What did costumes worn by Elizabethan actors look like?

Answer 1

Many of the plays had historical themes featuring the royalty and nobles of the land. As soon as a character walked on the stage the fabric and color of his clothing would indicate the role of the character he was playing - Elizabethan Nobles and Upper classes wore clothing made of velvets, furs, silks, lace, cottons and taffeta.

Elizabethan clothing of the Upper Class was sumptuous. The materials were luxurious and covered a whole variety of colors. Due to the Statutes of Apparel (The Sumptuary Laws ) ordinary Elizabethans were not able to wear the latest fashions. Fashionable clothes would only be seen at a distance, when wealthy nobles or Royalty were in view! Costumes in the Elizabethan Theatre would therefore double as a fashion show!

During the Elizabethan era only men were allowed to act in the theatre until 1660 - it was judged to be unseemly for a woman to undertake such a role. Young boys were therefore hired to act in the female roles. Elizabethan Women's clothing was extremely elaborate and was constructed with many layers of clothing. It would have taken some considerable time, and the help of a dresser, to dress in the costume of a female. Wigs, or periwigs as they were called, were readily available as they were in fashion at the time so this was not a costume problem. However, the make up used by Elizabethan women was! It was lead based and highly poisonous! The young boy actors were therefore very unhealthy, had unpleasant facial skin diseases and a high proportion actually died of poisoning.

Answer 2

Looka like a man