As it turns out, the best (and only) examples of historical chaplets are actually from modern-day film and TV. Good news too because it just so happens that I fucking love TV…I know those aren’t things you’re supposed to admit but alas! I’d rather love TV in public than be disingenuous. Naturally I love period pieces and after a preliminary tearing-a-new-one, I can overlook glaring inaccuracies simply to ogle the outfits.

Which is precisely what we are doing now.

(not in Chronological order, but clockwise from top-left) Jane Seymour; Princess Mary & Katherine Parr; Catherine of Aragon; Katherine Howard; Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleves

In the series The Tudors,  the passing years are happily marked by the Christmas feast and episode! The other downtrodden events of the monarchy momentarily aside, we are treated to the luscious costuming hues of six wives rich in crimson, ruby and garnet, foreheads wreathed with chaplets of appropriate seasonality. (Strangely enough, Anne Boleyn gets to play Yule hostess at court twice though Queen only once; Anne of Cleves get the “always-a-bridesmaid award” as the guest at the court that would be hers; and Katherine Parr “abdicates” the honor to Princess Mary. It may be Christmastide but life’s still not always fair.)

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Personally, I DO think Anne of Cleves (played by Joss Stone) is the prettiest of the Yule Queen Chaplet-Rockers. I know the dress was a “recycle” and worn earlier by the actress who played Anne Boleyn (I think) but Joss wore it better.

Related articles

• the Chaplet: more historical royal headgear (tiarasandtrianon.wordpress.com)