What do you call this outfit that Sir George Clifford, an Elizabethan gentleman and “favorite” of the Queen, is wearing over his tournament armor? Clifford owned what may have been the best suit of armor of all time - which still, miraculously, survives. But it seems as though he is wearing a different suit of armor in Hilliard’s portrait of him. Over it is a very dashing outfit that looks surprisingly like…a dress. But surely that’s not what they called it back then?
Surcoats were earlier, however, this gentleman apparently was indulging in a fashion trend of the time of wearing an “ancient” garment in order to pose for a portrait. This was quite common through the years. People would dress as romans, greeks, Hercules, or some hero-type they admired and have their portraits painted.
He has had the surcoat made with a liberal view of historic authenticity. No doubt the seamstress wanted to make sure it was pretty in the veiwpoint of the patron.
The design on the armor shown in the painting is completely different from the armor in the photograph. The painting shows a design of 8-pointed stars, while in the photograph there’s a more complex pattern fleurs-de-lis and roses alternating with bands of an interlaced design. Maybe for comfort’s sake, George didn’t pose with the armor on-- and the artist filled in the armor design later, and not seeing the armor in from of them, just had to make up something?
A dress is, topologically, basically, no different from a long shirt. In the Uyghur language, the same word is used for both ‘dress’ and ‘shirt’ (köynäk). How come nobody says the hip-hop guys with oversized tee shirts down to their knees are wearing dresses? (Probably because they’d kill anyone who said that). The only real difference between a dress and a long shirt is the styling and detailing. The styling on George’s garment is so feminine to modern eyes that we see a dress where Elizabethans would have seen male garb. For one thing, knee-length skirts were exclusively male in premodern times, as women’s hemlines were always ankle-length or floor-length. It was only after skirted garments for men had completely disappeared that women’s hemlines rose higher.
Agreed. When with military garb, like armor, it’s bases. Were it worn over hose or breeches, I’d call it a doublet. If it had no sleeves and was over another layer of cloth, it’d be a jerkin. Surcoats were way earlier, so much so that I know very little about them. This isn’t an ancient garment for the times, but a very fashionable and modern one.
From what I’ve read, the Hilliard portrait of Cumberland (Clifford) shows him dressed up for the Ascession Day Tilt; there was some kind of theme to his costume, from what I read on a different site (can’t remember where) and the star motif on the armor went with the design on his shield.
It’s highly likely that Clifford had multiple suits of armor made for him. The man was Queen Elizabeth’s “favorite” and her official jousting champion, so I suspect he probably could have had whatever he wanted. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to be that guy - he was probably like the ultimate ideal of a man for the time period, not only handsome and rich, but an accomplished buccaneer on the high seas, and a jousting champion besides. There isn’t a modern-day celebrity who even remotely compares to the kind of prestige that Clifford would have had.
