Elizabethan Clothing
Clothing in Elizabethan England showed the social status of the owner. The wealthiest people owned the nicest clothes, many times made out of velvet, corduroy, satins, and other fine weaves. The lower class people would be found wearing less sophisticated clothes, with far fewer embellishments.
Lower Class
Women
An undergarment of a poorer woman was a smock. It comes made of linen, can be knee or calf length, and has long sleeves. The smock was almost completely cut in rectangles with very straight lines. A rectangular shape prevents wasting precious fabric. These smocks were most often found in off-white, and had little or no embroidery.
The skirts that peasant women wore were to their ankles or longer. They were very full around the waist, and not fitted. They were also very plain. The skirts were usually made of wool or linen.
Another item worn by peasant women is a bodice. A bodice is a vest-like garment, used for support, which takes the place of a modern corset or bra. The bodice was usually laced up, but could be fastened other ways.
Men
The undergarment of a man during the Elizabethan period was a shirt. Like the smock, it was made of linen, and cut into rectangular pieces. The shirts could be found with or without collars, which either tied or buttoned. The sleeves of the shirt were long and full. Unbleached white was the most common color.
The trousers of the peasants were called breeches, or nether hose. Many times the trousers were knee-length, and gathered at the waist. These pants sometimes had a fly front, but many fastened with buttons or ties.
Similar to the bodice of the women, the men wore a loose, unstructured vest called a jerkin. The jerkin was often made of leather, and was usually thigh length. Jerkins laced, tied, or buttoned up.
Men's sleeves were worn separately when the weather was cool.
Cloaks were made of wool, and mid calf or knee...
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