Elizabethan clothing

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During Shakespeare’s time, people wore Elizabethan clothing. For women, like Helena, their clothes were determined by their status and rank. They could not wear whatever they liked and that was a law, called sumptuary law. It was strictly obeyed, because the penalties would be harsh. The colors and fabrics of their clothing could determine their rank in the society. In that time, fur, velvet silk, bright and dark colors were very hard to produce, therefore, more expensive and meaning you would be in the higher class.


As you can see, Helena looks like she is wearing a dress made out of silk, meaning that she must be part f the higher  status.

Typical Elizabethan clothing for women.