TUDOR costume tends to be familiar as colourful clothing seen in paintings of the rich and royal, however, Val Tyler showed members of Gladestry WI at their April meeting, another side of Tudor life through the dress of the ordinary people.

Val's teenaged daughter spent her summer holidays as a volunteer at Kentwell Hall in Suffolk. As such she was required to wear the authentic costume of the time for the work she was doing, whether in the kitchens or out in the gardens. Val researched this costume thoroughly in order to hand sew appropriate Tudor wear for her daughter, to make it as authentic as possible.

Members were shown how a maid dressed from underwear to outer clothing.

Val described the problems the clothing caused the maids, and how they adapted the clothing to cope with wet weather, summer heat and winter cold.

The maids only had the one outfit, which was never washed. The undergarment was slept in and never taken off. As they grew out of their clothes, they were handed down to lesser servants, still unwashed.

Just like today, the girls shortened or lengthened the skirts, according to the current Tudor fashion. Colours were always dark blue but the outfit brightened by purple linings and colourful knitted socks.

Val went into considerable detail about how the clothing was made and worn. She built up the clothing on a dressmaker's form, so as members could watch the development and understand why each item was made as it was.

Members were held spellbound by Val's interesting information, and they had very many questions to ask which Val was delighted to answer.