Tudor Clothes
The following article is written by Bess Chilver, costumer and Tudor dress expert.
Women’s Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII
It is without doubt, that the clothing for noble men and women in the reign of King Henry VIII were exquisite. Portraits show a woman’s silhouette is conical in shape whereas the men’s silhouette is wide and square. For both men and women, fabrics are rich and luxurious using sumptuous silks and satins, the finest linens and velvets with abandon.
 Sir Henry Guildford. c. 1527. Artist – Hans Holbein. |
 Queen Katherine Parr c. 1545. Artist – Master John. |
The fabrics and decorations used are only part of the story. Each garment worn adds to the complete ensemble. To modern eyes, the number of layers worn seem excessive, yet each layer is necessary to the whole.
Tudor Garments
So what are the garments and layers that are worn by women in the Tudor Period? The minimum number of layers actually worn would be four: Smock; Petticoat; Kirtle and Gown. Depending on where within Henry VIII’s reign one was, other layers such as the farthingale, forepart and partlet would also be worn. Headwear would be the finishing touch.
Jane Seymour, Queen of England. Detail of Embroidered cuff. c. 1536 Artist – Hans Holbein.
Smock
Smock of fine cambric with wide sleeves, … of fine linen”
25 Jan, 1522/1523 – Lord Monteagle’s Goods.
Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic – Henry VIII Vol. 3
Everyone, no matter what their rank, age or sex, would have had enough changes of linen to last at least a week. The higher the rank, the more changes were available. It was a matter of pride to wear clean linens every day.
The smock in the upper ranks would be made of very fine linen, as white as possible. The necklines and cuffs could be exquisitely embroidered in black-, red- or white work. Some may have been worked with an early form of lace called drawn threadwork.
In the early part of Tudor period, the neckline was usually square in shape, following the line of the bodice. Later on, a high necked smock was worn which had a small standing collar edged with a frill – this would eventually become the ruff of the Elizabethan era.
The sleeves would be finished with a small narrow cuff and frill. This, and the neckline, is usually all that can be seen of a smock in contemporary portraiture.
Elizabeth, Lady Audley Detail of Embroidered Smock Neck c. 1538 Artist – Hans Holbein.
Petticoat
“…a peticoate of scarlet, the upper bodyes of crimson tapheta…”
Royal Wardrobe Accounts of Queen Mary Tudor. 1554.
The term “petticoat” comes from the French for a “little coat” and both men and women wear garments named as such.
For women, it clearly has a skirt and may or may not be upperbodied. Ninya Mikhaila of “The Tudor Tailor” suggests the bodice could be minimal – mostly seen on the back and sides of the body but the front being little more than a pair of “braces” supporting the skirt. This allows for the bare minimum of fabric being used but also minimises the amount of bulk worn beneath the next two layers.
Petticoats are mostly made of a red fabric – red being thought of as a health giving colour. This idea is seen as late as the 19th century.
 Upperbodied Petticoat Made and modelled by Bess Chilver |
 Silk Petticoat with minimal upperbody. Maker – Bess Chilver. Model – Etty. |
The first image shows my own petticoat made of an unbleached linen bodice which is lined with itself. A fine weight buckram is used to interline the bodice and is supported by boning of cane. Its fastens via laced on both sides. The skirt is a very fine weight scarlet wool. This petticoat essentially doubles as a “petticoat” and “kirtle”.
The second image is the petticoat made with the bare minimum required for the bodice. It has a deep “U” neckline. The back neckline is a deep “V” shape. It is fastened at the waist with a laces through a pair of worked eyelets. The skirt is made of a silk dupion and lined with itself. There is a lining of cotton wadding to give the skirt a bit of weight.
Kirtle
“5 yds. of white satin for a kirtle.
2½ yds. of red cloth to line her kirtle.”June 1533. Coronation of Queen Anne Boleyn. Inventory of Apparel.
Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic – Henry VIII, Vol 6.
The kirtle was a garment that supported the bust and created the correct silhouette for the period. It was worn over the petticoat, and from the 1540s onwards, over the farthingale. It seems that the kirtle bodice was stiffened in some way, usually with buckram. This was a stiffened linen which may have had additional stiffening consisting of some kind of “boning”. However, it is also clear, that whatever stiffening methods were used, the bodice of the kirtle was not made in the same way as a Victorian or modern corset is. Nor was it designed to cinch in the waist and torso in the same way.
Side Laced Kirtle. Maker and Model: Victoria Henige
The kirtle depicted above is very similar in construction to my upper bodied petticoat, but is designed to be seen beneath the overgown. It is also side laced and has a stiffened bodice providing a firm foundation for the overgown.
