2. The codpiece was the ultimate men\u2019s accessory<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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- Read more | Dandies, fops & macaronis: fashionable men through history<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. Tudors wore conventional garments<\/h3>\n
![\"A]( "\\"Queen")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>Queen Mary I, sporting a fashionable French hood. (Photo by Fine Art Images\/Heritage Images via Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n A Tudor man wore a doublet \u2013 a type of short, padded jacket \u2013 fitted and buttoned at the front and often paired with a jerkin (another fitted torso- covering garment) or a gown for layering.<\/span>Gowns were worn for formal and special occasions and church attendance, with distinctions between best, middling and everyday wear.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, women\u2019s accessories \u2013 notably headwear \u2013 became surprisingly complex. The early flat linen kercher (tied headscarf) gradually acquired structure, incorporating wire at the edges to form a \u2018cornered kerchief\u2019.<\/p>\n
For those of a higher social status, the French hood became very popular, made with expensive silk and interchangeable jewels and pearls. These headdresses required time to assemble, and were secured on top of laced and braided hair.<\/p>\n
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- Read more | Five outrageous moments in royal fashion history<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. Colour choices were limited by law<\/h3>\n
Central to the Tudor wardrobe was an appreciation of colour, with choices typically reflecting both wealth and status. An individual might own multiple garments of the same type \u2013 a man might have three doublets, a woman three kirtles \u2013 but in different colours.<\/p>\n
Natural, less-expensive \u2018sheep colours\u2019 were the norm, whereas red \u2013 produced using dyes such as madder \u2013 and tawny were pricier options. Black emerged as the most important colour in Tudor clothing. More vibrant hues \u2013 yellow, green, blue \u2013 were fashionable in the early 16th century, but diminished in popularity over time.<\/p>\n
One notably enduring colour was violet, a less-costly alternative to purple, which was reserved mainly for royalty. Violet could be achieved by blending woad and madder, but orchil \u2013 a dye obtained from certain lichens \u2013 was the best source. Violet long remained a surprisingly popular shade for clothing for both men and women because it was close to purple, a colour long restricted to royalty by law.<\/p>\n
5. Tudor folk were dedicated followers of fashion<\/h3>\n
![\"A]( "\\"Queen")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>Queen Elizabeth I is synonymous with the elaborate late-Tudor ruff. (Photo by Ann Ronan Pictures\/Print Collector\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n Trends shifted over the course of the 16th century, notably in garments worn by the noble and middle classes. There was, for example, an evolution in the shapes of skirts, with wealthier women sporting conical, close- fitting and drum-shaped gowns as the decades progressed. Sleeves developed, too, changing from a fitted cut to elaborate, farthingale sleeves with whalebone supports.<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s attire, such as doublet and hose, also underwent alterations in shape. The most pronounced change was in neckwear, evolving from small shirt ruffles during Henry VIII<\/a>\u2019s reign to the flamboyant ruffs of the Elizabethan period; and by the late 16th century, falling bands were de rigueur.<\/p>\n
Exchange between nations also influenced trends, with royalty embracing foreign styles. Indeed, the English were teased for sporting an eclectic mix of European styles. Hybrid fashions were partly the result of thrift: those buying clothes second- hand couldn\u2019t be too picky about where they came from.<\/p>\n
- Read more | Five outrageous moments in royal fashion history<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2023\/12\/GettyImages-464447577-3-2cebb0e.jpg?quality=90&resize=312%2C413\" "\\"Queen")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>![\"A](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2023\/12\/5.-GettyImages463894711-3d09c48.jpg?quality=90&resize=324%2C413\" "\\"Queen")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>![\"A](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2023\/12\/GettyImages-587774369-1-e26879d.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413\" "\\"Historical")
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