The Women Who Clothed the Stuart Queens: Gender and Work in the Royal Wardrobe and the Fashion Marketplace

This study explores - for the first time - the changing professions and roles of the women who worked to clothe six Stuart queens between 1603-1714: Anna of Denmark, Henrietta Maria, Catherine of Braganza, Mary of Modena, Queen Mary II and Queen Anne. Beautifully illustrated in full colour throughout, and using a wide range of written, visual and material sources, this book explores how changing patterns of work and consumption saw women become key producers, retailers and consumers of fashion during the 17th century, and illuminates the strong connections between the royal courts and London’s fashion marketplace. From royal wardrobes, workrooms and laundries to workshops and retail premises in London’s bustling streets, Sarah A.Bendall highlights the integral role that women of multiple backgrounds played in the creation and maintenance of elite dress.The royal accounts show that this work was facilitated by migration, global trade, familial networks and changing guild structures, and