Portraits show a tantalising glimpse of the kirtle – usually at the neckline as can be seen here in Mary Boleyn, Lady Carey’s, portrait:
Mary Boleyn, Lady Carey. c. 1530s Artist – Hans Holbein or School of.
Gown, Forepart and Foresleeves
“…a gown of right crimson satin, to be lined with cloth of gold of tissue…”
Coronation of Queen Anne Boleyn.
Inventory of Apparel. June 1533.
The gown is the garment in Tudor Dress which is seen in its entirety by other people. The Smock and Petticoat are very much underclothes. The kirtle is usually only seen peaking out above the gown neckline so this too is mostly hidden.
As the gown is so visible a garment, it needed to make an impact. This is where sumptuous fabrics could be used such as velvets or damasks or Cloth of Gold. The wealthier a person was or the higher the status, the more sumptuous (and expensive) the fabrics.
Jane Seymour, Queen of England c. 1536 Artist – Hans Holbein
 1520s/1530s - Red Silk Taffeta Gown with Red Cloth of Gold undersleeves, Maker – Ninya Mikhaila, Model - Bess Chilver |
 1535 – Brown Velvet Trained Gown, Maker and Model – Victoria Henige |
Headwear
“And as for Mrs. Anne’s French hood, my lady Sussex had, and Mrs. Katharine gave hers to Mrs. Parr”
28 Jan, 1538 – Lisle Letters. John Husee to Lady Honora Lisle
Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic – Henry VIII Vol. 3.
Most people, when thinking about Tudor headwear, will bring to mind, images of two headdresses that were worn during King Henry VIII’s reign. These are the French hood and the English or, as is more commonly termed now, the Gable Hood.
It is a common misconception, that Queen Anne Boleyn was responsible for bringing in the ubiquitous French Hood whereas her predecessor Queen Katherine of Aragon and also Anne’s successor, Queen Jane Seymour, both preferred the English Hood.
Early versions of both forms of hood are seen from the latter part of the 15th century. Katherine of Aragon was painted in version of the French Hood as well as the English Hood, giving the lie to this myth.
The French Hood
 Princess Mary Rose Tudor, Queen of France c. 1516 Artist – Unknown. Pictured with her husband, Charles Brandon |
 Katherine of Aragon, Dowager Princess of Wales (before marriage to King Henry VII) c. 1503 Artist – Michael Sittow |
The English Gable Hood
 A miniature of Anne before she was Queen , Attributed to Lucan Horenbout |
 Sketch of Anne Boleyn by Holbein |
Whatever one’s status – be it Queen, Gentle- or Working woman – headwear of some kind would be worn. Highly decorated as we have seen for the wealthy but simple linen coifs for those of lower status.
A Tudor Gown in the 16th century was the culmination of the work numerous skilled craftsmen, artisans and merchants. From the silk Merchant to the Weaver; from the Tailors to the Seamstresses to the Embroiderers and Milliners.
The finishing touches are made by the Goldsmith. Pearls and jewels in gold settings are worn as pendants attached to choker necklaces; as brooches on the front of a bodice; as billiaments on necklines and hoods and “ouches” on sleeves.
Truly, the Tudor Noblewoman was exquisitely dressed.
References
Mikhaila, Ninya and Malcolm-Davies, Jane. The Tudor Tailor: Reconstructing Sixteenth Century Dress London: Batsford, 2006.
Mikhaila, Ninya, Johnson, Caroline and Malcolm-Davies, Jane. ‘And her black satin gown must be new-bodied’: The Twenty-First-Century Body in Pursuit of the Holbein Look. Costume, vol 42, 2008 (The Costume Society).
Hayward, Maria. Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII, Leeds: Maney, 2007.
Hayward, Maria. Rich Apparel: Clothing and the Law in Henry VIII’s England, Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, 2009.
‘Henry VIII: September 1531, 1-30′, Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 5: 1531-1532 (1880), pp. 199-217. Find online at http://www.british-history.ac.uk/
I saw a fantastic demonstration at Hampton Court Palace last November which talked in detail about the layers of clothing women wore during this period. VERY interesting and they showed some beautiful pieces of clothing!
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What a wonderful post. I love clothes and learning more about what The Tudors actually worse as opposed to what they wear on The Tudors is fantastic. Thanks for the lovely list of reference books.
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So. I am having a Tudor-esque wedding.I’m not going full blown traditional,but I want the feel of it.Does anyone have any resources on what their weddings were like? Kris is making my dress,but I wonder about other stuff,like what flowers they preferred,what an invitation would have looked like,etc. Any helpful hints would be much appreciated! My email is heirofartemis@yahoo.com Thanks all!
Di
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Interesting article. For those interested in dress at the Henrician court with specific reference to Anne Boleyn, I recommend an MA thesis by Helen Persson – ‘“Mademoiselle de Boulan & Mrs Semel”, The Question of French Apparel and Dress Terminology in England of the 1530s’ (Courtauld Institute of Art, 1999).
