Girdle Belts of the Renaissance Tudor and Elizabethan Eras

Here we have an example of a jeweled renaissance belt of the late Tudor, Elizabethan period. The double pearl pieces are very representative of the early Elizabethan time period.

This belt goes around the waist and ties in the back with velvet ribbon as was the normal closure for the era. This particular piece is made of pewter and the details of the casting easily seen due to the oxidation.

The jewels used in this case are fresh water pearls and cornelian (also spelled carnelian). The metal can be plated in very thick layer of gold and all the jewels can be interchanged as the client desires.

Please feel free to ask us how we can provide you with the most stylish girdle for your needs.

PLEASE NOTE:

The piece pictured here would have been a transitional piece as it has the double pearls in the design but also has the long drop down the front. In later years of Elizabeth I's time the drop would have been eliminated. Why the fashion altered is up for some debate, but some people think it was that the girdle appeared too much like a rosary, and as the Church of England and the Protestants became more powerful they chose to change the style and thus the girdle as a belt became more fashionable.

the earlier part of the renaissance saw the girdle as a piece of cloth, much like a sash. But as jewelry in general became more prevalent, the girdles morphed into cloth pieces pieces that had jewels set in precious metals sewn onto them.

Later on, the girdle belts were made of entirely of metal and gemstones. The designs typically were belts with a long drop of metals and jewels down the front and tied in the back.