Book Review: Tudor Fashion

Tudor Fashion, by Eleri Lynn

Extravagant, Elegance, Well Told…

I don’t have a large library of books on historical fashion, but I do have a few and I have to say that this particular book is one that I’ve really enjoyed reading.

For most books, it’s more about the images for me. This is probably because as a graphic designer and artist, and notably NOT someone with needle skills, a picture is worth two-thousand words.

But this book, Tudor Fashion, by Eleri Lynn is so full of interesting and intriguing information, I found myself gliding through the pages without even realizing much time was passing.

I’m someone who loves pattern and gorgeous fabrics and historical jewelry, so the details within the text of who wore what, at what occasion and why are fascinating.

The Iconic The Rainbow Portrait

Queen Elizabeth I in her very symbolic ‘eyes and ears’ dress aka the Rainbow Portrait. Painted in the last years of her life, the artist portrays her as a timeless, beautiful Virgin Queen. The eyes and ears represent the idea that she ‘sees all and hears all.’ The snake on her right arm would symbolize ‘wisdom’ to the 16th c. viewer. There is a heart-shaped jewel right above the snake (hard to see in this photo) that the book explains means ‘mercy necessary for making wise choices.’ Lastly, she holds a rainbow in her hand with the motto ‘non sine sole iris,’ meaning ‘no rainbow without the sun.’ In other words, without her, there is darkness.

Like Father, Like Daughter…

Queen Elizabeth I is usually the monarch most associated with elaborate gowns and clothing, at least that’s what I’ve found. And it’s true, she used clothes brilliantly, as the above photo and description shows.

But it seems her father, Henry VIII, was just as involved with his grand ensembles - even after he got chubby.
The description of what he and King Francis I of France wore during their famous Field of the Cloth of Gold summit in 1520 (an extravagant festival lasting for 18 days) was eye-opening. But also interesting was the importance the clothing held to those not in attendance.

The book talks about how ambassadors wrote down in minute detail everything that was worn and then passed this information on and it spread across Europe.

Clothing and the outward proclamation of one’s vast wealth it conveyed was a priority.
If a ruler wore the same thing at a public event twice, it was noted.

Clothing and More…

Tudor Fashion begins with an overall introduction of how clothing was made, how it was put on, the different fabrics, dyes etc. How clothes projected an image, how the Tudor monarchs used it to project power and status and how it was passed down and remade into something new (especially within Henry VIII’s reign - six wives, remember!).

Then the book moves onto the individual Tutor royals and their style before going into detail about courtiers and then a chapter on personal grooming.

For anyone interested in period fashion and costume - and especially Tudor fashion, this book is a must. As I mentioned, I am not someone who sews or knows one end of a pattern from another and I still very much enjoyed it; if you are someone who is nimble with a needle, I’ll bet you’ll love this.

Tudor Fashion is by Eleri Lynn, formerly of the V&A Museum and currently the Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces

Find the book HERE