Why did 16th-century clothing look like this? Renaissance Fashion History

Why did elite men and women start to look and dress like this in the 16th century? So these artificial and ostentatious fashions of the 16th century were rich in meaning and significance to those who held power. By 1530 both men and women's clothing began to become more close-fitting around the torso and full around the hips. This structure and dress has been attributed to the power and influence of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty who controlled territories in Spain, Austria, the Holy Roman Empire, the Low Countries and the Americas. So hoop skirts called vertugados which are later known as farthingales had first appeared in the Castilian court in the mid to late 15th century and during the reign of Philip II of Spain in the mid-16th century fashions reduced movement to a minimum. At this time decorative frills on the necklines of linen smocks and shirts began to turn into standing collars and ruffs. These forced the head to be held erect in order to achieve a grave calm and haughty bodily appearance that reflected the power of the Spaniards. It is also possible that rigid modes of dressing first embraced by southern European courts such as Spain and Portugal coincided with their military might and expansion in the Americas as garments such as male doublets mimicked the armor of the Spanish conquistadors. Regardless of exactly how these fashions came about they soon disseminated throughout Europe as Spanish influence grew and other European aristocracy began to adopt this style of power dressing as these new form-altering fashions created a body that signified authority and high social rank. At the royal courts of Europe physical appearance was highly valued and usually expressed through lavish spending on expensive textiles, lace, embroidery and jewelry. Importantly courts throughout the 16th century were influenced by Balthasar Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier which was published in 1528. This how-to guide for courtiers emphasized what Castiglione termed sprezzatura or acting and speaking elegantly in an effortless manner. Such a concept did not just focus on actions and words but also on the presentation of the body through dress to achieve these ideals. In addition humanist art and literature outlined new concepts of beauty that emphasized the desirability of slender forms. Artistic movements of the 16th century also focused on artificioso and art and literature were expected to be created with artifice or in an artificial imitation of nature. This general mantra which influenced cultural styles during the period now referred to as mannerism may account for the stylization of elite forms which were often unbalanced and distorted. Increasingly cultural ideals during the 16th century also dictated that elite male and female bodies should be erect and physically restrained. French sociologist Georges Vigorello has argued that in the 16th century when a new court nobility in France was being established as the medieval world of chivalry faded there emerged new rules of deportment for the body. In particular these rules focused on what Vigorello has termed the upward training of the body meaning that increasing emphasis was placed on having and maintaining good posture. During the 16th century particularly in France writings increasingly emphasized a stricter control over posture and the right position of the noble body. Such ideals that circulated throughout European courts therefore set the ideological framework the court dress was expected to operate within. In addition to these cultural and social changes the 16th century also saw new uses of color, textiles, materials and cutting techniques that allowed makers and courtiers alike to deliberately manipulate textiles into new forms and shapes. Importantly in addition to new tailoring techniques the fashionable silhouette of the 16th century was increasingly constructed from rigid materials such as cardboard, pasteboard, wood, wire and bundles of reeds or grasses called vents as well as whale baleen colloquially called whale bone at this time. As a result the form of clothing became particularly important during the 16th century and garments that complemented these aristocratic ideals such as farthingales, codpieces, bombast doublets, stiffened bodies and large ruffs emerged and these garments had a profound influence on western European fashions that would last throughout the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries too. If you're interested in hearing more about renaissance and early modern fashion from the 16th through to the 18th centuries subscribe to my channel and I'll see you in the next video.