Renaissance Clothing Regulations

During the Renaissance women were subject to many limitations within the patriarchal society, especially elite women in terms of their garments. These limitations led women to try to conform to both sides of the binary in their dress, as far as concealing and exploiting. Women’s bodies have been viewed as sinful with a necessity to be hidden since Adam and Eve in the story of the Garden of Eden, thus the idea of applying strict regulations on clothing was not born in the Renaissance. In fact, the seed was planted much earlier.

However, during the Renaissance regulations were enacted in the form of sumptuary laws. According to the reading for today ‘Controlling the Uncontrollable’, “The other concern was that letting anyone wear just anything must lead inexorably to moral decline. If you couldn't tell a milkmaid from a countess at a glance, the very fabric of society might unravel”. Women posed, and still arguably pose, a false threat to society through their sexuality. Layers are a way to counteract this assumption and cover up. Though layers were employed, they were not always practical as we saw in Jan Steen’s ‘A Woman at her Toilet’ while visiting the Queen’s Gallery today.  The audio guide described the sitter’s actions as being troublesome, for putting stockings on after all of her other garments draped her body proved to be a difficult task. Though unconventional, layers were a means of controlling Renaissance women and with this, distinctions between the treatment men and women widened.

Continuing with the idea of sumptuary laws, the same reading for today also describes the sumptuary laws as, “[attempting] to restrict the sumptuousness of dress in order to curb extravagance, protect fortunes, and make clear the necessary and appropriate distinctions between levels of society” (Control theUncontrollable). Instead of spending money on clothing and jewelry, the laws attempted to curb excessive expenses on women’s garments. However, ironically patriarchs used their wives to demonstrate their own wealth through these garbs. Playing on this idea, the idea of hiding and advertising through clothing was seen. Eleanora of Austria by Joos van Cleve exemplifies the luxury portrayed through expensive garbs. The fur, the jewels, the green bodice with gold thread, and jewels adorning her hair all allude to wealth. These touches further solidify the Queen of France’s status in society.

 

Despite regulations and double standards, early moderners found creative ways to subvert these rules. We learned about one of these techniques during our first church tour (at Westminster). Since churches were considered sanctuaries so women could enter them to elude an official enforcing regulations. While comical, the practice still worked. Through our readings, the gallery, and other tours we’ve participated in, it has become apparent what a large role clothing played in gender, among other distinctions.