Italian Dress
Southern Europe went its own way during the 16th century. Though trends in dress affected Italians, on the whole the Italian silhouette was softer and less rigid.

In the first half of the 16th century, Italian gowns had the same flat, tight-fitting bodice as those of English Tudor gowns. The waistline was higher and straight across, however, and the voluminous skirt gathered to the bodice with cartridge pleats. The neckline could be a wide square or a gentle curve. The most commonly seen sleeves were full, with several rows of puffs at the shoulder and undersleeves (often of a contrasting colour) that were relatively close-fitting. No farthingale was worn. <picture 1>

In the 1550s and 1560s, the bodice waist lowered and the neckline rose. High-necked doublet bodices were commonly seen. A particularly Italian style was the double-bodied gown. The undergown had a low, square neck and close-fitting sleeves. The overgown had a V-neck, sometimes with a ruffle, and short, puffed sleeves. The bodice was usually pointed at the waist, and the tight undersleeves commonly striped or decorated with horizontal rows of pinking or trim. <picture 2>

Alterately, the overgown had long vertical slashes to show the undergown. Overgowns with slashes often had hanging sleeves rather than shoulder puffs. The undergown could button up to the neck as well has having a low, square neck. <picture 3>

Venice retained its own distinctive style: an exceedingly low-cut bodice, with horizontal lacing across the front that showed off the smock beneath. Sleeves had puffs at the shoulders and were close-fitting. <picture 4>

German Dress
It is hard to define a specific "German" type of dress. Like italian dress, it was rounder in the bosom than the stiffer gowns worn in England. In Tudor times, a common gown type was one with a scooped or very wide square neckline, decorated with wide guards around the neckline and front of the gown. The sleeves were quite narrow and flared over the hands. <picture 5>

Another early 16th century German gown was the open-fronted gown painted by Cranach. This gown had a tight fitting bodice, worn over a smock or perhaps a white kirtle, which only reached to mid-rib. The remaining area across the front was laced closed over the smock. The skirt was very full, often with strips of contrasting fabric sewn around the bottom, and the chest was covered by an embroidered placket. <picture 6>

In the later 16th century, German dress began to approximate the European norm. The bust was usually more rounded than the english silhouette, and high-bodied bodices that reached to the neck were commonly seen. The two women in this picture <picture 7> are wearing very typical 1570s german dress: doublet bodices with a rounded bust and vertical bands of fabric (guards) down the front. The sleeves are puffed at the shoulder, and the skirts have contrasting guards sewn around for decoration.

   

Movies
Snow White: A Tale of Terror
Despite the dubious title, this HBO movie (available at Blockbuster) has the best 16th century German dress I've ever seen. Hands down. Every gown is taken from an existing painting or woodcut; the plot isn't that bad either.

Dangerous Beauty
For late 16th century Venetian dress, check out this movie. Some of the courtesans outfits are more fantasy then fact, but the dress of the Venetian townsfolk--especially the matrons--is very well done.

Queen Margot
Has some very good examples of end of the 16th century French dress. Check out the high-bodied gowns in the opening scene.

Pictures and Web Resources

• The Frazzeled Frau A huge archive of German Dress pics
• German 16th C. Women's Costume The Dos and Dont's of correct German womens' dress
• The Landesknecht Costume Site: German Tudor costume
• Woodcuts of Landesknecht Dress
• 16th Century Clothing in Venice
• Florentine Dress 1500-1525
• Italian Dress of the late Renaissance (1470-1540) Includes instructions for drafting an early 16th c. Italian bodice
• The Polish Costume Resource Page
• Zaynib Yasmine: A 16th Century Turkish lady's ensemble
• 16th Century North African Womens' Dress Andalusian & Maghribi
• 15th and 16th century Gypsy Costume
• Le Poulet Gauche:French Elizabethan Costume
• Irish 16th Century Costume

Timeline:
16th Century
Dress