Elizabethan costumes are all the rage-for weddings, ren faires, historical re-enactments, and beyond. It should be no mystery why: our fantasy “princess” gowns are typically either true historical Elizabethan or based in some way on that general look. Mid to late 16th century history as a whole tends to captivate our imaginations-as the plethora of films either directly about Queen Elizabeth I or her era shows us!
Eager to try my hand at sewing Elizabethan for SCA use rather than constantly commissioning my clothing from more experienced and better researched hands within the Society, I decided to purchase Simplicity pattern number 3782 “Elizabethan costume” back in 2011. I was warned by those same experienced and better researched hands that this pattern would not be SCA level period correct, but I wanted to give it a go anyway. I sew moderately well, the product of several years sewing in 4H under the tutelage of my mother, a former Home Economics teacher, so I felt reasonably confident I could handle the pattern.
When you examine the pattern closely, the caveats of the experienced Tudor costumers become evident. The look we associate with Elizabethan is historically the product of many layers, all of which are described in great detail at http://www.elizabethancostume.net/. This pattern condenses all of these into just three pieces: gown, underskirt, and bum roll. Gone is the kirtle or corset worn in period in favor of an elaborate network of sewn in boning pieces; if you decide to make this pattern I must urge you to cut or purchase stays that are at least 2 inches shorter each than specified by the pattern to prevent the stays from digging into your waist painfully when you move! The piecing here is very artificial and not particularly period-this is a theatrical pattern meant for looks, not authenticity.
The gown is fastened using hook and eye tape over the historically correct grommets/eyelets and lacing which would typically be in the back of the gown for this court-level style; the pattern puts these in the front. This is a lot of complexity added to the pattern for purely decorative purposes that I suggest beginner and most intermediate sewers avoid; I found reading the directions for that dizzying. Other features like the shoulder rolls are harder than they need to be.
This pattern is nowhere close to period, but if you are after just the look and not the feel of the era, it’s not terrible either. If re-enactment is your intended use, however, there are better, more authentic, and more comfortable options out there. Brides too might wish to consider other choices as this is not as comfortable in my experience as more period-correct options.
All in all a nice theatrical, but not period, pattern.