Getting Medieval

Yes, there is a renewed interest in historicals because of TV shows like The Tudors, Spartacus, and The Borgias, despite what you might think of the actual quality of history presented. But that's okay. Anything that pushes historicals into the limelight can only work for me.

The costumes from the series will be on display at the Royal Armouries in Leeds England from 12 September to 30 November.

The costume designer Joan Bergin, interviewed by the LA Times described The Tudors as “a strange blend of trying to be as authentic as possible but with a twist”. She wanted people to look at it and say “Look how sexy and foxy,” rather than “Oh! Who would wear that?” Her inspiration came from Balenciaga corsets and the ballerinas of Degas.

Oh dear.

You see, what people wore both under their clothes as well as what the public saw informed how they would move and act and think in those clothes. A wealthy woman in a long gown with long sleeves, a gown that laces up the back requiring the help of servants, certainly thinks differently from the milkmaid in a simpler gown with rolled up sleeves and surcote. Tradition and the culture imposed what people would wear and then designers tweaked it to be more interesting, more colorful but still within the bounds of taste...until you get to the eighteenth century. But that's another post.

I would go and see the exhibition in any case, just because costumes are fun to look at. Thirty plus years ago, I got to see the costumes the actors wore in the very fine award-winning six part series the Six Wives of Henry VIII from 1970, with Keith Michell as Henry. These costumes were on display at Hampton Court and were as authentic as they could get them, with a few exceptions. Because the BBC didn't have a lot of money to throw around back then (The Tudors costume tour is sponsored by costume designer Joan Bergin, the creator of The Tudors Michael Hirst, and the Mary Rose Trust) they had to take some shortcuts. If the gown was supposed to have jewels on it, they cheated and used nuts and washers from the local hardware store. On TV you couldn't tell. All you saw was a little glitter and shine. Up close it was a little more obvious, but ingenious.  

More info is here.