Men and women of the Court both wore make-up. This happened in the Elizabethan Era, but now make-up was used more often, and there was a wide choice of lotions, powders and ointments than ever before. Time and expensive ingredients were lavished on appearances but "Beauty" in the 17th Century was seen as fleeting. Poor health and hygiene, along with the use of poisonous materials, meant a woman was thought to be "past her prime at 20, decayed at 4 and 20, and old and insufferable at 30."
It was fashionable to have a very pale complexion. This demonstrated that a person was rich enough not to have to work outside in the fields. To make quite sure that skin remained pale, people sometimes wore masks when outdoors. Powders and creams could also help achieve pallor.
A pale complexion was achieved by making a cream from powdered white chalk and/or even white lead, mixed with white of egg and vinegar. This made a smooth shiny finish and people had to be careful not to laugh or the new "skin" would crack. Unbelievably, wine was also considered good for the complexion. The cheeks were reddened by adding a little cerise powder (white lead to which red colouring was added). Lips were reddened with fruit juice or cochimeal.
Lotions and perfumes were kept in china pots or glass phials which were stored in beautiful wooden boxes. The dressing room, decorated with silk hangings, became a reception room where the "toilette" was carried out in public. Vanity was no longer a sin, but a virtue.
(Info from the Royal Museums Greenwich)
Rich "Stuarts" dressed in clothes that were more comfortable than those worn by wealthy "Tudors". Women appreciated less tight lacing and the disappearance of the farthingale. A gentleman swaggered around in breeches, doublet, lace collar and wide brimmed hat with a plume.
They were clothes that displayed restrained elegance. Only rich people could afford the expensive fabrics that were required, such as silk brocade and edgings of hand-made lace. The favourite colours of one of the Queens' was orange, blue, grey, peach, yellow and olive green, and these were often adopted by her courtiers.
Fashionable ladies and gentlemen followed the style of dress worn by King Charles I and his young French bride, Henrietta Maria. They wore clothes that displayed restrained elegance. The more relaxed styles were a change from the more restricting and highly decorated clothe worn at the Court of the previous King, James I.
In Stuart times, salt, sugar, currents, raisins, dates, figs and apricots were all called Spices. These were very important, being used to flavour food but also for medicines and perfumes. Because they came from distant lands, and took a long sea journey to bring back, Spices were very expensive.
Sugar colonies were established in the Caribbean. From the 1640s, the English, along with the Dutch and French, began establishing sugar colonies in the Caribbean Islands. The sugar was harvested and a syrup extracted that was shipped in casks from the West Indies and refined in England. It was boiled until it reached the point of crystallisation, cooled and poured into clay cone-shaped moulds. Sugar became very popular in food and drink. Cane sugar farming was so profitable that the plantation owners referred to sugar as "white gold." The rich were becoming used to the flavour of white sugar crystals in their tea and coffee, and bought silver sugar spoons, boxes, sieves and tongs. By the 18th Century, the West Indian sugar industry was supplying the whole of the Western world and fabulous fortunes were made.
In the 1650s, coffee became widely drunk in England for the first time. Coffee was imported from the East. So popular did this drink become that, in the later 17th Century, many "Coffee Houses" sprung up in the towns. By 1675, there were over 3,000 coffee houses in England. Merchants and professional men met in the new coffee houses, to read newspapers, talk politics, do business and gossip.
Tea also became popular in England in the late 17th Century. Tea was discovered by the Chinese in ancient times, but only reached Europe in the 17th Century. It was made popular by Catherine of Baganza, the wife of King Charles II. She made tea-drinking fashionable in England among the wealthy.
Breakfast was taken shortly after rising and was a relatively light meal. For the poor, this would have been of coarse bread; for the rich, there was probably a selection of cold meats, bread and butter and cakes, served with tea, coffee and chocolate.
The 17th Century dinner was taken at midday. Dinner prepared in a rich household probably contained two or three courses --- but they were very large and varied. In a poorer household, one course would have been served along with bread and ale. In a rich house, the first course would include most of the more elaborate meat dishes, together with soups. The next course would be a range of lighter meats, game and maybe some sweeter dishes to compliment. The third course was composed of fruit, sweets and cheese --- and very often contained beautifully crafted dishes, designed to show off the cooks' skills as well as to whet the appetite.
Supper was taken in the early evening. This was a single course, but in a wealthy household it would be made up of numerous dishes, both savoury and sweet. Just before bedtime, a light meal might be served --- for example, a "sack posset" made of eggs, wine and spices.
