Sewing a Tudor Kirtle for Anne Boleyn: 16th Century Basic Underdress

The kirtle is the basic underdress of the Tudor period. We really only get a glimpse of them in portraits at the neckline and forepart, but they are essential for providing the right support and silhouette for Tudor fashions. Corsets as we know them didn’t exist in the early 16th century.

I am embarking on bringing to life this portrait of Anne Boleyn through recreating her clothing, and while I have a Tudor smock and petticoat already, I need a black kirtle for this outfit! This video follows my construction methods for sewing a Tudor kirtle, specifically for an elite 1530s ensemble, but the techniques are applicable for kirtles and bodied petticoats from throughout the 16th century and different social classes.

I referenced "The Tudor Tailor" and "The Tudor Child", available here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheTudorTai...

Hand Sewn Eyelet Tutorial:    • Historic Fashion Tutorial Series: Eyelets  

Images:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...

Music:
Achaidh Cheide by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Teller of the Tales by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license