How to Make a Queen Elizabeth I Costume

Daughter of the infamous King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Queen Elizabeth I was an incredibly influential woman in regards to religion, politics, women's rights, and even fashion. One of the best ways to emulate this famous queen is through costume. A Queen Elizabeth costume should be regal and beautiful. This may seem hard to achieve, but with hard work and concentration, almost anyone can make a Queen Elizabeth I costume of which they can be proud.

Things You'll Need

• Taffeta fabric
• Fabric scissors
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• Elastic
• Hand sewing needle
• Upholstery fabric
• Eyelets
• Corset laces
• White fabric
• White ruffle fabric trim
• White button
• Fake jewels
• Bobby pins
• Red hair dye or wig

Instructions

1. For the skirt, cut out a piece of taffeta fabric that is 1 yard by 2 yards. Fold the fabric in half, bringing the two shorter edges together.

2. Sew the shorter edges (opposite the fold) together. Hem one raw edge of the fabric. To form the waistline, hem the other raw edge of the fabric, leaving a 1 inch opening.

3. Cut a piece of elastic that is just long enough to wrap around your waist. Thread the elastic through the waistband, using the one inch opening and gathering the fabric as you go.

4. Hand sew the two ends of the elastic together and hand sew the 1 inch opening in the waistband closed.

5. Make a corset according to the instructions in the "Corset Pattern Generator" link found in the "Resources" section of this article. Use the upholstery fabric, eyelets, and corset laces for this step.

6. To make a ruffled collar, cut a piece of white fabric that is 5 inches wide and long enough to wrap around your neck plus 2 inches.

7. Hem the white piece of fabric all the way around. Sew a white button onto one end of the fabric. Sew a button hole in the other end.

8. Cut out 5 pieces of ruffle fabric trim that are each as long as the fabric piece from step 7. Hot glue each of these ruffles around the fabric to form the ruffle collar.

9. Hot glue fake jewels on the costume wherever you feel it needs embellishment, such as the neck and waistline.

10. Dye your hair red or wear a red wig. Loosely pin the hair back onto the crown of your head. Wear the outfit with a white, long sleeved shirt.

Tips & Warnings

• Refer to the picture of Queen Elizabeth I in the "Resources" section for a visual guideline.

References

• How to Make a Queen Elizabeth Collar
• Elizabethan Era Costume Tips
• How to Make a Queen Costume

Resources

• Corset Pattern Generator
• Painting of Queen Elizabeth I