I must say, I like that style of dress. It accentuates the best parts of a woman, while hiding the worst.

In high school, being a thesbian (the vice president of the thesbian society) i played Anna Bell Barrett, the spinster sister to Elizabeth. Rumor has it, the father was a bit incestous to his daughters, Elizabeth in particular. He forced her to drink port as a means of curing her ails. Only when Robert Browning came along, Elizabeth didn't seem to suffer as much as when under her father's care.

We had the most awesome costumes. (only one of mine was more a Martha Washington costume that didn't fit the era of Barrett-Browning's age) However, I had the most glorious green velvet dress. And it took 20 lbs off of me.

My hairdresser-wanna-be friend, Jaime, did my hair, as he did when I was the lowly charwoman mother in Outward Bound.

My point? Those dresses were extraordinary!

But then again, I'm a whore of history.

Women were used to men's means. and they often suffered the consequences. Pawns of their fathers', brothers' and uncles' ambitions.

Anne Boyelyn is a perfect example.