Grand Ladies

According to Norris, "Tudor Costume and Fashion," pp. 494-496 (Dover re-issue 1997) - ""The dress worn by the Queen consists of a close-fitting bodice with a normal waist-line edged with small tabs. The neck is high with a stand-up collar to which the ruff... is fixed goffered into deep nebulee sets. The sleeves are leg-of-mutton shape, with a small roll and puffs on the shoulders. The same decoration is placed on the lower part of the sleeves about four inches from the wrists and suggests cuffs. The full all-round skirt is worn over the Spanish farthingale. The whole dress is composed of white silk brocaded in a floral scroll design in gold. The front of the bodice is frogged with gold passamayne intermixed with rose-colored floss silk which is fluffed at the extremities forming tiny tassels. Pearls and rubies set in gold encircle the waist waist, but there is no pendant end. On the right side a jewel, set in a very beautiful mount composed of six human figures and scroll work in gold, is suspended by a black ferret from the waist belt. Two rows of pearls hang round the neck and are looped to form a circle on the right side. A fan of natural-tinted ostrich tips set in a gold mount and handle is carried in the right fan. The headdress is a network cap of jewels and pearls set at the back of the head like the ridge on a French hood; a gauze veil arranged behind... hangs from it."

This, the well-known "Darnley portrait," shows Queen Elizabeth of England wearing a colorful dress with puffed sleeves.

Keywords:  1572, Queen Elizabeth Tudor, Elizabeth I of England, Tudor family, English, Queen, frizzy coiffure, jeweled headdress, veil, tabbed bodice, high enclosing neckline, ruff, draped necklace, rolled sleeves, puffed cloth ornaments, puffed leg-o-mutton sleeves, cuffs, ruffled cuffs, brooch, frogging, draped necklace, girdle, farthingale, vee waistline, frogging, girdle, full skirt, jeweled pendant, feather fan