How Did People Dress In Renaissance England?

What was popular in Renaissance clothing in the 16th century?

Women

Every woman’s outfit, from lower class to royalty, included a shift which was a loose, linen smock. During this time, bathing was frowned upon and clothing was very expensive so this was worn to protect the gown. They would also wear stockings, which were normally knee-high. Petticoats were worn to fill out a gown and to keep the wearer warm. (This was the time of a mini ice age.)

The fashion of Renaissance clothing for women was gowns comprised of a tight-fitting bodice and a fuller skirt that would hang down to the ankles.  This was called a kirtle. Wealthy women would adorn them with elaborate embroidery, often in silver or gold thread, and precious gems like sapphires and pearls.

Upper-class women’s gowns while beautiful, were heavy, and restricted movement for the wearer. They also required help with dressing in these gowns.

You can watch this in action at the Central Coast Renaissance Festival when Queen Elizabeth’s ladies dress her as they talk about what they are doing.

Additionally, the outfits entailed bum rolls which were crescent-shaped cushions worn around the hips. They also wore farthingales, hoop skirts used to hold the skirts out, for added comfort.

Do you want to make your own Renaissance costume or just want to learn more about what was worn? We recommend reading Elizabethan Costuming (For The Years 1550 – 1580) and  Historic English Costumes and How to Make Them

Most women are dressed in multiple layers, with the wealthiest women wearing as many as five layers of clothing. The top layer of a wealthy woman’s outfit, the kirtle, was a tight bodice finished with a long, flowing skirt. Kirtles tended to be adorned with elaborate jewelry and other ornamentation.

Lower Class

Women of the lower classes wore similar yet much less-elaborate dresses, in the same silhouette, but with fewer layers and less ornamentation. They also did not generally wear the restrictive collars preferred by upper-class women. Not only could they not afford all the clothing layers, they also needed more freedom of movement because they had to work. They also did not have servants to help them dress. Lower-class women would wear a much looser corset or none at all.

Are you good at sewing? Check out this Renaissance Faire Wench Pirate Gown Medieval Dress 3 Piece Set Red pattern.

Covering one’s head was also very important in Renaissance clothing. Elizabethan fashion dictated that the head was adorned with a hat, veil, coif (a plain white linen, close-fitting cap tied under the chin), or caul (a type of hairnet) making sure that much of the hair was hidden by some form of head covering or hat. The style of the head covering dictated the hairstyle. Higher-Class Women

Higher-class women wore quite elaborate headdresses. Many of the hats were adorned with feathers, pearls, glass jewels, spangles, gold thread, embroidery, and lace. Lower-class women tended to wear simpler head coverings, such as half-bonnets, berets, or veils. 

For the noblewoman, you can buy this Museum Replicas Limited Tudor French Hood Ladies Gable Headress (Black) at Amazon. Or here is a pattern for Renaissance/Medieval Hats in small, medium, and large.

Status

Renaissance clothing indicated your status. The lower classes were limited in the colors and materials they were allowed to wear through sumptuary laws. For example, peasant women were prohibited from wearing fur in Renaissance England and only the queen was allowed to wear purple.

Not interested or have the time to make a costume? The Mythic Renaissance Medieval Irish Costume Over Dress & Cream Chemise Set and Renaissance Medieval Irish Costume Over Dress & Boho Chemise Set costumes have been popular with our readers.

Men

The man’s outfit would start with a shirt, similar to today’s dress shirt, but without a collar and the type of cuffs of modern dress shirts. Instead, they liked lace collars and cuffs. Then they would add a fitted top, called a doublet, and then over that a jerkin, a close-fitting jacket.

Check out this Easy Noblemans/Noblewoman’s Shirt Pattern at Amazon.

Renaissance clothing for men was intended to make them look bigger. So they wore puffy-shouldered shirts and jackets topped with capes and wide-hipped, often poofy, knee-length pants worn over stockings on the lower leg. They would round out the outfit with wide-toed shoes.

Wealthier men’s outfits were quite elaborate and infused with ornamentation. Working-class men dressed for utility and might simply wear the shirt alone.

The Codpiece

During Henry VIII’s reign, doublets became shorter, creating a space between the trousers and the doublet. To preserve modesty, the codpiece, an accessory that dates from the Middle Ages, became popular again. Those codpieces were originally cloth or animal skin pockets in the form of hose or trousers, but in the 1500s were made from various materials, and often padded or used for storage. Henry VIII used his codpiece to store money.

These additions would have been more common in an upper-class individual’s outfit than in the average Englishman’s.

A hat was a must and the most common type was the brimmed cap. Feathers were the adornment of choice for men, with large plumes often festooned upon hats.

Get this Renaissance Hat with Feathers.  Add a pair of  Men’s Ankle Banded Pants.  Complete the costume with this Mens Pirate/Renaissance Lace-up shirt and Funtasma Men’s Renaissance, Brown Microfiber boots.

Children

Children in Renaissance England were considered simply small adults, and their dress reflected this. They were often dressed in clothing very similar to their parents.

You can find fun costumes for your children on Amazon. Here are a few to look at for boys – Renaissance Boy – Child Costume Red/Cream, Child Noble Man Costume Large, Renaissance Peasant Boy Child Size Costume Fabric for Comfortable Fit, Including Shirt, Pants, Pouch, and Hat, and for your little knight, California Costumes Gallant Knight Toddler Costume. Top the costume off with a Tudor Hat.

Young boys and girls wore dresses during infancy and toddlerhood. They would wear coifs, also called biggins.

Young Boys

Young boys were dressed this way to assist in toilet training and caregiving. When boys were old enough (usually around the age of seven, when they could start helping their fathers) they were put into their first pair of breeches, or hose. They called this getting “breeched”.

For girls, check out the Big Girls’ Renaissance Faire Costume, Child’s Renaissance Peasant Girl Halloween Costume, and for your little lady, Rubie’s Child’s Lady of The Palace Costume.

Costume Contest

Enter your child in the children’s costume contest happening both days of the festival at 1:30 PM on the Buccaneer Stage (pirate ship).

Although portions of the costume, such as a hat or shoes, may be purchased, we want you to exercise some creativity by making significant portions of the costume. Have fun with this!

You can find patterns such as this Brave Forest Princess Kids Costume on Amazon.

Conclusion

Since specific Renaissance styles varied according to country and the specific period of the Renaissance era, you will see this reflected throughout the Central Coast Renaissance Festival.

Now what should you wear when attending a Renaissance Faire?

You actually can wear anything you like, costumes are not required or even necessary to have fun. But if you would like to dress up, by all means, do so! With these general guidelines, you should be able to start looking for your perfect costume.

Additional Resources

Head over to our Costume Shop on this site.  Still can’t find what you are looking for? Don’t despair as there will be many clothing vendors at the Festival.