What did the Tudors wear?
Jane Malcolm-Davies unpicks the historical sources to uncover what people wore in the 16th century
How many pieces of clothing did the average Tudor own? Did women in the 16th century have specialised maternity wear? And what was behind the fascination with codpieces? Jane Malcolm-Davies stitches together our understanding of what the Tudors wore, from knitted hats and linen handkerchiefs right down to underwear. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Jane details how clothes were lovingly made, kept and cleaned – and reveals the unusual fashion trend she’d like to see revived.
Jane Malcolm-Davies is the co-author of The Typical Tudor. You can purchase the book here.
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Discover more learning from week two of the HistoryExtra Academy Elizabethans course
The dark side of Elizabethan England – reading time 9 mins
Hold your noses: the smells, sounds and sights of Elizabethan England – reading time 14 mins
10 ways to die in Elizabethan England – reading time 6 mins
Tudor childhood: from dodging death to nursery rhymes – listening time 44 mins
The missing Tudors: black people in 16th-century England – reading time 5 mins
Tudor dining: a guide to food and status in the 16th century – reading time 9 mins
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