Elizabeth

Elizabeth’s wardrobe evolved throughout her reign, from the fairly restrained, graceful lines fashionable in her youth to the narrow-waisted, puffy-sleeved, large-ruffed, full-skirted styles worn in her later years. As the nation's most important figure, she was a trendsetter at court. She loved fashion and encouraged those at court to dress well. Her influence not only reigned over women’s attire but also inspired men’s fashion, which had stayed hardly unchanged since her father’s reign.

Elizabeth I was very conscious of her appearance, and her image was engineered to convey wealth, authority, and power. While in private, she preferred to wear simple gowns and would reputedly wear the same plain gown for two or three days. When she was in public, she dressed to impress. Her wardrobe was full of gowns of rich fabrics adorned with jewels and elaborate surface detail, which were both imposing and communicated wealth and status.

The Queen believed that one's dress should suit, but not exceed, one's rank. Elizabeth's appearance stressed her rank as head of state and church. Sumptuary laws were originally brought in by Henry VIII and continued under Elizabeth I until 1600. They were enacted to enforce order and obedience to the Crown and to allow the assessment of status at a glance.

For example, under the sumptuary law issued at Greenwich on June 15, 1574, only duchesses, marchionesses, and countesses were allowed to wear cloth of gold, tissue, and fur of sables in their gowns, kirtles, partlets, and sleeves. Other dress restrictions were listed for other levels of status in society too.

As Elizabeth's love of clothes and jewellery became common knowledge, they became increasingly offered as New Year's gifts. On January 1, 1587, Elizabeth received over 80 pieces of jewellery, including many from her suitors. From an inventory compiled in 1587, we know that Elizabeth had 628 pieces of jewellery. As for gowns, detailed accounts of the Royal Wardrobe were kept; at her death, over 2000 gowns were recorded in Elizabeth's wardrobe.

Source:

https://www.rmg.co.uk/.../topics/elizabeth-i-fashion-beauty