7 things you (probably) didn’t know about tudor fashion

5 min read

Dr Jane Malcolm-Davies shares a selection of lesser-known tidbits about Tudor clothing – from underwear to headgear

1 FABRICS AND LAYERING REFLECTED SOCIAL STANDING

The types of material used in clothing reflected the hierarchy of Tudor society. Linen and wool were worn by all people, with the best types of wool and silk reserved for the wealthiest. In the 16th century, an ordinary woman would wear a kirtle over a linen undergarment called a smock; a wealthy woman might also wear a petticoat. A kirtle comprised top and bottom sections – a slit and laced bodice, incorporating stiff canvas for support, plus a full skirt with a front slit – fitted to each woman’s measurements, with different tailors catering to rich and poor.

More affluent women displayed their wealth through layered clothing and underneath such finery as crimson silk petticoats. Men’s underwear took the form of a long shirt and tightly fitted leg coverings known as hose, which was cut on the bias of the fabric to give it elasticity. By the end of the Tudor era, full-leg hose had evolved into knee-length breeches made from leather, wool or silk, depending on the individual’s status and wealth.

Tudor women wore a kirtle – a combined bodice and skirt - over a smock (above), while men wore doublet and hose (left)

GETTY IMAGES X4, ALAMY X1, WWW.TUDORTAILOR.COM X4

2 THE CODPIECE WAS THE ULTIMATE MEN’S ACCESSORY

Increasingly popular from the mid-15th century, codflaps and codpieces served a functional purpose by fastening the bias-cut hose and covering the crotch area. Gradually, they evolved into elaborate fashion statements: wealthy men flaunted codpieces adorned with ornate decoration.

Although the precise reason for their increasingly extreme protuberance is unknown, codpieces combined function with fashion, catering to both comfort and societal expectations of display. Surviving examples indicate a range of styles, from opulent to extremely simple. The popularity of codpieces ebbed by the late 16th century, but they remain intriguing artefacts, reflecting the interplay of function, culture and style during the Tudor period.

Wealthy men such as Henry VIII wore increasingly protuding and lavishly decorated codpieces

3 TUDORS WORE CONVENTIONAL GARMENTS

A Tudor man wore a doublet – a type of short, padded jacket – fitted and buttoned at the front and often paired with a jerkin (another fitted torso-covering garment) or a gown for layering.

Gowns were worn for formal and special occasions and church attendance, with distinctions between best, middl

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History Revealed Magazine

31 August 2023

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