Historical Writing Category
The Writer’s Guide to 1700-1750 Women’s Fashion
Posted on April 2, 2021 4 Comments
Today I will be doing a deeper dive into the details of women’s fashions in the first half of the 18th century. The styles of this period were heavily influenced by the French court at Versailles and by French fashion divas such as Marie Antoinette and Madam de Pompadour. If you just need a basic […]
The Writer’s Guide to 18th Century Fashion
Posted on March 26, 2021 10 Comments
The 18th century was one of change in society as well as fashion. Dramatic upheavals such as revolutions in France, Haiti, and Britain’s American colonies, all fueled by the Enlightenment, shook up and in some cases shattered the established order. The elaborate court fashions of the early part of the century made way for more […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1550-1600 Men’s Fashion
Posted on March 19, 2021 3 Comments
Although the fashions of the second half of the 16th century were dominated by England’s Elizabeth I, the men of this period were not about to fade into the background. Middle- and upper-class men were peacocks in their own right and dressed to impress and show off their social status and wealth. Underwear Just as […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1500-1550 Men’s Fashion
Posted on March 12, 2021 9 Comments
As I mentioned in my article on early 16th century women’s clothing, fashion of the first half of the period was dominated by male trend-setters including Henry VIII, Francis I and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Almost everyone can picture the famous portrait of Henry VIII wearing a slashed and embroidered doublet and a fur-lined […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1550-1600 Women’s Fashion
Posted on March 5, 2021 6 Comments
While the fashion of the first half of the 16th century was dominated by men such as England’s Henry VIII, France’s Francis I and the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, the styles of the second half of the century were dictated by one woman: England’s Elizabeth I. She set the standard for most of Europe […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1500-1550 Women’s Fashion
Posted on February 26, 2021 10 Comments
Today I will be take a closer look at the styles women were wearing in Europe during the first half of the 16th century. Most of the trendsetters were men such as England’s Henry VIII, France’s Francis I, and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. If you want the basics of 16th century fashion please […]
The Writer’s Guide to 16th Century Fashion
Posted on February 19, 2021 6 Comments
The 16th century was the second half of the Renaissance, a dynamic and changing period of European history. The focus of scholarship and art shifted from the religious to the secular. However, the church still had tremendous influence on people’s lives and some of the most astounding works of religious art were created during this […]
The Writer’s Guide to 15th Century Fashion
Posted on February 12, 2021 13 Comments
Just like the 12th century, the 15th century contains many fashion elements that will be familiar to readers and viewers of fantasy and fairy tale adaptations. Fashion was changing during this century and varied in significant ways from the styles of the centuries that proceeded it. It also saw the introduction of several iconic styles […]
The Writer’s Guide to 12th Century Fashion
Posted on February 5, 2021 49 Comments
People seem fascinated by the European Middle Ages and it is a popular period for fantasy authors to draw upon. Part of that fascination rests on the clothing, the image of ladies in elegant flowing gowns with long sleeves, of knights in dashing doublets. However, the Middle Ages is a massive chunk of history, spanning […]
The Writer’s Guide to Historical Fabrics
Posted on January 29, 2021 6 Comments
As a writer, clothing holds so much possibility. What a character is wearing can tell your readers a lot about them from their social status to the care and attention they give to their personal appearance to where in your world they are from. Being accurate is important if you are writing historical fiction, especially […]
Rebecca Shedd - Author 