Fashion in the 17th Century

 The Lacemaker
by Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675)
1665-1670
Musée du Louvre

In the beginning of the 17th Century Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre (1638-1715) ruled the leading country of fashion in Europe. In England fashionable ladies and gentlemen followed the style worn by Charles I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1600-1649) and his beautiful French wife, Henrietta Maria of France, Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (1609-1669). The favourite colours of Henrietta Maria were blue, grey, olive green, orange, peach and yellow. These colours were often adopted by her courtiers. The Baroque Era in history spans from 1600 to 1750. The mid 17th Century is called the Restoration. The more relaxed styles were a change from the more restricting and highly decorated clothes worn at the Court of King James I. Lotions and perfumes were kept in china pots or glass phials which were stored in beautiful wooden boxes. The dressing room, decorated with silk hangings, became a reception room where the toilette was carried out in public. Vanity was no longer a sin, but a virtue.

The Bodice: The neck of the bodice was cut very low and square. The tight sleeves and the under-petticoat were generally of the same material, while the bodice, full oversleeves, and overskirt were of a contrasting material and color.

The Boots: Boots of soft, pliable leather were in vogue for formal occasions. Their immense tops were lined with lace and silk.


The High Boots: With loose tops, worn by men, either flared or were turned down to form deep cuffs, and a broad, bow-like piece of leather ornamented the instep.

The Cape: Formed part of the costume, and gave color to the entire dress, blue being one of the favourite colors. The usual method of carrying the long cape was to wrap it over the left arm when not in use. For outer garments the shoulder cape and the long, circular cape with a loose hood were the favourites.

The Cloack: Long velvet cloaks which hung from the back of the shoulders added elegance as well as warmth to the costume. 

The Coat: During the Commonwealth large, loose coats became popular; the neck was finished with a broad turned-down collar, and the turned-back cuffs of the same material were buttoned to the sleeve with three buttons.

The Cosmetic: Men and women of the Court both wore make-up. This had happened in Elizabethan times too, but now make-up was used more often, and there was a wider choice of lotions, powders and ointments than ever before. It was fashionable to have a very pale complexion. This demonstrated that a person was rich enough not to have to work outside in the fields. To make quite sure that skin remained pale, people sometimes wore masks when outdoors. Powders and creams could also help achieve pallor. A pale complexion was achieved by making a cream from powdered white chalk or white lead, mixed with white of egg and vinegar. This made a smooth shiny finish and people had to be careful not to laugh or the new "skin" would crack. A recipe to soften the skin, was to wash in rosewater mixed with wine, or make a decoction of the rinds of lemon. The cheeks were reddened by adding a little cerise powder, made of white lead to which red coloring was added, or by using Spanish paper which was bought dyed red to rub on the skin. Lips were reddened with fruit juice or cochineal. The use of these powders and ointments, especially ones containing lead and mercury, was very bad for the skin, and after a while resulted in scars and blemishes. To hide these it became the fashion for both men and women to wear patches on the face.

17th Century Rhyme about Patches

Heer patches are of ev'ry cut for pimples and for scarrs
Heer's all the wand'ring planett signs
And some of the fixed starrs.
Already gummed to make them stick
They need no other sky
Nor starrs, for Lilly for to view to tell your fortunes by.
Come lads and lasses, what do you lack
Here's weare of all prices
Here's long and short
Here's wide and straight
Heer are things of all sizes

~

The Dress: During the early part of the 17th Century, the silhouette of the vertugadine had taken on a bell shape, and a full-plaited skirt was added to the bodice at the waist-line, which was being lengthened to a point. The ruff was extend at the sides and back. The bodice laced up the front and was finished at the waistline by a narrow ribbon. Embroidery, heavily incrusted with jewels, was still used, and gold and silver galloons were making their appearance. The low neck was finished with a broad turned-down collar of lace. When the dress was cut high, the collar turned down from the neck in a manner similar to the men's, and came down on the chest in two points; this later developed into the Puritan collar. The waistline was decorated with rosettes of ribbon, or bows, sometimes encircling the waist, or a narrow sash of another color was used. The materials were plain but rich heavy silks and woolens in shades of gray, brown, and black. They were sometimes relieved by color in the under sleeves which showed through the slashes.

