Color In The Elizabethan Era

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During the Elizabethan era, the colors you wore determined your wealth. In the present day, we wake up and have the freedom to decide what we want to wear. That includes the many different colors we are able to choose from. In the Elizabethan era “it did not matter how wealthy they were - the color, fabric and material of their clothes were dictated by their rank, status or position and this was enforced by English Law (Alchin)”! The Laws were put in place to ensure social structure stayed in order(Alchin). Of course in theater, it didn’t matter where you were in the social structure, also most actors where on the lower scales. When acting an actor portrays himself as someone else, therefore they wear the color of that person’s rank rather…show more content…
The harder they are to make the more expensive they are, just like colors. “The brighter colors tones and the deeper color tones where the hardest to make, therefore the wealthy wore the more expensive colors and fabrics(Alchin)”. Of course people know that purple was known as royalty, but they did have other colors that wore along with the other high rankers. Such as “gold, silver, crimson or scarlet, deep indigo blue, violet colors and even deep black and pure white colors(Alchin)”. “The lower classes wore colors of yellow, russet (a reddish brown color), orange, green, pale blue and…show more content…
“The first color is red, red is the color of fire, and it also associates with power and importance. Basically its a color that stands out. Both classes were allowed to wear red. Second is Crimson, the color of the church. Third is Indigo, also known as Royal blue was a color of importance, power, and wealth. It’s also known as the color of the virgin mary therefore symbolizing heavenly grace. Fourth is White, a color showing purity and virtue. A color that took time and was expensive, so it was worn by the wealthy. Whomever wore it also had to keep it very clean. Fifth is black, known for authority and power. Sixth is Pink, Pink symbolizes joy and happiness and is usually used with ladies and young girls. Both of the classes were allowed to wear pink. Seventh is Blue, usually associated with servitude, the color was mostly worn by servants. Eighth is Orange, a color symbolized with courage, worn by both classes. Ninth is Brown, known as novelty and poverty, a cheaper color because it is so easily made and both classes are allowed to wear it. Tenth is grey, the color of mourning and repentance. Worn by both classes. Eleventh is is green, symbolically means renewal of life and nature. Worn by Both classes. Twelfth is yellow, yellow is the color of renewal and hope. Worn by both classes. Last but not least gold, the color gold associates with Royalty and Noble and it symbolizes with
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