With The Book of Will being set in Elizabethan England, much work was done to capture the style of dress. We sat down with Costume Designer Janice Pytel to give us some insight on the designs. Here is a look at a few examples:
The Women: Elizabeth, Rebecca and Alice
“Researching historic middle class dress is always a challenge, but fortunately many engravings and illustrated manuscripts survive that give us a glimpse of what everyday people wore. One interesting detail is that married women wore caps or other head coverings, while unmarried women could show their hair.”
Poet Laureate, Ben Jonson
“As Poet Laureate, Ben Jonson enjoyed a considerably higher social standing than the members of the King’s men, which is reflected in his dress.”
The Upper Crust: Emilia Bassano
“Emilia Bassano represents the top of the social spectrum in early 17th century London, and her costume reflects styles worn in portraits of noblewomen of the day.”
The Merchant Class: William Jaggard
“William Jaggard was a successful printer, and is a good example of the growing merchant class of his day. Rembrandt painted many wealthy merchants, and the collars in his portraits helped me find a look that set Jaggard apart from the other characters, without making him look like a member of the nobility.”
