(Or Would Your Queen Call That a Spangle?)

Okay, it's the Fourth of July after all, so what better theme to wax prolific on than the origin of the sequin, spangle, or oe, as folks consorting with Queen Elizabeth might have called them. Since this is a date on which we celebrate things that are "spangled," I thought it appropriate to discuss, what, exactly, is a "spangle"?

Random House Dictionary reads as follows:
sequin (s kwin)
1. a small shining disk or spangle used for ornamentation, as on women's clothing and accessories or on theatrical costumes.
2. A former gold coin of Venice, introduced in 1284; ducat.
Okay, so far we have established that a sequin is the definition of a spangle, and that it was round like the coins it resembled.. What about the reverse? Well, according to the same source, a
spangle (spang g l)
1. a small, thin, often circular piece of glittering metal or other material, used esp. for decorating garments.
2. Any small, bright drop, object, spot or the like.
Oxford English has sequin as originating from the Italian (zecchino) and/or Arabic (sikka); both were coins. 2. a small spangle used in the ornamentation of dresses, etc. spangle 1. a small round thin piece of glittering metal (usually brass) with a hole in the centre to pass a thread through, used for the decoration of textile fabrics and other materials of various sorts.

It seems fairly safe to say that spangles and sequins are the same thing, at least semantically. It also seems necessary to point out that while nearly identical in principle, the execution of an historically accurate garment (complete with spangles) from 1569 would be substantially different from say, a Mackie-style Vegas show costume. After all, one wouldn't wear a pair of Manolo Blahnik's with an Italian Ren Dress, but you'd still be wearing "shoes." So, what conclusion can one draw from all of this? That "spangle" is a term which will necessarily bring to mind a sequin from a different era, along with a different execution of an idea now embodied in contemporary clothing by the modern "sequin." That although technically a form of sequin, a "spangle" must be recognized as having its own place in the history of fashion, and should be utilized by those who are seeking to re-create the clothing of the past, with an eye to replicating the exact look of that particular period.

To do so, one should emulate the "spangle" with whatever can best approximate the visual effect originally obtained. You could use anything >from tiny flat metallic sequins of plastic to modern-made metal spangles for sale from local handwork vendors, keeping in mind that the standard size of an Elizabethan-era "spangle" seems to have been substantially smaller than a modern "sequin." This appears to be true well into the 20's. (While at the Titanic exhibit last month, I viewed an exquisite Edwardian evening gown, the bust and body of which was covered with tiny sequins, but which were in size and appearance much closer to spangles than the sequins one would see sewn on a modern garment.) Although I'm unsure exactly when the sequin standard became what we think of today as standard at approximately ¨" it is apparent that as recently as the mid-teens, common sequins were still tiny. So the moral may be that to recreate anything, you should do your homework and, if striving for accuracy, take care to utilize those adornments which will best suit your period, no matter what the title. The "spangle" or "oe" having pre-dated our modern, plastic variety, its use is clearly appropriate for clothing which is intended to represent the clothing worn by Q.E. and her court. "Genuine" spangles can be obtained from Lacis in Berkeley, or from Hedgehog Handworks (P.O. Box 45384, Westchester, CA 90045; 1-888-670-6040), where they are ironically listed as "Paillettes (Spangles). Now a Paillette is .... maybe another day.