Extreme Fashion in Early Modern Europe

With Abigail Gomulkiewicz 


Early modern ‘extreme’ fashions, even today, are familiar and recognizable. We remember the large white ruffs around the neck, endless strands of pearls, wide skirts, pale faces, swords, and slashed clothing of both men and women. Portraits of monarchs and courtiers reinforce these images of ‘extreme’ fashion. While the choice of these clothes and accessories can appear luxurious, it also simultaneously seems frivolous, outrageous, and even, at times, comical.  

This workshop will investigate the ‘extreme’ clothing worn by monarchs and their subjects and probe what these choices reveal about the society in which these individuals lived. It will consider what men and women wore and how this is different or similar to what portraits show us. This workshop will help challenge what we perceive as extreme, fashionable, and mainstream. 
Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11)