Tudor Clothes for the RichTudor Clothes for the Rich
Tudor clothes and fashion varied according to whether the person was a member of Royalty, the Nobility, Upper Class or one of the poor, working class. But whether a man was wealthy or poor he was not allowed to wear whatever he liked due to the Tudor Sumptuary or Statutes of Apparel. Colors, styles and materials were dictated by class and rank. The higher the rank the more choice of materials, styles and colors that could be worn. The rank and position of Tudor men and women would be immediately recognised by the color, style and material of their clothes. Tudor Clothes for Rich Men
The Sumptuary Laws were designed to limit the expenditure of Tudor people on clothes and to maintain the social structure of the Tudor Class system! Silks, velvets and furs were the most expensive materials and fabrics to produce and therefore limited to higher status clothing of rich Tudor men. The following table lists the Tudor clothes for rich men as dictated by the Sumptuary Laws or Statutes of Apparel. Sumptuary Laws - Tudor Clothes allowed for Rich Men | Status or
Position of Men | Material of Clothing allowed | Color of Clothing allowed | Item of Clothing allowed | | King, King's mother, children, brethren, and uncles | Silk | Purple | Any Clothing | | Dukes, Marquises, and Earls | Silk | Purple | Doublets, jerkins, linings of cloaks, gowns, and hose | | Dukes, Marquises, and Earls | Sable Fur | | | | Knights of the Garter | Silk | Purple | Mantles only | | Above Viscounts, and barons, and other persons of like degree | Tinseled satin, silk, or cloth mixed or embroidered with any gold | Gold | Doublets, jerkins, linings of cloaks, gowns, and hose. | | Above Viscounts, and barons, and other persons of like degree | Cloth of Silver, Tinseled satin, silk, or cloth mixed or embroidered with any gold | Silver | Doublets, jerkins, linings of cloaks, gowns, and hose. | | Above ranks | Woolen cloth made out of the realm | | Caps only | | Dukes, Marquises, Earls, and their children, Viscounts, Barons, and Knights of the Garter, or any person being of the Privy Council. | Velvet | Crimson, or Scarlet | | | Above ranks | Furs | | | | Above ranks | Embroidery or tailor's work having gold or silver or pearl therein | Gold or Silver | Embroidery | | Above ranks | Genets or Lucernces (Furs) | Black Fur | | | Barons' sons, Knights and gentlemen in ordinary office attendant upon her majesty's person, and such as have been employed in Embassages to foreign princes. | Velvet Fur of leopards Embroidery with any silk | | Gowns, Coats, or other uttermost garments | | The gentlemen attending upon the Queen's person in her highness's Privy chamber, cupbearers, carvers, servers, Esquire for the body, Gentlemen Ushers, or Esquires of the stable | Clothing trimmed with gold or silver or pearl; silk netherstocks; enameled chains, buttons, aglets | Gold or Silver trimmings | Caps, hats, hatbands, capbands, garters, or boothose | | As above | Satin, damask, silk, camlet, or taffeta | | Gown, coat, hose, or uppermost garments | | As above | Fur whereof the kind groweth not in the Queen's dominions, except foins, genets, and budge | Grey Fur | Gown, coat, uppermost garments | | Knight, son or heir | Scabbards of swords, daggers, etc | | | | Knight, son or heir or above | Gilt | | Spurs, swords, rapiers, daggers, skeans, woodknives, or hangers, buckles or girdles | | Knight, son or heir or above | Velvet | | Hat, bonnet, girdle, shoes and pantofles | | Knight, son or heir or above | Satin, damask, taffeta, camlet | | Doublets | | Knight, son or heir or above | Sarcanet, camlet, or taffeta | | Facing of gowns and cloaks | | Knight, son or heir or above | As above | Deep Blue | Gowns and cloaks, and in coats, jackets, jerkins, coifs, purses | | Lord Chancellor, Treasurer, President of the council, Privy Seal | Velvet, satin, or other silks | Except purple | | | Lord Chancellor, Treasurer, President of the council, Privy Seal | Furs | Black except for black genets | | | Justices , Barons of the Exchequer, Master of the Rolls, sergeants at law, Masters of the Chancery, of the Queen's council, apprentices of law, physicians of the King, mayors and other head officers of any towns corporate | Cottons and taffeta All Except silk, velvet, damask or satin | Except crimson, violet, purple, deep blue. | | Status or
Position of Men | Material of Clothing allowed | Color of Clothing allowed | Item of Clothing allowed | | Sumptuary Laws - Tudor Clothes allowed for Rich Men |
Tudor Clothes for Rich Women
The Sumptuary Laws were designed to limit the expenditure of Tudor women on clothes and to maintain the social structure of the Tudor Class system. Silks, velvets and furs were the most expensive materials and fabrics to produce and therefore limited to higher status clothing of rich Tudor women. The following table lists the Tudor clothes for rich women as dictated by the Tudor Sumptuary Laws or Statutes of Apparel. Sumptuary Laws - Tudor Clothes allowed for Rich Women | | Status or Position | Material of Clothing allowed | Color of Clothing allowed | Item of Clothing allowed | | Queen, Queen's mother, children, and sisters, and aunts | Silk | Purple | | | Duchesses, Marquises, and Countesses | Sable Fur | | - | | As above | Cloth of gold or gold tissue | Gold | Gowns, kirtles, partlets, and sleeves | | Viscountesses, baronesses, and other personages of like degrees | Tinseled satin, silk, or cloth mixed or embroidered with any gold | Gold | Cowls, partlets, kirtles and sleeves | | Viscountesses, baronesses, and other personages of like degrees | Cloth of Silver, Tinseled satin, silk, or cloth mixed or embroidered with any silver | Silver | Cowls, partlets, kirtles and sleeves | | Wives of Knights of the Garter and of the Privy Council, the ladies and gentlewomen of the privy chamber and bedchamber, and maids of honor | Velvets | Crimson | | | Furs - genets and lucerns | Black | | | Wives of barons' sons, or of knights. | Velvet | | Gowns | | Furs of leopards | | | Embroidery of silk | | | Spangles or pearls of gold, silver, or pearl | | Cowls, sleeves, partlets, and linings | | Enameled chains, buttons, aglets, and borders | | | | Satin, damask, or tufted taffeta | | Gowns, kirtles, or velvet in kirtles | | Fur whereof the kind groweth not within the Queen's dominions, except foins, genets, bodge, and wolf | Grey | | | Daughters of knights, and of such as may dispend 300 marks by the year so valued ut supra, and the wives of those that may dispend £40 by the year. | Silk grosgrain, doubled sarcenet, camlet, or taffeta | | Gowns | | Satin or damask | | Kirtles | | Gentlewomen attendant upon duchesses, marquises, countesses | Liveries given by their mistresses | | Liveries | | Wives of barons, knights of the order, or councilors' ladies, and gentlewomen of the privy chamber and bed chamber, and the maids of honor | Velvet, tufted taffeta, satin | | | | Gold or silver | Gold or silver | Petticoats | | Knights' daughters | Damask, taffeta, or other silk | | Petticoats | | Damask, taffeta, or other silk | | Cloaks | | Status or Position | Material of Clothing allowed | Color of Clothing allowed | Item of Clothing allowed | Sumptuary Laws - Tudor Clothes allowed for Rich Women |
Tudor Clothes for the Rich
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