Queen Elizabeth I was born in 1533 to King Henry VIII (1491 - 1547) and his second wife, Anne Boleyn (1501 - 1536). She was a very intelligent woman, as she was fluent in five languages, Royal.uk said. She reigned for 45 years, from 1558, until her death in 1603.
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| Figure 1 - Queen Elizabeth I (Morrill, J.S. 2020) |
Queen Elizabeth I was famously known for the makeup that she wore. She would wear a very thick, white makeup called ceruse, which was a mixture of white lead and vinegar, according to Tracy Borman. This began after she contracted and almost died from the smallpox disease when she was just 29 years old. This disease causes a pustular rash and scabs to form, which can leave scars once they have healed. She "believed that beauty amplified female power" (Whitelock, A. 2013) and so she covered her scars with the ceruse makeup. However, this makeup was highly toxic, and according to Becky Little, wearing this makeup over a long period of time would cause skin discolouration, hairloss, and even rotting teeth.
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| Figure 2 - Queen Elizabeth I (Npg, no date) |
The Queen was very conscious of the way she looked. So much in fact, that "she insisted being in control of her official portraits" (Charleston, L.J. 2019). If she did not like a picture, she would have it destroyed.
She enjoyed following the latest fashion, as "clothes were an important status symbol to Elizabethans, and a person had to dress in accordance to their social status." (Elizabethi, no date). Therefore, she had to dress more magnificent than everyone else. She would wear elaborate gowns, all embroidered and decorated with gems such as rubies and sapphires. She would also adorn her hair with these jewels as well. This can be seen in figure 3 and 4.
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| Figure 3 - Queen Elizabeth I (Elizabethi, no date) |
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| Figure 4 - Queen Elizabeth I (Morleymakeupartistry, 2016) |
Setting the wig
To recreate this style, a circular section was taken at the back of the head and pulled into a ponytail. This hair was then put into rollers to create curls at the back of the head. Three rows of directional rollers were done at the front of the head, to give the classic curls the Queen would be seen with. The last section was plaited to give some extra detail.
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| Figure 5 - Queen Elizabeth I wet set attempt 1 (Brown, J. 2020) |
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Figure 6 - Queen Elizabeth I wet set attempt 1 (Brown, J. 2020)
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Figure 7 - Queen Elizabeth I wet set attempt 1 (Brown, J. 2020)
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Styling the wig
To style, rats were used to create her classic heart shaped hair. A rat is a wig cap or stocking filled with crepe hair, and is used to create height within the hair.
Beaded pins were used to add some adornments to the style.
Final Images
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| Figure 13 - Queen Elizabeth I Final Images Attempt 1 (Brown, J. 2020) |
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| Figure 14 - Queen Elizabeth I Final Images Attempt 1 (Brown, J. 2020) |
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| Figure 15 - Queen Elizabeth I Final Images Attempt 1 (Brown, J. 2020) |
-Jess
References:
- Borman, T. (2020) 7 things you (probably) didn't know about Elizabeth I. Available from https://www.historyextra.com/period/elizabethan/7-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-elizabeth-i/#:~:text=Elizabeth%20I%20took%20longer%20to%20get%20ready%20than%20any%20other%20monarch&text=Her%20face%2C%20neck%20and%20hands,eyes%20were%20lined%20with%20kohl. [Accessed 12/10/2020].
- Charlestone, L.J. (2019) The truth behind Queen Elizabeth's 'clown white' makeup. Available from https://libbyjanecharleston.medium.com/the-truth-behind-queen-elizabeths-white-clown-face-makeup-c0507a178bd5 [Accessed 13/10/2020].
- Elizabeth I (r.1558 - 1603). (no date) Available from https://www.royal.uk/elizabeth-i [Accessed 12/10/2020].
- Little, B. (2016) Arsenic pills and Lead foundation: The history of toxic makeup. Available from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/09/ingredients-lipstick-makeup-cosmetics-science-history/#:~:text=This%20mixture%20of%20lead%20and,hair%20loss%2C%20and%20rotted%20teeth. [Accessed 12/10/2020].
- Queen Elizabeth I Wardrobe. (no date) Available from https://www.elizabethi.org/contents/wardrobe/#:~:text=Queen%20Elizabeth%20was%20a%20great,public%2C%20she%20dressed%20to%20impress.&text=In%20the%20later%20years%20of,such%20as%20white%20or%20silver. [Accessed 13/10/2020].
- Whitelock, A. (2013) Elizabeth I: the monarch behind the mask. Available from https://www.historyextra.com/period/elizabethan/elizabeth-i-the-monarch-behind-the-mask/ [Accessed 13/10/2020].
Bibliography:
- Elizabeth I: fashion and beauty. Available from https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/elizabeth-i-fashion-and-beauty [Accessed 12/10/2020].
- Ridgway, C. (2015) 10 October 1562 - Elizabeth I catches smallpox. Available from https://www.tudorsociety.com/10-october-1562-elizabeth-i-catches-smallpox/#:~:text=On%2010th%20October%201562%2C%20twenty,young%20queen%20actually%20had%20smallpox. [Accessed 12/10/2020].
- Johnson, B. (no date) Elizabeth I - A life in portraits. Available from https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Elizabeth-I-Life-in-Portrait/#:~:text=It%20is%20known%20however%20that,in%20any%20of%20her%20rooms. [Accessed 12/10/2020].
- King, J.N. (1990) Queen Elizabeth I: Representations of the Virgin Queen. Renaissance Quarterly, 43(1), pp.30 - 74.
- Morrill, J.S. (2020) Elizabeth I. Available from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-I [Accessed 12/10/2020].
- Why did Elizabeth 1 begin to wear wigs and when did she start wearing them? (no date) Available from https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/resources/q-a/why-did-elizabeth-1-begin-to-wear-wigs-and-when-did-she-start-wearing-them/#:~:text=It%20is%20said%20that%20an,and%20also%20kept%20her%20youthful. [Accessed 12/10/2020].
Figures:
- Figure 1 - Morrill, J.S (2020) Elizabeth I. Available from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-I [Accessed 12/10/2020].
- Figure 2 - Queen Elizabeth I. (no date) Available from https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw02075/Queen-Elizabeth-I [Accessed 13/10/2020].
- Figure 3 - Queen Elizabeth I Appearance. Available from https://www.elizabethi.org/contents/profile/appearance.html [Accessed 13/10/2020].
- Figure 4 - Queen Elizabeth I; Makeup Muse of the week. Available from https://morleymakeupartistry.weebly.com/hairandmakeupthroughouthistory/queen-elizabeth-i-makeup-muse-of-the-week [Accessed 13/10/2020].
- Figure 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 - Brown, J. (2020) York College.
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