Tudor England is famous for its beautiful and ornate clothing, particularly during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Clothes were a means of displaying how wealthy a person was. Rich people could afford clothing made of fine wool, linen or silk. Their clothes were decorated with jewels and embroidered with gold thread.

No rich person felt properly dressed to impress unless he or she was wearing a ruff. Like so many Tudor clothes, it gave a strong signal

bodices and colourful floor-length gowns.

Over this they wore a doublet (a bit like a tight-fitting jacket), and close-fitting striped trousers (called hose).

What did the poor wear?

Poor people wore simple, loose-fitting clothes made from woollen cloth. Most men wore trousers made from wool and a tunic which came down to just above their knee. Women wore a dress of wool that went down to the ground. They often wore an apron over this and a cloth bonnet on their heads.

Why did Tudor mens clothes look like a square and ladies triangular?

Women's clothing gave them a triangular shape. Their corsets were tight fitting making their waists very thin, while their petticoats and gowns were very wide.

Men's clothes made them look square. They wore short jackets and the shoulders of their coat were cut wide.