Can I be really cheeky and ‘plug’ a short blog post I made on Mary Tudor and fashion? Anne Boleyn is mentioned in parts:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30947190/She
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LOVE this article! I wish we lived in an age where women wore more elegant clothes. I love the feminine look of Tudor dresses, especially the necklines. I live in jeans, t-shirts, and shorts like most southern Californians, but it sure would be fun to walk into Starbucks dressed up like a Tudor.
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I live in Southern California as well, lisannejane. From mid-July to late September, when it can get above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (or around 40 degrees Celsius), it would be impractical to dress in as many layers as a lady of the Tudor court. I suppose they could get away with it because it was a Little Ice Age and average temperatures were much cooler than today — not to mention the difference in climate between England and California
But isn’t it nice to dream of going to Starbucks or to the library or to the grocery store or to church dressed up like a Tudor lady and nobody batting an eye!
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I forgot about the mini ice age, Gentillylace! There was a fascinating show on the history channel about this. Layering up on clothes probably had a practical purpose as well in Tudor times. However, if we go to San Francisco in the winter, I’ll bet we wouldn’t be too warm LOL! As Mark Twain said, the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.
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This is fabulous timing. I’ve just begun research on Tudor dress in preparation for creating an Anne Boleyn gown and look what link travels to my inbox! It won’t be 100% accurate with all four layers, but I’m trying to incorporate as much of the look and feel of a traditional royal gown as my skills (and budget) allow.
One of the more interesting pieces of information I’ve recently come across was that the front of bodice was actually pinned on. In the portrait of Jane Seymour, for example, you can see the little gold heads of the pins lining the sides. Can you imagine being pinned into your clothing each day?
The Sumptuary Laws, which were not new to Henry’s court but more strictly enforced, are also a cause of amazement. They outlined which ranks could were which fabrics, colors, and furs in which articles of clothing. Ah, Tudors, you never cease to bring me random tidbits of joy.
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Great article! I’m having a Tudor dress made (1540′s era) and have thus far, the shift. We are trying to figure out what to use for the whalebone but have not yet got that far. I can’t wait to select the materials for the gown and get the fancy jewels sewn in. But, ti’s a big project and my friend, the seamstress, is having fun with it. I might even wear it to give readings when my book comes out!! Fun!!
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To Anne Barhill.
Whalebone wasn’t used for stiffening bodices in the 16th Century. It is likely that most bodices were simply interlined with stiff buckram and then fitted very closely. However, when one start to move into the 1540s and the waistline becomes extended into a deep “V” then boning of some kind is needed to prevent the point of the waist to ‘flip up’. It is likely that cane or reed was used for boning. Perhaps a wooden busk could also be used to stiffen the front.
I would recommend using split cane or use the Wiesner plastic boning which is an “artificial” whalebone. It comes in various widths – 1/4 inch width would replicate the cane method very well.
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Anne, I have a waist cincher which definitely has some very stiff pieces of fabric and probably metal as well to hold you in. Maidenform in the U.S. carries them but now you can get one at Target (the poor people’ s store) for as little as $15. Perhaps you could order one and find out what is being used. I think it would work in a Tudor gown. I have had one waist cincher for 3 years and it’s still going strong LOL!
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Thanks guys–I’ve re-read this now that I have all the undergarments–next, material for the outer gown. I am finally beginning to ‘get the order and pieces, etc. Bess, here’s a question for you–I read somewhere that there is such a thing as a placket, an opening inthe smock. Do you know anything about this?
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wow there is alot of info here thanx for helping me with my homework. i got alot of cool stuff about it! xx :-]
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whats the thing that rich women wear around their necks?
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I have had a “itch” to sew a “real” Tudor gown for several years but arthritic hands have convinced me that it would be better to find a talented seamtress. Years ago when searching for a Halloween costume I found a “Tudor” gown; it is burgundy and royal blue, very pretty and even has slashed sleeves but the skirt is only a mock of the real thing. It is only looks layered with a royal blue panel sewed in front to give the impression of an underskirt. But over the years I have had such fun with it on Halloween and a few months ago I added a French hood to finish the “look”. Since mine is not layerd, I can only say I have no idea – Little Ice Age or no – how these strong women stood wearing so much each day! When I add a cape to it, I almost perish from warmth even in winter. I’m afraid if I had lived during Tudor times, I would have been arrested for exposing myself because it would only take one good heat wave and I would have been ripping everything off! I just don’t see how they could have been comfortable but then when it’s the normal thing to do prehaps you become immune to it.
Happy Holidays to everyone and especially Claire and her family.
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I live in Michigan and the weather’s been so cold lately I think full on Tudor garb would be rather nice!
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