ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

1550–1600 in Western European fashion

Okay kid, so let's talk about the clothes people wore in Western Europe from 1550 to 1600. This was a very interesting time for fashion, as lots of new styles and trends were emerging.

First of all, let's talk about what people were wearing in the early part of this time period. Men typically wore a shirt, pants, and a long jacket called a doublet. They also wore a hat, usually a beret or a cap, and sometimes a cloak to keep warm. Women wore long dresses with fitted bodices and full skirts, and often wore elaborate headwear like a ruff or a cap.

As we move into the later part of this time period, things start to get a little more exciting. One of the biggest trends was the ruff, which was a fancy collar worn by both men and women. These ruffs were made of lace or linen, and were often very elaborate and intricate.

Another trend for both men and women was the increased use of embroidery and embellishments on clothing. This meant that clothing was becoming more colorful and ornate, with lots of intricate designs and patterns.

For women, the dress silhouette began to change during this time period. Instead of the full, voluminous skirts of earlier years, dresses became more fitted at the waist and hips, with a more pronounced shape. Women also began to wear corsets to achieve an even more dramatic hourglass figure.

Men's fashion also evolved, with the doublet becoming more fitted and the pants getting slimmer. Hats were still popular, but this was also the time period when wigs began to be worn by men as a way to cover baldness.

Overall, the fashion of this time period was all about extravagance and ornamentation. People wanted to show off their wealth and status through their clothing, and the result was some truly stunning and elaborate outfits.