Clothing of the 16th century

Costume of men and women in the 16th century is said to have gone through three different phases. The styles differed quite noticeably from one phase to the next. However, the general dates that these phases took place are not the same for men and women. For men, the earliest phase was a transition from medieval styles to the styles of the Renaissance. Following this period, the German influence was prominently seen in men's fashion. …

…hair was combed back from the forehead, puffed up slightly around the face, then pulled into a coil at the back of the head. To balance the width of the wheeled farthingale, extra height was gained by dressing the hair high and decorating it with jeweled ornaments. Hats popular toward the end of the century were generally small, with high crowns and narrow brims and trimmed with feathers. Jeweled nets and caps were also worn.