The Tudor Revolution

Anne Boleyn by Lucas Horenbout Strawberry Hill ID: sh-000468 My pattern for the kirtle was based on the Henrician kirtle in The Tudor Tailor . I constructed it using 2 layers of linen canvas and on outer layer of white silk. As an experiment I did not stiffen this kirtle with reeds or boning as the Tudor Tailor originally suggested. Now that I have worn the kirtle a few times I may change my mind and add channels for reeds to be inserted and stiffen the bodice front. This bodice does not feel as supportive as my previous kirtles. I will give this style without boning a few more chances though before I stitch in all of the channels required to apply reeds or boning. I hand stitched the side seams of the bodice using white silk and I bound the bottom of the kirtle in scraps of white silk. All of the eyelets were worked by hand using an awl and metal rings. I chose to use the button hole stitch for working the eyelets, in cotton embroidery floss. These rings can be purchased thr...

Anne Boleyn by Lucas Horenbout Strawberry Hill ID: sh-000468 My newest Tudor project has been researching this portrait to reproduce it the image. Scholars have identified this as Anne Boleyn, from her time serving in the household of Catherine of Aragon. The gold frame now around the miniature identifying this miniature as Catherine was added in the 19th, century. This miniature also bares a good resemblance to Anne's commemorative medal which was struck in 1534, with a more fashion forward version of the English hood. This medal is now housed in the British Museum. Anne is known to have used her clothing to make political statements. During this period of history, people used their clothing to show alliances. Fashion was very political. Anne is famous today for her preferences for French fashions, manners, and politics. What is commonly overlooked or forgotten is that she was English first. Anne wanted to be seen as a virtuous, English Queen. To better fit this role for stat...

Anne Boleyn from Wolf Hall. Photo from bbc.com After months of waiting, Tudor history fans in the USA finally got access to the series Wolf Hall. Many costume bloggers have been gushing or ranting about the costumes since the first press release photos hit the internet last year. Personally, I was skeptical the drama would live up to the dream many of us have of a period correct drama for this time period. Now that I have taken the time to watch the first episode on pbs.org I am hooked. No huge farthingales in the 1520's. All the ladies and gentlemen are wearing hats. One of the details I was most impressed with was the period correct table manners during a banquet scene. Notice what Cromwell and other are doing with their napkins and how large they are compared to modern napkins. The entire production team's work, love, and research shows in each frame. I hope all of you will take advantage of this airing for free on PBS. If you are like me and can not always commit to b...

Earlier this month I presented research and pop culture surrounding Henry VIII and his court. This year included two panels; Dressing the Court of Henry VIII and The Tudor Project . I would like to thank Jo Stomel for all of the hard work she, and her staff, put into the costuming programming at Phoenix Comic Con. The whole event was topped off by the Silhouettes of History fashion show. If you saw our group at Phoenix Comic Con and would like to see us back to do more let the staff know. Here is to next year! Fashion show slide by Rose Wood. Photo during fashion show. Taken by Phoenix Comic Con staff. 

Why have I been buckling down so much to restore my Anne Boleyn portrait ensemble? Many of us at rennfire.org have been invited to strut the catwalk at Phoenix Comic Con 2014.The goal of PHX Comic Con's Silhouettes of History is to show the inspirations of many popular historical dramas. Henry VIII and his court will be appearing to represent the Tudor court. I understand there will be many wonderfully talented people portraying other historical periods as well.  The show is Sunday, June 8 at 2pm. For more details please visit the Phoenix Comic Con website or Facebook pages. As of now registration for models is closed.  Phoenix Comic Con Facebook Page Phoenix Comic Con Website  "Learn about historical inspirations for the costuming in such shows as The Tudors, The Borgias and Rome! Local re-enactors will present historically accurate costumes from all parts of history, from the Romans to the Renaissance. You can vote for your favorite costume and check them out up...

