A guide to Tudor curriculum costumes

Digging out a letter from the bottom of your child’s bookbag and discovering that Tudor Day is next week, or worse, tomorrow, is all too familiar an experience for some parents and leads to a lot of unecessary stress and panic. That’s why we have created this guide to Tudor clothing; to enable you to quickly create an authentic looking outfit for your child. 

For many schools, Tudor Days are one of the most popular educational activities in the school calendar. Not only do they give your children a unique insight into the lifestyle of the Tudor age, they are also incredibly good fun! So what can your children expect from a school Tudor Day? Primarily your children are likely to be asked to turn up in authentic Tudor costumes that encourage your children to step back in time to an exciting era of British history that included the likes of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and the leader of the creative Renaissance, William Shakespeare.

There are some brilliant characters your children can emulate – from Lady Suzanne and Queen Elizabeth to William Shakespeare and Henry Tudor himself. Fashion in the Tudor age was extravagant. Back then, the more material and the bigger and bolder your prints were the wealthier you were!  One of the most popular Tudor topics your children learn about at school is the divide between rich and poor. What do they wear? What do they do for work? What social circles do they have? It’s possible for boys and girls to get into the spirit of Tudor Day at school with outfits designed on both the rich and poor. Below we have put together a list of clothing required for your child to either be a rich nobleman or a lowly peasant. 

Boys

Men adopted the ornate Tudor look just as much as the ladies, with distinctive square shapes and natural colours that were accessorised with a ruff, wig or vibrant shoes like all Tudor noblemen. Consider the following clothing for a ‘rich’ Tudor boy outfit:

• Loose patterned trousers

• A waistcoat or jacket - preferably patterned

• Decorative hat (with colourful feather)

• Accessories – sword?

However, the simplest authentic Tudor oufit for boys is the 'poor' look! An outfit perfect for recreating a colourful period of British history, your boy will require:

• Long white socks

• Plain white t-shirt

• Dark shorts (preferably brown) 

• Dark waistcoat

• Flat cap

Girls

Meanwhile ladies were also obsessed with grand appearances, wearing dresses that are renowned for their triangular shape and headdresses to perfectly match any garment, providing an air of distinction. For a beautifully regal Tudor girl outfit you will require:

• Long patterned gown

• Floral collar

• A heavy patterned cloak

• Crown/headdress

• Gold or silver jewellery - brooches, bracelets & necklaces

It’s just as straightforward to dress up as an authentic poor Tudor girl or peasant:

• Dark skirt

• White t-shirt

• Dark waistcoat or overalls

• White hat

• White apron

The Tudor Day is a worthwhile learning experience and helps put into context the lives and achievements of some of the most memorable figures from the Tudor age. Your children will have great fun rewriting history and let’s be honest – it’s a refreshing change to the superheroes and television characters our children so religiously idolise! If you are looking for general costumes for your child then you may want to consider our Kids Fancy Dress section.