The Men's Dress: More comfort was being emphasized in the dress of the men. The jerkin lost most of its stiff padding, and was buttoned to the neck; the flaring collar took the place of the ruff, and during the reigns of Charles I in England and Henri IV of France it became a broad turned-down collar edged with pointed lace. The sleeves were finished at the wrist with a deep turned-back cuff. The Venetian breeches of the preceding century had given way to the more closely fitting trousers, which were fuller at the waist and tight at the knee, where they were held in place by buttons or laces which terminated in rosettes of ribbon with long ends or "points." At the waist the jerkin was finished in a full, plaited skirt four or five inches deep, or cut in squares or slashes similar to those worn by the women, and the entire costume was trimmed with gold and silver galloon or bands of embroidery at the edges. A belt or broad sash tied at the side was often worn over the jerkin. "Trunk-hose," as they were called, were also worn, and were used to carry many belongings. These trunk-hose were expensive. 

The Galloons: Gold and Silver galloons.

The Gloves: Embroidered and scented, were a part of every wardrobe, for both the men and the women. They were generally made with gantlets which were embroidered and sometimes set with jewels. Names were given to these gloves like, "a la occasion, a la necessite, a la cadanet and a la Phyllis". For ordinary wear cordovan double-seamed gloves were used.

The Hat: Hats with broad brims and high crowns, made of velvet, banded with gold or silver and ornamented with a bunch of plumes, were in high favor. The women of the lower classes still wore the chaperone, or hood. It took the form of a small, pointed coif, with a veil hanging down the back and over the shoulders, the point being fastened down in front with pins.

The Hair: The Blondes used iris powder and brunettes used violet powder. Powdered wigs were worn at a later period.

The Men's Hair: In France men wore "love-locks," a curl at the left side considerably longer than the rest of the hair. They often wore earrings and stuck roses behind their ears. Their beards were cut in points or in the shape of a fan, and were about three fingers in length. Moustaches and beards were kept in shape by means of wax, and were dressed overnight and protected by a small bag called "bigotelle." Men used cosmetics and powdered their hair as well as the women.

The Woman's Hair: Anne of Austria, the wife of Louis XIII, King of France and Navarre introduced the fashion of "garcettes," or curls. The hair was parted in the centre and hung in short curls on each side of the face and forehead, and in the back of the neck. Bows of ribbon, plumes, and jewels were used for formal occasions, while caps and coifs were worn for informal dress. A sort of gum was used to hold the hair in place. The peasants and lower classes used flour and the dust of rotten oak.

The Hoods: They had hoods of black silk or velvet, which were tied under the chin.

The Hose: Silk hose, generally white, went with slippers.

The Mirror: The Venetians were the first to make "looking glasses" by backing glass with silvery tin or mercury. They managed to keep this process secret for a long time, until the secret was smuggled to Paris by craftsmen working for the King of France. From Paris, the method began to spread throughout Europe, eventually reaching Britain, where the second Duke of Buckingham was soon patron of a mirror factory in Vauxhall, in south London.
 

The Muff: Appeared in France during the Reign of Louis XIII, King of France. The muff dog was carried in "my lady's muff."

The Parasol: During the 17th Century, French women popularised parasols.

The Patches: These were cut into a huge variety of shapes and patterns, including diamonds, hearts, stars, and crescent moons.

The Petticoat: Generally of the same material as the tight sleeves.

The Pocket Mirrors: They were very expensive, with beautifully carved frames in ivory, silver or wood.

Portrait of a Woman

by Jan Anthonisz van Ravesteyn (1570-1657)
 1625
The National Gallery, Oslo

The Ruff: Eveloped into a huge standing collar, made of lace or a combination of fine stiffened muslin and lace.

The Slippers: Square toes, and heels in varying heights.

The Shoes: For formal dress slippers were used with square toes and huge ribbon rosettes or bows at the instep. Flaps fastened with love knots or huge rosettes.

The Shoe Buckles: Both men and women wore jeweled buckles on their shoes.

The Stockings: Women wore expensive colored silk stockings. To red ones, called "bas fiammette" they used satin slippers in red or blue.

The Vertugadine: Was sewed into the skirt at the hip.