This project was a collaboration between Historic Royal Palaces, the Henry VIII on Tour project (https://henryontour.uk/), and fellow Wimbledon College of Arts Costume Interpretation student Emma Stanton (https://www.instagram.com/emma_isabella2003/), to create two costumes for a re-enactment performance at Hampton Court Palace of Princess Mary's 1522 betrothal to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

For Princess Mary's costume, I researched the wider history and fashions of the Tudor period to contextualise the project as well as focusing on the exact period of the early 1520s. This included studying portraits, sketches, effigies, and contemporary documentation of the Tudor wardrobe and sumptuary legislation of the period, alongside modern publications and research into the fashions and construction of Tudor dress.

 This provided the basis for creating her linen smock, Spanish farthingale, kirtle of cloth-of-gold, gown of purple velvet with silk damask sleeves, silk bonnet and frontlet, and pearl girdle belt. Authentic replication materials were chosen where available and were combined with modern alternatives where they were more appropriate. The costume was constructed with a combination of period techniques and modern theatrical methods to make a comfortable and appropriate costume for the four year-old actress.

This project formed the majority of my final self-directed project as part of my final year of studying BA Costume for Theatre and Screen at Wimbledon College of Arts.