Dressing a Tudor Queen: Historically Accurate 1530s Clothing

Learn about clothing fit for a wife of Henry VIII!

I've loved Tudor history, especially the six wives of Henry VIII, since I was a kid and it has always been a dream of mine to have an historically accurate Tudor gown! A couple years ago, I finally felt that my sewing and research skills were up to the challenge. The outfit consists of a linen smock, a wool and silk satin petticoat, a silk satin kirtle, and a fur-trimmed gown, and is completed with a "gabled hood" (a modern fashion history term for the bonnet, front, paste, and edging that make up this style of headwear).

There are a lot of misconceptions about Tudor clothing (they didn't wear corsets!) so I hope this sheds some light on the various layers and accessories involved in dressing a Tudor queen like Anne Boleyn or Jane Seymour.

References:

Arnold, Janet. Patterns of Fashion 4: The Cut And Construction Of Linen Shirts, Smocks, Neckwear, Headwear And Accessories For Men And Women C. 1540 - 1660. Pan Macmillan: London. 2008.

Hayward, Maria. Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII. Routledge: New York. 2017.

Johnson, Caroline. The Queen’s Servants: Gentlewomen’s Dress at the Accession of Henry VIII. Fat Goose Press: Lightwater. 2011

Leed, Drea, ed. “Tailor's Bill for Lady Elizabeth Saye, taken from the manuscript bundle "Inventory of Goods of Lady Saye, private bills and memoranda" at the PRO.” http://elizabethancostume.net/cyte/no...

Mikhaila, Ninya. Personal correspondence.

Philobiblon Society (Great Britain), et al.. An Account of Materials Furnished for the Use of Queen Anne Boleyn, And the Princess Elizabeth: by ... "the King's Mercer," Between the 20th Jany. 1535 ... And 27th April, 1536. [London: Philobiblon Society, 18623.

St. Clare Byne, Muriel. The Lisle Letters. Vol. 5. The University of Chicago Press. 1981.


Music:
Suonatore di Liuto by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...