'The Tudors' Costumes Part 2

We have now arrived to part two of this series of how costumes can tell a story. Much of the anger towards the costuming in Showtime's 'The Tudors' is related towards Anne Boleyn's costumes. What I find most interesting is that all people do is criticize instead of asking why her dresses were made this way. Since Anne has so many clothes, we shall be explaining her wardrobe in two parts. Part one will focus solely on her clothes from season one.

I feel her clothing is most critical here as it tells the story of who Anne Boleyn was before she caught the king's eye and the woman she had to become in order to catch it and keep his affections. She was forced into a role she did not wish all so that her uncle and father could have power and influence over the king.

The first two times we see Anne have two very drastic looks but one thing in common; she was currently in France. The first time she is dressed in a a basic chemise with a dress over it. It may make her appear as a peasant but it might have actually been quite reasonable for Anne to have a dress like this when she was in leisure. Her family were low ranking nobles due to her mother being Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter Thomas Howard, second Duke of Norfolk. Because of that she was also well looked after by her uncle Thomas Howard, third duke of Norfolk.

The second dress is much more extravagant as it was worn at the Field of Gold Cloth. As her father is the one who organized the whole affair it was only right for Anne to have gown to match her station. It is very period accurate from the embroidery to the white lace peeking out of the sleeves. What is so wonderful about this dress though is the cut of the neckline. It compliments and emphasizes the signature 'B' of Anne Boleyn's necklace without appearing gaudy and out of place. She also has this dazzling pearl headpiece that I feel is simple but elegant. It increases her stance and shows the importance she holds in this one singular event, even if she does not realize her full fate and destiny yet. The crown is reminiscent of a sun, representing the rise of the Boleyn family stature.

This dress is one of my personal favorites, despite its historical inaccuracies. However, the style of dress is not about accuracy but about what this dress does for Anne. This moment, this masque is an actual historical event in which Anne participated in as Perseverance. In the show itself, this masque was used to place Anne in Henry's way so that she would catch his eye. It took place after her sister Mary began to lose favor with the king.

White represents the purity of the virtues, the mask itself to hide all beauty save for her eyes. Anne is placed next to the king's sister so that he will know exactly where to find his prey. He is immediately enchanted with Anne from the time he has caught her hand from climbing the set of the castle. These gowns were also given a nearly see-through bodice to show vulnerability. In this moment Anne is everything Henry could want in a woman; beautiful, pure, persistent, vulnerable, and above all else, mysterious.

When dancing during the Masque when all the virtues have been saved, only six words pass between the two.

Henry looks at Anne and asks, 'Who are you?'

She gives him a soft side glance and a enigmatic smile. She responds with "Anne, Anne Boleyn."

Those are the only words she says to him before they break and return to their original partners. This only continues to enchant Henry and grow the mystery of this stunning woman whom he now wishes to conquer.

This brings me to the dress Anne wore in Henry's dream. What was nice about this dress is that it was flowed very well making it a fun and flirty gown. The way the dress flows and swirls when she moves is lovely and stunning. However, the balled embroidery is unflattering. It doesn't sit well with the rest of the gown, taking away from Anne's feminine figure. The color though is one I love as it underlines her intention to rise in rank and become more than just a courtesan and mistress to the king, but become his wife and if nothing else, his greatest infatuation.

This gown of Anne's happens to be one of my favorites. It is one of the few times she wears her signature B necklace and reveals much about who Anne is. Let's start with the color. The deep red is very nurturing. Very enriching, and very striking. It shows Anne's power, her strength, her willingness to spill blood and fight for what she feels she deserves. It is beautifully embroidered, representing the complexity of her mind, her passions, and her femininity. Now to talk about the most controversial part of the dress. Her sleeves. Many hated the sleeves as it was more from the Musketeer Era than the Tudor Era. However, I think this suits Anne and her choice in fashion for this dress very well. In this part of her life, Anne has just returned from French court so much of her wardrobe would have been heavily inspired by the French. Yes, these sleeves are drastic from as they are sleeves that would not come into show for another hundred years still shows how modern her thought process was.

Anne is often described as a woman a head of her time and this dress represents it all.

This gown comes from Anne's time in service to Queen Katherine as her Lady in Waiting. She is put into this role to catch the eye of the king in order to raise her family's stature. This gown is everything that Anne is not. It is Katherine. It is meant to service Katherine, for her to show her superiority over the girl that is Anne. The only thing that shows Anne's little bit of freedom is the necklace in the third photo and that necklace is a gift from Henry. Henry sees Anne for who she is behind the stern grey color of Katherine's power. He wants Anne to see her beauty and her worth as well. It is in this that we see Henry's desire to flirt and be more in tune with his prey.