Raising the Bar: Keeping up with the Tudors and Stuarts

Raising the Bar is back for a third round. The University of Auckland is proud to once again host this unique event in which our academics give free public lectures in pubs and bars.

Join Erin Griffrey for Keeping up with the Tudors and Stuarts: A Renaissance Queen's Beauty Guide.

Looking flawless hundreds of years ago was no easy feat but, for royal women of Tudor and Stuart England, beauty was of extreme significance.

Beauty was closely associated with purity, goodness and even chastity. In a bid to uphold a righteous reputation, queens invested vast amounts of time and money to make themselves look wealthy, virtuous and gorgeous.

Constrictive undergarments, resplendent fabrics and glittering jewels adorned their bodies, while elaborate and sometimes toxic beauty routines were used to complete their look.

These women were constantly on show and keenly aware of the importance of appearances at all times. In this captivating talk Erin will examine the agonising pressure a royal woman endured to prove her superiority, health and wealth to the public eye.

Registrations essential.