Charles I: clothing terminology

Charles I by Mytens. NPG

I have been putting Charles I’s clothes as listed in wardrobe accounts (Strong, 1980) into the Stuart Tailor database, and here I try to analyse how the terms used in accounts are depicted in portraits. This is Charles I by Daniel Mytens, the hyperlink is to the high res version of the low res version to the right. The portrait in the National Portrait Gallery is from 1631, so earlier than the wardrobe accounts I quote here, which are from 1633-5. 

The King normally buys suits, these consist of a doublet and hose (breeches), not always in the same fabric, and usually there is a matching cloak, for example “a suite the doublett lead cullor tabie the cloake and hose of cloth”.

The portrait depicts him in grey and there are several grey suits in 1633-5, as in: “a suit of grey cloth lined with tabie”, “a suite of lead cullor satin”, “a suite of mist grey drapbery cloth.” The braid that runs around the edges of the doublet and down the side of the hose is always referred to as lace, as in: “edged with a gould and silver edging lace,” in addition each seam has lace, sometimes this is the same as the edging lace, though in this portrait it would appear to be different. There are other portraits showing is style of layout of lace, and there is a black wool example in the Victoria and Albert Museum, unfortunately the museum website has no photographs. Seam laces are usually referred to as: “trimmed with two silke laces in a seame”, or “with two gould and silver laces in a seame”, or similar. 

The doublet seen in the portrait is cut into panes on the body and sleeves, in the accounts they would say “the doublet cut in panes”, if the panes were edged with the same lace as the seam lace it would say, “and laced with the same lace.” To the left is a detail of a paned doublet in the collection of the Gallery of English Costume at Platt Hall, Manchester. 

It is not the case with the suit shown in the portrait, but sometimes there would be two layers of fabric, one “cut upon” the other, so Charles has a suit of grass green tabby “lined with rose cullor tabie, cutt with and upon rose cullor taffaty”. This effect of this fashion can be seen in the Cotton suit of 1618 in the Victoria and Albert Museum, which is described as an “oyster colour silk satin with an under layer of blue silk.” (Braun, et al., 2016) 

The doublet and hose are tied together with points, these can be seen at the waist of the doublet in the portrait. Different types of points appear in the accounts, for example: “flatt points”, “square points” and “round points.” In addition suites of matching points, garters and shoe roses were purchased. In the Mytens portrait he is wearing boots, but in this portrait by Van Dyck his points, garters and shoes roses all appear to be the same colour.

Detail of Charles's spur leathers

He purchases large quantities of accessories. The gloves seen in the portrait are plain with a simple fringe. Among a vast number of other gloves, in 1633-4 he buys “2 dozen pairs of thick stags lether gloves with gould and silver frindges.” His boots are also plain, he buys (in one year) “24 paires of bootes” and “20 pairs of strong riding bootes”, not to mention the 189 pairs of shoes. Spurs can also be seen on the boots. These come in different types, and I don’t know enough about spurs to identify the differences. We have “hunting spurs”, and “Bramspith spurres.” He also buys spurleathers, that piece of butterfly shaped leather across the instep of the boot, and the straps that attach the spur to the boot. These can be seen clearly in a detail from the equestrian portrait of Charles I on horseback by Van Dyck. There are references to “hatching and guilding” spurs and to “trimming” spurs. Worn under the boots you can see at the knee his boot hose, which he buys “3 dozen pairs” at a time. 

His linens, as in his band (collar) and shirts, do not appear in his wardrobe accounts.

References

Braun, M, et al. 2016. 17th-century men's dress patterns 1600-1630. London : Thames & Hudson, 2016. 978 0 500 51905 9.

Strong, Roy. 1980. Charles I's clothes for the years 1633-1635. Costume. 1980, Vol. 14, 73-89

Framing the Face: collars and ruffs – at the National Portrait Gallery

Having an hour to spare before a meeting in London this week, I popped into the National Portrait Gallery. Unfortunately they do not allow photography, however I have put links below to many of the paintings on the NPG website. Although there are several of these works on Wikimedia Commons I have not included them in this post because the NPG is extremely sensitive about its rights in reproduction of the paintings, and Wikimedia has the comment that “third parties have made copyright claims against Wikimedia Commons.”

One of the first rooms on the top floor in the museum has about 15 paintings and miniatures from the period c1560-c1630, exploring the concept “Framing the face – collars and ruffs.” This little exhibition is on from 19 February to 31 December 2016. 

First there is the lovely portrait that was previously believed to have been Mary, Queen of Scots, but is now listed as an unknown woman. It dates to around 1570, apart from the ruff, it has a wonderful sleeves and forepart set, the pattern looks almost like an old fashioned punched card (you have to be of a certain, pre modern computer, age to get that). 

There is a case of small paintings, not small enough to be miniatures, which include a painting thought to be Lady Arabella Stuart, c.1595-1600, and her cousin James VI & I, c.1590 in an incredibly tall hat. With them, to continue the Scottish theme, is James’s mother Mary, Queen of Scots. This painting is now considered to be from the second half of the 16^th century after tree ring dating of the wood it is painted on. It was previously believed to be an eighteenth century copy. 

There is a case of miniatures, which is covered to protect the paintings from light. Among the paintings displayed there are a couple of Nicholas Hilliard portraits including a 1578 Francis Bacon, in a very austere ruff, and by contrast Mary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, c.1590, in a very over the top standing collar. There is an interactive display which allows you to bring these miniatures up and examine every tiny detail.

Among the final wall of paintings is the 1631 portrait of Edward Cecil, Viscount Wimbledon, wearing a very fine lace edged falling band and, military type note, a pink military scarf (sash) with silver embroidery and a silver lace edging.

If you are in London it is worth going and having a look.