Queen elizabeth i English, 1533-1603
Elizabeth is perhaps one of the biggest style influencers to have ever lived, with her fashion tastes setting the trends in England for the last half of the 16th century. The queen was extremely conscious of her appearance and went to great lengths to ‘self-fashion’ her image as a powerful female ruler. She wore detailed gowns made from sumptuous fabrics and decorated with luxurious jewels, befitting her status as queen. Courtiers flocked to imitate her style, hoping to catch Elizabeth’s attention, but the queen also passed her expensive dresses down as rewards for loyal service, for example to her ladies-in-waiting.
Elizabeth issued numerous sumptuary laws to ensure that her subjects dressed according to their rank and class, while also curbing spending on luxurious fabrics