The Influence of Henry VIII's Wives on Tudor Fashion Ideals

Chapter 8 : Conclusion & Works Cited

Henry VIII was a monarch whose kingship was defined by the women around him. History remembers him not for his policy, but for his six wives.

He was a man in love with love, and his ruthless pursuit of the perfect mate proves this. Henry VIII’s idea of perfect beauty was built on more than just the expectations of the age. His animal instincts, academic and artistic interests, ego, and his experiences in failed relationships all affected his choices of queen consorts.

One thing is certain: each of Henry’s beautiful queens, no matter how short their tenure, left their mark on the fashion and beauty of the court of Henry VIII.

Works Cited

Bendall, Sarah, Interview. Conducted by Jennifer E. Rizzo. April 5, 2022.

Bendall, Sarah, Shaping Femininity: Foundation Garments, the Body and Women in Early Modern England. Bloomsbury Academic and Professional, 2021, London.

Connolly, Sharon Bennett. “Bessie, Mother of the King’s Son.” History…The Interesting Bits! https://historytheinterestingb...

Eco, Umberto. History of Beauty. Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 2005, New York, NY.

Griffey, Erin. “‘The Rose and Lily Queen’: Henrietta Maria’s fair face and the power of beauty at the Stuart Court.” Renaissance Studies, Vol. 35, No. 5, 2021, pp. 811–836.

Hayward, Maria, Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII. Maney Publishing, 2007, Leeds, United Kingdom.

James, Susan E., Catherine Parr: Henry VIII’s Last Love. The History Press, 2008, Cheltenham, United Kingdom.

Lynn, Eleri. Tudor Fashion. Yale University Press in Association with Historic Royal Places, New Haven and London, 2017, New Haven, CT.

McGreevy, Nora, “After Hundreds of Years, Unknown Woman in Tudor Portrait Identified as Mary Boleyn.” Smithsonian Magazine, June 11, 2020, https://www.smithsonianmag.com...

Mikhaila, Ninya, Interview. Conducted by Jennifer E. Rizzo. April 8, 2022.

Norton, Elizabeth, Interview. Conducted by Jennifer E. Rizzo. April 13, 2022.

Ridgway, Claire, Tudor History with Claire Ridgway Podcast. “Anne Boleyn Myths”. Episode 761, December 19, 2021.

Royal Collection Trust, “Portrait of a Lady, Perhaps Katherine Howard (1520-1542) c. 1540”. https://www.rct.uk/collection/...

Royal Collection Trust, “Queen Anne Boleyn”. https://www.rct.uk/collection/...

Somerset, Anne. Ladies in Waiting. Alfred A. Knopf, 1984, New York, NY.