William Shakespeare lived in England during the Elizabethan era and wore clothes in the Elizabethan style. For the rich and famous, the clothing of this era was characterized by bright colors, elaborate trimmings and ostentatious padding. The poor, or lower class, in Elizabethan times did not have specific fashion trends. Poor people wore whatever clothing they could make from inexpensive materials such as cotton and wool. Men of the times usually wore breeches, underclothing, hats and doublets. Women generally wore gowns with corsets underneath.
Men's clothing during the Elizabethan era included a laced or buttoned doublet with sleeves that were laced up to the armholes and also attached to the man's hose. The hose and sometimes shoes were also laced. Men were unable to dress without assistance, and dressing was such an onerous task that men were content to wear the same clothes all day long. Clothing was a sign of status, it not only dictated wealth but also social status in the Elizabethan Class system. Those that disobeyed the Sumptuary Laws faced the possibility of fines, loss of property, title, and even life.
The doublet was the most extravagant piece for men, as it was often stuffed to be twice the size of the body inside. It was cut and slashed in order to show off the brightly colored lining of the expensive material. At the top of the doublet, two or three buttons were often left open and a delicate white shirt was pulled through; this later became the shirt and tie style of modern times.
Men used wool, hair, rags and bran for the padding of the doublet and hose. Elizabethan men also wore hats of all shapes and sizes, most commonly fashioned in velvet. Long feathers and jeweled clasps were often used to decorate hats. For the rich and famous, the clothing of this era was characterized by bright colors, elaborate trimmings and ostentatious padding. Men's clothing during the Elizabethan era included a laced or buttoned doublet with sleeves that were laced up to the armholes and also attached to the man's hose.
Chopines - Chopines, or Chapineys, were slip-on over shoes made of wood and covered with leather. Clogs - The clog was an outdoor, wooden shoe. Corked Shoes - Corked shoes featured a wedge of cork between the foot and the sole. Galoche - A Galoche, or Galage, was a protective overshoe.
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