| LEGEND TO THE ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE PRINT BELOW Print Specifics:
AS THE INFLUENCE OF ITALIAN STYLES WANED, and low-cut bodices and slashed sleeves began to decline in popularity, a fashion emerged that aimed to cover all but the hands and face almost completely. First, for example, the collar became attached to the base of the neck; later it circled it entirely, and became tighter and more restrictive. Women affected this tight clothing in order to achieve what was called a 'Spanish" figure. The espoitrinement of women (literally, the 'imprisonment of women's chests"), in Henri Estienne's term, was carried to such an extent that some actually died, so Montaigne says, from the cuts they received from metal and wooden splints. This adjustment of the shape of the upper body, common to both sexes, was first a characteristic of men's costume and was picked up by women later. The fashion of wearing the combination of close- fitting bodices and riding-habits has been attributed to the ladies of the court of Catherine of Medici, who followed her on horseback. The nature of this costume made deportment an art. The essential items comprised: a ruff around the neck; a corset known as a corps pique; a skirt with hoops; a long robe that hid the feet so that women could pretend to be taller than they were by wearing high heels; and a skirt tucked up so that petticoats could be shown on special occasions. It was in around 1575 that such fashions reached their high point, as did the ruff. Generally, French ruffs were the largest, but individuals in some other countries were extravagant beyond the wildest fancies of the French. Queen Elizabeth I of England, for example, had more than 3,000 dresses. All were decorated with the finest lace and spangled with jewels. Walpole said of one of her portraits: 'It is as if one is seeing an idol of crowns and diamonds and a huge quantity of pearls.' [BOTTOM CENTER]: A portrait of Queen Elizabeth - in this example the open collar is a compromise between a circular ruff and a high collar in the shape of a fan. Later, the ruff was replaced by the fan-shaped collar, which rose out of the corsage like a facing. More lacy than a ruff, but made from a single layer of material, it was held up by a linen frame. A great deal of jewelry was worn in the 16th century, importance being given both to the size of the stones and to the new discovery of transparent enameling. This innovation meant that jewelry could become brighter and more colorful than ever before. It was fashionable to wear pearl earrings and pearls in the hair. The short necklace, or choker, which became redundant because of the ruff, was replaced by a single string of pearls or beads that hung down over the bodice. [TOP LEFT]: Catherine de Bourbon in 1600 [CENTER] A lady from Holland based on the original painting by Paul Moreelsen, [TOP RIGHT and BOTTOM LEFT]: Marie de Medici (1573-1642) [BOTTOM RIGHT] Princess Isabelle as a young maiden. Martin2001 Satisfaction Guaranteed Policy!
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