Working women's Tudor costumes

When we do Kentwell Hall Tudor re- enactments, there is specific dress we must wear. Our costumes are identical to the adult women and are made up of lots of layers of garments. This is a description to what a working class woman would have worn in the 1500s.

The kirtle

The kirtle is a thick woollen dress which is worn on top of the linen shift. The bodice is laced either at the front or the sides. It must be laced extremely tight in order to support the chest... The colours of the wool were natural colours because to dye cloth they used plants and natural substances such as woad and onion skins. This was because synthetic dyes were only invented in 1856 by William Henry Perkin. The darker or brighter the garment the more expensive it was because there would have to be more of the actual dye included in the process, therefore only the wealthy Tudors could afford colours like black, crimsons e.t.c. The poor would have to put up with colours such as browns, brick reds, greens and mustard yellows. Blue was a colour used for charity clothes so it was considered slightly embarrassing to be wearing a blue garment. The kirtle would go down to your ankles to allow freedom  for movement whilst you were working. If you have a longer skirt or a train it would symbolise that you were rich enough to have servants to do your work for you.

The shift

Instead of underwear like we use today, the Tudors used a shift. A shift is made out of linen and is basically a tunic worn under the kirtle. The neck of the shift is visible so women do sometimes have a simple ruff sewn onto the neck.

The coif

The coif is a linen cap that is worn by all women of all statuses. It covers the hair and keeps the wearer looking modest. You can wear a cap (knitted or sewn) called a pancake cap which could be worn by both genders. 

The apron

The apron would also be made of linen because it was a widely available martial and was easy and nice and cheap. The average apron covers the skirt and protects the kirtle from getting unwanted dirt on it because linen is easier to wash and dry than a thick woollen cloth. If you were something like a potter, then you would have a coarse linen apron that covered the entire body because you do not want clay on your kirtle.

The sleeves

The sleeves are only really needed if your kirtle sleeves did not go down to the elbow. They too are wool and reach the full length of your arm. These are to protect your decency and as a sign of respect.

The stockings

The stockings are like the Tudor version of socks. They are knitted and held to the leg by a woven garter tied tightly around the stocking. 

The shoes

The shoes are made out of leather and are a simple cut. They have leather bases and can be crafted to all different styles such as latchet or slip on.