics worn by Elizabethan women, it's important to understand the effect they
were trying to achieve--that "ideal" of beauty that they wanted to imitate.
One of Shakespeare's most popular sonnets pokes fun at the common metaphors used to describe the
ideal beauty:
"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun
Coral is far more fair then her lips fair
If snow be white, why then, her breast is dun,
If hair be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks..."
Even without corroboration from other period sources, one can begin to catch a glimpse of the ideal
Elizabethan female: bright eyes, snow-white skin, red cheeks and lips, and fair hair. A fair approximation
of this ideal can be found in Lettice Knollys, Countess of Leicester and cousin to Queen Elizabeth herself,
who was widely regarded as one of the most beautiful women at court. To the right is a portrait of
Lettice, emphasizing the features that the court so admired.
First and foremost was her exceedingly pale skin--a prerequisite for a courtly beauty. The manneristic
portraits of the late 16th century all portrayed their female (and male) subjects with alabaster
complexions, lacking even the rosy glow that became popular during the next century.

Pale skin was a sign of nobility, wealth, and (for women) delicacy, and was sought after by many. In a
time when skin problems and the pox were commonplace, sunscreen unheard of, and skin creams and
ointments out of reach for all but the well-off, smooth, unblemished and pale skin was a rarity.

This pale skin could be achieved by a number of means, the most popular being ceruse, a mixture of
white lead and vinegar that was favored by the nobility and by those who could afford it. This white
foundation was applied to the neck and bosom as well. The first record of this skin-whitener was found
in 1519 in Horman's "Vulgaria puerorum", and by the time of Elizabeth's reign was well-established as
an essential item for the fashionable woman. Naturally, spreading lead upon one's skin caused a variety
of skin problems; some authors of the time warned against it, describing how it made the skin "grey and
shrivelled", and suggesting other popular mixtures such a paste of alum and tin ash, sulpher, and a
variety of foundations made using boiled egg white, talc, and other white materials as a base. Egg white,
uncooked, could also be used to "glaze" the complexion, creating a smooth shell and helping to hide
wrinkles.

Once an ideal whiteness was achieved-sometimes complete with false veins traced onto the skincoloring was applied. Facepaint, generally referred to in period as fucus, came in a variety of reds and
was used mainly upon the cheeks and lips. Madder, cochineal, and ochre-based compounds were all
used as blush and lip-color, but vermilion (mercuric sulfide) was the most popular choice of the
fashionable court lady. Apparently this color could be laid on quite thick; One Elizabethan satirist
commented that an artist needed no box of paints to work, but merely a fashionably painted lady
standing nearby to use for pigments.

Of course, such heavy and often poisonous make-up caused serious skin damage. Remedies for spots,
blemishes, acne and freckles ranged from the application of lemon-juice or rosewater to dubious
concoctions of mercury, alum, honey and eggshells. Indeed, washing one's face with mercury was a
common period "facial peel" used to make a woman's skin soft and fresh. Ass's milk was another
substance favored by the nobility, and mentioned as an ingredient in baths and washes.

Lettice's features also approximate the 16th century standard of beauty--a small, rosy mouth, a straight
and narrow nose, and wide-set bright eyes under narrow arched brows were the theoretical "ideal" of
the time . Women would use drops of belladona in their eyes to achieve that bright sparkle, and outline
them with kohl (powdered antimony) to enhance their size or make them appear more wide set.
Plucked eyebrows were de rigeur for a court lady, as was a high brow. A high hairline had been for
centuries a sign of the aristocracy--Women would pluck their brow hair back an inch, or even more, to
create a fashionably high forehead.

Blonde or red-gold hair such as Lettice's were also eagerly sought after. Dozens of recipies for bleaching
hair existed, some of them quite noxious; urine was one substance used. If a woman couldn't achieve
the color she wanted, she could wear false hair instead-a very common practice in Elizabethan times.
Some women went bald and wore wigs rather than struggle with their own locks. It is no accident that
Queen Elizabeth possessed almost all of the traits discussed above-golden-red hair, grey, wide-set eyes,
very pale skin and narrow brows--she was a guiding force in late 16th century English fashion, moreso
than almost any monarch before or since. Women strove to imitate her curly red hair and coloring.

