{"id":6131,"date":"2023-05-08T21:03:17","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T21:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/?p=6131"},"modified":"2023-05-08T21:14:35","modified_gmt":"2023-05-08T21:14:35","slug":"ruff-collars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/ruff-collars\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruff Collars: The Fashion Statement of Elizabethan England"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
In the long, winding course of fashion history, few pieces of clothing have captured the imagination and become as iconic as the Elizabethan ruff collar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This remarkable accessory, worn by people of all different ages and genders throughout Europe and England during the 16th and 17th centuries, was much more than a mere collar. It was often a symbol of status, elegance, and style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spanning decades and constantly evolving, the ruff is featured in countless paintings and portraits of just about every nobleman and woman. However, like all trends, the famous fashion statement experienced its rise and fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With an enduring legacy and timeless look, the Elizabethan ruff collar remains a fascinating window into the fashions and social customs of a bygone era. It teaches us plenty about the men and women who wore it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
What is a Ruff?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The ruff, also known as the Elizabethan collar, was a prominent piece of clothing worn by men, women, and children. It was worn from the late Tudor era to the reigns of the Stuarts, roughly from the 1560s to the 1630s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was known primarily for its popularity and use throughout England – hence, the Elizabethan collar. It was also worn across Western Europe, although less frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ruff was a kind of starched, pleated collar that completely encircled the neck, often worn with elaborate and extravagant designs and fashions. Stiff, but detachable, it was made primarily from linen cloth, or lace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It evolved from the small fabric ruffle at the neck of the shirt. It served as an accessory that could be washed separately, and it kept the wearer’s doublet or gown from becoming soiled at the neckline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ruff was notable for its size – the most fashionable were about a quarter of a yard wide. The stiffness of the garment forced an upright posture. Its impracticality made it a symbol of wealth and status, although, for the same reasons, it is typically viewed with ridicule by modern audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the 1580s, the ruff became a large cartwheel. It was starched with a frame of wire covered with silk thread worn under it. Ruffs were starched in various colors, including blue, green, and yellow. Each had it its own fashion statement and trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Early Development of Elizabethan Collars<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The development of the ruff in the mid-sixteenth century revolutionized contemporary fashion. It quickly became a hallmark of Elizabethan England.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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