Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII

Henry VIII used his wardrobe, and that of his family and household, as a way of expressing his wealth and magnificence. This book will encompass the first detailed study of male and female dress worn at the court of Henry VIII (1509-47) and will cover the dress of the king and his immediate family, the royal household and the broader court circle consisting of the nobility and clergy. Evidence will be drawn primarily from the Great Wardrobe accounts, wardrobe warrants, and inventories, and it will be interpreted using evidence from narrative sources, paintings, drawings and surviving garments. Key areas for consideration will include the cut and construction of garments, materials and colours, the function of livery and the hierarchy of dress amongst the social elite, and the network of craftsmen and merchants working for the court.