Beads completed and sewn to kirtle In August 2012 I started a project to replace the brass beads on my Anne Boleyn gown with wooden beads covered in metallic threads. Because I did not have a solid timeline I needed to finish these by the beads were put aside for other projects. Now I have the deadline that I needed I have been working steadily to finish covering the beads. New research has also encouraged me to place all of the embellishment on the neckline of a supportive kirtle rather than the edge of my gown as I had done before. This kirtle will also replace the corset I had been wearing under my gown. The first kirtle had varied amounts of success. It was supportive improved the silhouette, but the "cups" of the kirtle were too small for my bust. This version is more accommodating. The kirtle also laces under the arm on both sides to allow for more flexibility and an unbroken neckline under my gown. Progress of embellishing the kirtle. Kirtle bodice is made...

Last week I attended a lecture about some "wicked" women in Tudor history. Myself and the Tudor Project were asked to attend and add ambiance through our gowns. ACMRS now has pictures up of the whole event on their website. If you did not make it to Prof Warnicke's talk hopefully you will at least enjoy the pictures. http://acmrs.org/public-programs/warnicke Some of the Portrait Clothing from The Tudor Project. Photo by ACMRS and ASU.

For anyone living in Arizona, there is a great opportunity coming to Tempe, AZ! Have you hear about the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renascence Studies ? They are a statewide group whose purpose is to stimulate interest in the time period from about 400 to 1700 CE. They publish scholarly works, lecture, and hold events for those interested. For more information on ACMRS please visit their website: http://www.acmrs.org/ This week they are doing a talk at Changing Hands Bookstore about Anne Boleyn and Lady Leicester.The tittle of the lecture is "Queen Anne Boleyn and Lady Leicester: Wicked Women of Tudor England," and will be held on August 16, 2012. That is this Thursday! The speaker, Prof. Retha Warnicke,specializes in the Tudor court, gender issues, and early modern history. Prof. Warnicke is particularly known as an expert on Anne Boleyn, and has published many scholarly works on her life and other related topics. Prof Retha Warnicke curr...

Miniature of Anne Boleyn. While this image has the best detail of any of the French Hood  portraits there is still debate over the portrait being painted within her life time. So do you all remember the dress I made based off of Anne Boleyn's miniature? I chose the miniature because it seamed to have the best detail. Well, I was never fully satisfied with Anne just having gold brass beads on her neckline. They gave the idea of what the gown had, and I was asked to do this on short notice. All of that aside, now I have been allowed the time to go back and do it right. so I plan to. Detail from the beading on Anne Boleyn's Bodice. After some research and digging around I stumbled across a few extent garments from The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. amazingly they have thread covered buttons made with gold thread, and on one example they are purely decorative. Any avid costumers out there can imagine the excitement I got from this discovery. Copyrigh...

So now that I have had some distance from my work with the Tudor Project, I want to fairly analyze my work on the Anne Boleyn  portrait reproduction. The Research I wish I'd had 6 more months to do research. In the months since our project completed more research on early Tudor garments has been published by the Tudor Tailor workshop in England. In addition to their new book, The Queen's Servants , I have found illuminations depicting French and Flemish court ladies in full length.  It is my belief that Anne would not have been wearing a hoop skirt as I did last fall. According to the Tudor Tailor shop hoops are not worn in England until the 1540's, putting them well out of what Anne was likely to be wearing. Incase you need further help to visualize the difference, take a glance at these two portraits of Princess Elizabeth. The portrait on the left is from a mural at Hampton Court. On the right there is a portrait which was painted later for King Edward VI,...

Anne Boleyn is one of the most recognizable figures in English history. She was born the second daughter of  Sir Thomas Boleyn and Lady Elizabeth Howard around 1501. When Anne and her sister Mary were sent abroad to receive an education. Anne spent many years at the court of Queen  Claude of France and became one of the Queens favorite maids. While in France, Anne learned to speak and read fluent French, dancing, music, fashion or power dressing, and theology. Queen Claude supported and sheltered many protestants in her court, and this exposure is often seen by historians as the source for Anne’s more radical spirituality in later years. The positioning of Anne so strongly on the continent leads many historians to think she was never meant to return to England. Instead they argue that she was meant to be married off to a French noble. When war between England and France became more likely, Sir Thomas recalled Anne to England. When Anne was brought home she was betrothed to ...