Who wore the breeches?: An insight into early modern female cross-dressing, between the 1570s and 1625

During the last three decades of Elizabeth I’s reign and the death of James I (1570s–1625), a tendency towards the adoption of masculine attire emerged. This was fierily criticized by satire and critical literature and condemned by law. This study aims to explore and analyse the existing material related to early modern female transvestism that has seldom been the subject of detailed academic scrutiny.