Queen Elizabeth-Contemporary Figure.

After looking through different portraits from the Elizabethan Era i have chosen this one of Queen Elizabeth:

I have chosen this because of how extravagant everything is. Her dress is huge with so much detail you cant help but look at it. Her hair has such a vibrant colour but so tamed and styled at the same time. Excessive amounts of jewllery and accessories and make up done to perefection. All of these things were to draw you in and make you look at her which is exactly what it does and what Queen Elizabeth wanted. She was also showing wealth and power. I love the detail in the sleeves of the dress, it looks like sequins and beads embodied into it. Intricate designs on her dresses weren't uncommon. This reminds me of a couple of tops i have now which shows how much we still use components of her style.

I have chosen Nicole Sherzinger as my contemporary figure.

She comes across a strong, independent fierce woman, but then has a more vulnerable side; very similar to Queen Elizabeth. Another reason that i have chosen her is because i think it would be great to mix up two completely different cultures and ethnicity's. Although Nicole Sherzinger and Queen Elizabeth are so far apart in appearance i have picked up on a couple similarities. Not in Make up but in hair and styling of a couple photographs i have found.

The styling in this photograph with the dress with all the ruffles coming up to the neck has a slight Elizabethan feel. The hair also is all scraped back which is a typical Elizabethan hair style, especially with a the big bun. (Although not curly i still feel there are slight similarities.)

If i were to style Nicole Sherzinger to resemble my Elizabethan Portrait but with a contemporary twist I would do a few things. I would want my portrait to have the feel of a different culture still without the Elizabethan feel being too overpowering, i would want small, subtle hints throughout. 

Firstly i would start with using white henna over the face- the white for the touch of the Elizabethan and the henna to represent a different culture (Although Nicole isn't from India i feel she is a good model to represent this.) 

White Henna

I would use henna like the photo above, but coming down one side of the face and possibly onto the neck. I would want it too look elegant and pretty so i would make sure it was thin and a subtle design.

I would also use a bindi, in white and would possibly even use the Henna to create a collar like the Queen Elizabeth has in the portrait.

Top: White bindi design. Bottom: a henna collar design.

I would then pull the hair all back off the face and have it very big at the back to get that Elizabethan feel! Queen Elizabeth always has lots of accessories, jewellery and crowns etc in her hair. So i would add accessories to the hair that i feel keep in with the theme of my look.

For the styling i would either go for one of two ways. I would continue with my bollywood theme  And use something like these pictures below. The patterns and the material have a real Elizabethan feel although its not your typical Elizabethan dress there are aspects of it that are, which i think finish off my look. 

Or i would go for something more obviously Elizabethan but still in keeping with my cultural and ethnic Elizabethan interpretation. 

After doing this task and researching i have realised and found out that there are so many more similarities with the Indian/Bollywood style and Elizabethan than i had first thought. They both use jewels and beads and broaches in the hair. And they both have beaded and intricately designed and patterned clothing (although very different styles sometimes.) It has been very interesting and made me want to explore other cultures and sub cultures to see what else is out there and what other similarites there might be or Elizabethan traits that are still being used.  And to see how else i could contemporaries them too.