The Tudors all lived very similar lives to us currently but there are certainly numerous differences to how they lived from 1485-11603. The three topics I’m going to share with you is how they dressed, dined, and behaved.
Fashion
Tudor fashion was unquestionably a massive part of Tudor society but the clothes they wore depended on their class, but I am going to tell you what the nobler Tudors would have worn.
Women: Regardless of their status, all women would’ve worn a linen shift where it would be washed and changed daily. Wealthy women would’ve worn a silhouette which was highly embedded to show off their status, they would also wear outer layers and a headdress.
Men: Rich men would’ve worn white silk shirts which was frilled at the neck. Over the shirt, these men would wear a doublet which was like a tight fitted jacket, and they would wear fitted trousers which was also known as a hose. Ruffs were also very trendy during this period; you would’ve seen William Shakespeare and Sir Walter Raleigh wear one of these.
Food and Drinks
Similar to how the Tudors dressed, it varied on their classes on what they would’ve eaten or drank. For example, for the King his meals were a lot bigger than the typical Tudor citizen, his diet would consist of venison, game pie, pheasant, swan, heron, eel, lamprey, jellies, creams, and tarts. There was not one vegetable in site during the kings’ feasts as he considered that vegetables were for peasants. Another example of status is what the courtiers would’ve eaten, these people would’ve had at least two meals a day one at 10am and one more at 4pm, they wouldn’t have eaten as superior to the king but they would get their regular rations of bread, beer, and wine but it also depended on the rank of the courtiers as some of them would’ve acquired better meals than others.
Manner and Etiquette
Tudor behaviours and etiquettes vary in different categories such as personal hygiene which contained rinsing your hands & face before each meal, rinsing your mouth with clean water to cover up their unpleasant breath, they would also follow polite behaviour and this included not talking with your mouth full, not having your elbows/arms on the table and standing with your arms crossed was thought to be foolish and they would also have to follow eating manners which would be everyone bringing their own knives and spoons, keeping your mouth and spoon clean as possible, using your napkin to wipe your face and draping your napkin. Some of these manners are quite like what we have now like not talking with your mouth full and using your napkin but there are also some that lowered expectation like rinsing your mouth before every meal and standing with your arms crossed.
So, these are some of the ways Tudors were presented from their outfits, their diets and their behaviour.