One of the most surprising--and appalling--aspects of 16th century make-up was the poisonous nature
of many of the cosmetics. If an authenticity-bent re-enactor was truly interested in recreating a "period"
make-up job, she could be taking her life into her own hands. In addition, the blatant artificiality of
period makeup would look ludicrous to modern eyes. Most Elizabethan re-enactors interested in adding
period make-up to their ensemble settle for a modern "interpretation" of the period look-a pale
foundation with a light dusting of white powder for the face, black or grey eyeliner to take the place of
kohl, and matte red lipstick of an ochre or brick color. A light application of blush, placed in an oval along
the cheekbone rather than underneath, is enough unless one is playing a courtesan; if you choose, you
may either pluck or draw in high, arched eyebrows to complete the look. Achieving the high plucked
brow requires serious stage makeup or serious pain.

Of course, all this is for the court lady. The lower and middle classes didn't have the time or resources to
devote to serious makeup; young merchant's wives were somewhat notorious for their fancy dress and
fashionable makeup, but otherwise you needn't bother.

As for the hair, tightly curling the front portion and arranging it into rolls on either side of the head is a
very Elizabethan practice. False hair was commonly used as well, and is sometimes easier to manage
than one's own locks.

Period Commentary on Make-up

"Shee reads over her face every morning, and sometime blots out pale, and writes red. Shee thinks she
is faire, though many times her opinion goes alone...she is hid away all but her face, and that is hangd
about with toyes and devices, like the signe of a taverne, to draw strangers. " Thomas Overbury,A
Humerous Day's Mirth
"How base is her shape, which must borrow complexion from the shop? How can she weepe for her
sinnes...when her teares will make furrowes in her face?"
Richard Brathwait, The English Gentlewoman
"I would wish to know...which ladie had her owne face to lie with her a-nights, & which not; who put off
her teeth with their clothes in court, who their haire, who their complexion; and in which boxe they put
it."
Ben Jonson, Cynthia's Revels
"Do you know Doctor Plaster-face? by this curd, he is the most exquisite in forging of veins, spright'ning
of eyes, dyeing of hair, sleeking of skins, blushing of cheeks, surphling of breasts, blanching and
bleaching of teeth, that ever made an old lady gracious by torchlight".
Ben Marston, The Malcontent.
"[Women] whyte theyr face, necke and pappis with cerusse."
William Horman, Vulgaria Puerorum, 1519

"The Ceruse or white lead which women use to better their complexion, is made of lead and vinegar;
which mixture is naturally a great drier; and is used by chirurgions to drie up moiste sores. So that those
women who use it about their faces, doe quickly become withered and gray headed, because this dowth
so mightely drie up the naturall moysture of their flesh."
Giovanni Lomazzo, A Tracte Containing the Artes of Curious Paintinge, Carvinge and Buildinge
"The ceruse or white Lead, wherewith women use to paint themselves was, without doubt, brought in
use by the divell, the capitall enemie of nature, therwith to transforme humane creatures, of fair,
making them ugly, enormious and abominable....a man might easily cut off a curd or cheese-cake from
either of their cheeks."
Thomas Tuke,A treatise against Painting and Tincturing of Men and Women
"...when vermillion hath laid so deepe a colour on an impudent skinne,...it cannot blush with sense of
her own shame."
Richard Brathwait, The English Gentlewoman
"Of scaling or Plume-alume. This alume is a kind of stone, which seemeth as if it were made of tow; and
is so hot and drie by nature, that if you make the weeke of a candle therewith, it is thought it will burne
continually without going out: With this some use to rubbe the skinne off their face, to make it seeme
red, by reason of the inflammation it procureth, but questionless it hath divers inconveniences, and
therfore to be avoided...Rocke alume doth likewise hurt the face, in so much as it is a very pearcing and
drying minerall, and is used in strong water for the dissolving of mettals...one droppe thereof being put
upon the skinne, burneth, shriveleth, and parcheth it, with divers other inconveniences, as loosing the
teeth, etc."
Giovanni Lomazzo, A Tracte Containing the Artes of Curious Paintinge, Carvinge and Buildinge
"You should have rub'd your face with whites of egges, you rascall; till your browes had shone like our
sooty brothers here, as sleeke as a hornbook; or ha' steept your lips in wine, till you made 'hem so
plump, that Juno might have beene jealous of 'hem."
Poetaster
"Some I have heard of, that have beene so fine,
to wash and bathe themselves in milke or wine,
else with whites of egges, their faces garnish,
which makes the looke like visors, or new varnish.
Good bread, and oatmeale hath bin spilt like trash,
My Lady Polecat's dainty hands to wash."
John Taylor
"[Sabina] usually bathed herself in the milke of five hundred Asses, to preserve her beauty."

