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Farthingale
By Madeline | January 29, 2008
The farthingale was actually the hoop skirt of the Tudor era. This was basically a dress that had hoops imbedded in the fabric, hence the modern day term of hoop skirt. The hoops were initially made of a green reed, but later made with willow cuttings and whale bones. Sometimes rope was even used to make it! The style of wearing the farthingale actually originated in Spain around 1470. When they first came into Spanish fashion, it was common to have the hoops readily apparent as they were sewn into the top most skirt. However, as the trend caught on, the hoops were hidden beneath layers of petticoats (see my article on petticoats for more info) so that the overskirt showed no sign of the hoops that gave their skirts that beautiful triangular shape.
The fad of wearing the farthingale spread from Spain to England with the eventful marriage of King Henry VIII to his first wife, Catharine of Aragon. She was apparently a very influential figure in fashion during those days as she was also the one who introduced the gable to court. The gable was a large, wooden framed hat that looked like a mini house and framed the face. This fad caught on quickly in Henry’s court as well. I attribute her trend setting to Henry’s initial affection for his first wife.
The farthingale certainly stayed in fashion for a very long time, though the shape changed considerably throughout the decades. Like the petticoats, this is one of my favorite items of the underclothing. Something about wearing a farthingale and petticoats just makes me feel so very much like a princess! 
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