Originally published in print, September 2021.

 

Broadway is back, starting September 14th. This means Six the musical will finally be performed, which I am very excited about. Unfortunately I will not be getting tickets to New York to see it, but if airport security wouldn’t mind turning a blind eye, that’d be great. The show revolves around the six wives of Henry the VIII, with each costume drawing inspiration from a modern-day pop princess. That’s right, no chemises or French hoods, but lots of rhinestones and studs! However, despite their 21st Century influence, the costumes include certain elements of tudor fashion and architecture. Gabriella Slade designed for the original West End production, and has revamped each wife’s wardrobe for the show’s debut in the Big Apple. The ‘divorced, beheaded and [dead]’ are back and better than ever. So, whether you’ve seen the costumes before or not, stick around because I’m about to break them down queen by queen.

 

Catherine of Aragon 

 

Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, mirrors Beyonce’s style and sass in Six. Her crown is a tamer version of Beyoncé’s headdress from the 2017 Grammys and similarly, Beyoncé often features gold in her onstage looks. Paired with Aragon’s crown are hoop earrings and a layered necklace that is reminiscent of military chainmail, which typically would’ve been worn by male soldiers in the 1500s. Square necklines and triangular bodices were popular during the Tudor era, so these features of Aragon’s costume are historically accurate. The pointed epaulettes are the biggest stand out element of her costume, bedazzled (by hand) with hundreds of gold studs. Tying the look together, like the rest of the Broadway cast, she wears rhinestone fishnet tights and glittery high heeled boots. Now that’s what I call royalty.

 

Anne Boleyn

 

The musical’s version of Anne Boleyn lives up to her reputation as the most controversial of Henry VIII’s wives. Combining the high-neck style of the late Tudor era and the cuffs of a punk rock star may not appeal to everyone, but I think this risky fashion move encapsulates Boleyn’s chaotic style. Her two-piece set boasts a holographic, green, square pattern and stiff, studded ruffs (instead of the more authentic lace). Green was especially chosen for Boleyn as a reference to the ballad ‘Greensleeves,’ which was rumoured to have been composed for her by King Henry. This Broadway queen’s cute yet brazen attitude mimics the British queen of tongue-in-cheek, Miss Lily Allen. 

 

Jane Seymour

 

Remembered as gentle, loving, and more tolerating of Henry’s shenanigans than his other wives, Seymour’s costume reflects this with softer sleeves and a passive black and white colour palette. The silhouette of her dress is similar to Adele’s stage costumes, with a pep-hem that enhances her hips for a flattering form. In keeping with the era, the pattern on her bodice is evocative of half-timbered Medieval architecture. Her dress may not be as long as the typical 16th century gown, however, the bodice imitates the pointed kirtle, a garment worn at the time that supported the bust. My favourite accessory is her IV hooped earrings that identify her as the fourth wife. You know what they say; the bigger the hoop, the bigger the… heart? Well, in this case perhaps.

 

Anne of Cleves 

  

The boots… The BOOTS! Can we get a little commotion for the boots? Although it appears that Anne (or Anna) of Cleves wore a few different costumes throughout Broadway previews, I believe the photo on the right represents the final design. Her jacket gets ripped off halfway through her performance of ‘Get Down’ to reveal the cross-strap crop top on the left. Women’s tudor gowns often included patterns such as stripes, which appear on Anne’s two piece set. Yet, this is the only part of her clothing in Six that can be traced back to the 1500s. Anne of Cleves was the only queen to escape Henry’s wrath – getting to lead a fulfilling life in a castle of her own after their mutual separation. And nothing says ‘badass’ quite like the colours black and red, thigh high studded boots and Nicki Minaj / Rihanna vibes. 

 

Katherine Howard

   

If Ariana Grande first comes to mind, then you would be correct, as Ms. Howard’s style is indeed loosely based on the pop princess. I mean, the ponytail, the three-quarter circle mini skirt and the high waisted hotpants kind of speak for themselves. As far as fabrics go, the holographic and clear PVC are unusual choices for a musical theatre costume, and certainly didn’t exist during Tudor times, but they work surprisingly well paired with the striped fishnet bra and sleeves. They are also highly durable fabrics, ideal for Broadway costumes where they’ll be worn six nights a week. Every detail of Slade’s design has a purpose, even the small studded choker Howard wears with her initial, ‘K.’ The real Anne Boleyn was known to wear a pearl necklace with a ‘B’ in the centre, so it’s an interesting style choice to have the other beheaded wife wear one in the show. The tight choker around her neck also hints at Katherine Howard’s beheading (not a spoiler, just history).

 

Catherine Parr

  

Finally, the sole survivor, Catherine Parr. She is the only queen in the musical to wear trousers – setting her apart from the others literally and metaphorically. The muse for Parr is Alicia Keys, who frequently wears pants to red carpet events. Another source of inspiration for Parr’s costume may be Disney royalty: the sleeves are the exact design of Snow White’s iconic dual-fabric puff sleeves. PVC is again incorporated into this look, giving her sleeves a strong, supported form – a solid structure was important to Tudor fashion. Catherine Parr was forced to leave the love of her life and marry Henry VIII instead. As an allusion to the sorrow she endured in doing this, blue is the trademark colour chosen for Parr. However, she wears traditionally masculine items, leather boots and trousers, to reflect her independent nature.

 

Now that we’ve seen the Six queens, I think it’s safe to say that Gabriella Slade’s unique costume design is brilliantly suited to a musical which revolutionises outdated ideas. She thought everything through to perfection: a different signature colour for each wife, high-quality durable fabrics, and accessories to beat the band. There is the perfect balance between showing individuality and showing unity. The six costumes are tied together with a base colour of black and coordinating rhinestone and stud embellishments. Slade also successfully accomplished the difficult task of designing modern pop-inspired performance wear, without completely abandoning all traces of Tudor fashion. Who would’ve thought that 16th century British queens would one day be onstage in mini skirts and fishnets? ‘History is (indeed getting) overthrown’ in Six, and rightfully so!