Thomas Nashe
" This arte [of beautification] consisteth of a twoofold method; either by way of a preparation and
abstertion, of some natural or adventitious imperfections of the skinne, which is done with
fomentations, waters, ointments, plaisters, and other matters, which I meane not to prescribe; or by a
more grosse illiture and laying on of material colours."
Giovanni Lomazzo, A Tracte Containing the Artes of Curious Paintinge, Carvinge and Buildinge

Elizabethan Beauty Reciepts

Warning: several of the recipies mentioned below are harmful to the skin & health; some are poisonous.
They are listed here for research purposes only. Experiment at your own risk!
"For the Freckles which one getteth by the heat of the Sun: Take a little Allom beaten small, temper
amonst it a well brayed white of an egg, put it on a milde fire, stirring it always about that it wax not
hard, and when it casteth up the scum, then it is enough, wherewith anoint the Freckles the space of
three dayes: if you will defend your self that you get no Freckles on the face, then anoint your face with
the whites of eggs."
Christopher Wirzung,General practise of Physicke, 1654.
"Ginimony likewise burnt, and pulverized, to be mingled with the juice of Lymmons, sublimate Mercury,
and two spoonefuls of the flowers of Brimstone, a most excellent receite to cure the flushing in the
face."
Westward Ho
"[against spots], the Whites of two eggs mixed well with rose-water, plantain juice, and dock juice.
Followed by the application of the following: 8 ounces of vinegar and rose-water, one ounce of
brimstone, one quarter of an ounce of alum--boiled softly until one-third has evaporated."
Christopher Wirzung,General practise of Physicke, 1654.
Recipes taken from Ruscelli:
Recipe for Ceruse (white foundation): "take talcum and burned tin, heat them together in a glassmaker's
furnace for three or four days, and mix the resulting ashes with green figs or distilled viniger."
Recipe for fucus (red facepaint): "Mix Cochineal with the white of hard-boiled egs, the milk of green figs,
plume alum, and gum arabic."

Recipe for fucus: "steep brasil well in water for two days and then mix it with two ounces of fish glue
that hath itself been steeped in white wine for five or six days."
Milton Carrol, The Elizabethan Woman
"To make a redde colour for the face. Take red sandall finely stamped, and strong Vinegar twice distilled,
then put into it as much sandal as you wil, and let it boile faire and softely, and put to it also a little rock
alume stamped, and you shal have a very perfect red."
Giovanni Ruscelli (Alessio), The secretes of reverende maister Alexis of Piemount, 1568
"Take twelve ounces of Nutmegs, mace, ginger, grains, cloves, of each half an ounce, rubarb one ounce,
bevercod, spikenard, of each half an ounce, oyl of Bay two ounces, leave the spices unbeaten, pour to it
four quarts of wine, cover it close, and let it stand so the space of four weeks, afterwards pour away the
wine, pownd all the spices to pap, and put it again to the forsaid wine, let it stand well stopped three
dayes, stir it well about: then distill it in hot water without seething, and preserve it well...this water
doth take away all spots of the face and of the body."
Christopher Wirzung,General practise of Physicke, 1654.
"To make the hair yellow as golde. Take the rine or scrapings of Rubarbe, and stiepe it in white wine, or
in cleere lie; and after you have washed your head with it, you shall weatte your hairs with a Spoonge or
some other cloth, and let them drie by the fire, or in the sunne; after this weatte them and drie them
againe."
Giovanni Ruscelli (Alessio), The secretes of reverende maister Alexis of Piemount, 1568
For chapped hands: "Melt three ounces of fresh butter and three ounces of suet of hart, and, and cut
four or five apples into it; add siz ounces of white wine and boil until the apples are soft; add half a dram
each of cinnamon, camphor, cloves, and nutmegs, two ounces of rose-water, and boil again until the
rose-water is evaporated; finally, strain through a cloth."
Christopher Wirzung,General practise of Physicke, 1654.

