Do You Think You Could Survive Tudor Beauty Standards? They Were Brutal.

Do You Think You Could Survive Tudor Beauty Standards? They Were Brutal

Today I want to take a look at Tudor beauty standards and how people in Tudor England viewed physical appearance.

Beauty has always, and no doubt will always be influenced by society. In Tudor England things were no different. What people considered attractive during this period was often influenced by wealth, status, religion, fashion, and even politics. Looking beautiful was not just about vanity. For many people, their appearance could actually affect their marriage prospects, social standing, and even how others judged their character.

Image info:

The "Darnley Portrait" of Elizabeth I 

Date: 1575

In the early Tudor period, during the reign of King Henry VII beauty standards were still  influenced by the late medieval world. A fuller figure was seen as desirable, especially for women. Soft curves suggested they were in good health, fertile, and, importantly, they had access to plenty of food. Ordinary people struggled to eat well, so a fuller body showed wealth and security. Pale skin was also very highly prized. If your skin remained fair and untouched by the sun, it suggested you did not have to work outdoors in the fields.

For Tudor women, a smooth pale complexion quickly became one of the most desired features. Many women tried to protect their skin from the sun by wearing hats, hoods, or veils outdoors. Some even used homemade mixtures made from things like egg whites, rosewater or herbs to soften the skin. Beauty ideals often favoured the wealthy because they were easier for the wealthy to achieve.

Image info:

Elizabeth of York

Artist: After Meynnart Wewyck

Date: 1470-1498

Tudor court records suggest some ordinary people were criticised for dressing above their social rank. Tudor sumptuary laws under Henry VIII, restricted who could wear luxurious fabrics and decorations. Even poorer households sometimes owned ribbons, caps, combs, or mirrors. They most likely used simple homemade remedies. But for most poorer people, survival mattered far more than fashion.

During the reign of Henry VIII, fashion and beauty became almost synonymous with the royal court. Courtly appearance was hugely important. Clothing and fabrics became richer and more luxurious, and grooming was much more important. For women, an ideal face often included high cheekbones, a small mouth, rosy lips, and a high forehead. That high forehead became so fashionable that some women plucked or shaved back their hairlines to make their foreheads appear larger. It was seen as elegant and refined. Portraits of women like Elizabeth of York and later Elizabeth I show this fashionable high forehead, but portraits were often idealised. It may seem strange, but beauty trends evolve and often involved sacrifice.  Eyebrows were often thinned or plucked too, not so different from today.

Image info:

Elizabeth 1

Artist: Nicholas Hilliard

Date: 1573-1575

Walker Art Gallery

Hair colour was also important. Blonde or reddish-gold hair was hugely admired, partly because lighter hair was associated with being young and beautiful. Some women tried to lighten their hair using the sun or mixtures that contained really harsh ingredients like saffron or lye to help bleach it, sitting in the sun to strengthen the effect. Some historical recipes also used ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar. The process could dry out and damage the hair.

 

Men also had beauty expectations, although they were different. A handsome Tudor man was expected to look and be strong, broad-shouldered, and confident. Physical strength suggested power and authority. Well-groomed facial hair became fashionable during parts of the Tudor era, especially beards in the later years of Henry VIII’s reign. Rich clothing, broad shoulders created by padded garments, and a commanding posture all helped create an image of masculinity and status.

Beauty standards shifted once again during the reign of Elizabeth I. Queen Elizabeth had an enormous influence on fashion and beauty. After surviving Smallpox in 1562, she was left with facial scars. She started to wear heavy white face makeup. It is debated as to whether it was to cover them up or because pale faces were already popular. This created the famous pale face look that is now associated with the Elizabethan court. Many women copied her and a white face became fashionable. They often used a cosmetic called Venetian ceruse also known as “Spirits of Saturn", which was made with white lead and vinegar. It created the sought after smooth pale appearance, but it was so incredibly dangerous and slowly poisoned them.

Rosy cheeks were also considered attractive in Tudor England because they gave the impression of being young and healthy and they were bold against the pale complexion. Some women got this look by pinching or rubbing their cheeks but recipes and trade records show that wealthier women used pigments made from plant dyes. It is believed that some may have even used crushed insects such as cochineal to add extra colour.

Behind the elegance and fine dresses, the lengths women especially went to in order to meet these high beauty expectations make me think there must have been some insecurity, or at the very least a great deal of pressure. We cannot know exactly how Tudor women felt, but the popularity of cosmetics, harsh beauty treatments, and even dangerous products suggests that appearance mattered a lot. Many people were likely comparing themselves to ideals they could never reach, just as people often do today.

 

Do you think the pressure to look “perfect” was easier or harder in Tudor times than today?

 

Tomorrow I will be finding out more about Tudor fashion by looking into what they wore.