Globe Theatre Female Roles

Globe Theatre Female Roles

Interesting Facts and information about Globe Theatre Female Roles
Boy actors took Globe Theatre Female Roles
Interesting Facts and information about Globe Theatre Female Roles and Court Masques
Facts and History about Globe Theatre Female Roles

Globe Theatre Actors

Globe Theatre Index

Globe Theatre Female Roles

Interesting information about the Globe Theatre Female Roles during the life and times
of William Shakespeare and Elizabethan London, England

Globe Theatre Female Roles

Women were forbidden, by law, to perform in the Elizabethan theatre, therefore there were no
actresses at the Globe Theatre. The acting profession was not a credible one and it was unthinkable that
any woman would appear in a play. The parts of female characters were played by young boys. These
boy actors were usually aged between 13 and 19 years of age when their voices were still high and
muscles had not fully developed. The voices of Elizabethan boys were believed to break much later than
the modern day due to differences in diet and lifestyle which made it possible for boy actors to play
womens parts convincingly until they entered their late teens

Globe Theatre Female Roles - The women's costumes and make-up

Women were allowed to act in the theatre until 1660 as it was judged to be unseemly for a woman to
undertake such a profession. Young boys were therefore hired to act in the female roles. The costumes
used for the female characters were extremely elaborate, reflecting the clothes worn during the
Elizabethan era. The women's costumes worn by the boy actors were constructed with many layers of
clothing. It would have therefore taken some considerable time, and the help of a dresser, to dress a
boy actor in the costume of a female. Wigs, or periwigs as they were called, were readily available as
they were in fashion at the time so this was not a costuming problem. However, the make up used by
Elizabethan women, and therefore the boy actors, was! The white make-up was lead based and highly
poisonous! The young boy actors were therefore very unhealthy, had unpleasant facial skin diseases and
a high proportion actually died of lead poisoning. The boy actors who took the female roles were also
paid the least of all actors. The Admirals Men paid boy players three shillings a week. The boys were
apprenticed to adult actors and their wages were paid to their masters. In return the masters gave them
board and lodging and a small allowance to spend on themselves.

Globe Theatre Female Roles - Character recognition

Nearly every color of clothing had its own meaning in relation to status and rank during the Elizabethan
era. And these meanings were totally understood by the audience. The colors, materials and styles of
the Globe Theatre Female Roles therefore conveyed an enormous amount of information as soon as the
boy actors walked on stage. As soon as a character walked on the stage the fabric and color of his
clothing would indicate the role of the character he was playing. The character and rank of an actor
wearing a Globe Theatre costume made of velvets, furs, silks or lace would be instantly recognised as a
member of the Upper Class. Cottons and taffeta would indicate a much lower status.

Globe Theatre Female Roles - The Masque and Class differences

A great deal of attention is paid the the fact that Lower Class Elizabethan women were not allowed to
perform on the Elizabethan stage as it would have been considered to be lewd and highly immoral. This
view was not taken regarding the appearance of Upper Class Elizabethan women who appeared in court
masques! The mother of Queen Elizabeth certainly performed in masques! The first recorded
appearance of Anne Boleyn at the Tudor Court was on March 1, 1522 was as a performer in a masque!
Perhaps the element of disguise allowed for this as vizards, or masks, were always worn by the
performers. But the more probable explanation was that these wealthy women of the court wanted to
be included in performing in such an exciting diversion as a masque.

Globe Theatre Female Roles

Interesting Facts and information about the Globe Theatre Female Roles. Additional details, facts and
information about the Globe Theatre can be accessed via the Globe Theatre Sitemap.

Globe Theatre Female Roles

Interesting Facts and information about Globe Theatre Female Roles

Boy actors took Globe Theatre Female Roles

Interesting Facts and information about Globe Theatre Female Roles and Court Masques
Facts and History about Globe Theatre Female Roles
Globe Theatre in the Elizabethan era of the English Renaissance period
Elizabethan Theatre in the 16th century

Globe Theatre Female Roles

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Restoration/Enlightenment-era Theatre

Makeup of this era was characterized by a polished, feminine look on both men and women. White lead
face paint provided the base for both men and women. Hair was covered with elaborate powdered wigs,
which women often adorned with seeds pearls, jewels or feathers. Beauty marks were drawn in on both
men and women. Lip color and blush were used on both sexes, and would have been made (as it had
been for centuries) from natural ingredients such as insect bodies, berries and animal fat.
Plays were often performed in theaters lit only by candles and gas light, so the makeup had to be larger
than life to be seen clearly.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/facts_4868752_history-makeup-theater.html#ixzz2wN20tJm4

eHow UK
Style
Elizabethan Era Hairstyles
.

Elizabethan Era Hairstyles

Written by jennifer hayes

Elizabethan Era Hairstyles

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth in full regalia.

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Queen Elizabeth I ruled England for more than four decades in the latter half of the 16th century. The
daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth ruled her kingdom with both strength and style,
defying convention and becoming one of the most famous monarchs in English history. During her reign,
Elizabeth's personal style dictated the fashion and hairstyles of the time.

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Styles & Fashion of the Elizabethan Period

Dyes and Wigs

A natural redhead, Queen Elizabeth's curly hair was the ideal of beauty during her time, copied by many
upper-class women with dyes and wigs. In order to achieve the red colouring, Elizabethan women
bleached or dyed their hair using spices and flower extracts such as saffron, cumin seeds and celadine.
When dyes were not an option, Elizabethan women often wore wigs of curly red hair, with the queen
owning nearly 80 herself.

Hoods and Coverings

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Hoods and hair coverings were common in Elizabethan England, often obscuring all but the hair framing
the face. Beginning in childhood, Elizabethan women rarely left their hair uncovered. Girls wore white
linen caps tied under the chin, called coifs, while women wore a variety of coverings. A common
covering among upper-class women, the French hood, was a stiff, rounded band of fabric that sat on the
top of the head and had pearl or glass beaded adornments. Accompanied by a veil or hairnet in the
back, the French hood covered the ears and most of the hair.

Buns

Worn most commonly by married or adult women, buns were an integral part of most Elizabethan
hairstyles. Formed from the hair on the back of the head, buns facilitated the use of the high collars and
ruffs popular at the time, and were almost always hidden under some kind of head covering. Often sewn
into place rather than pinned, buns lasted several days between washing and resetting. A common
covering worn with buns was a caul, a type of mesh hairnet that gathered and encased the hair.

Rat and Frizzed Styles

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Two hairstyles common during the Elizabethan era were the rat and frizzed styles, both using the hair
from the ears forward. Rats, hairpieces so named because they mimicked the shape of rodents, were
pads of hair rolled in a woman's natural hair and attached above the forehead, adding volume and
creating a heart-shaped frame around the face. The frizzed style framed the face with a mass of frizzy
curls, accomplished with the use of hot irons. Both the rat and frizzed styles accompanied buns and
head coverings and often featured ornaments of jewels or pearls.