16th Century Fashion For Men

16th century fashion for men was just as elaborate as any other century. Hats were mandatory and a man could face a fine if seen without one. Materials included cotton, velvet and satin. It was mostly flannel for lower class men. White shirts were billowy with long puffy sleeves. Worn over the shirts was the doublet, a fancy type of vest that was usually tied on both the front and sometimes the back man. The doublet came in all kinds of rich patterns and came to define the Renaissance man.

Lower class men wore a type of trousers called trews that were loose fitting. Upper class men wore puffy breeches, sometimes called Venetian breeches. 16th century fashion for men also saw the use of the trunkhouse which were puffy-like breeches with slits revealing contrasting colors. These types of breeches would be toned down in later centuries, but would come to the standard of a man’s wardrobe for the next few centuries. Men wore hose at this time, often made of wool, but sometimes silk for men who could afford it. Both short and long boots were available, but regular shoes made of leather were also an option. It was also popular in the 16th century fashion period for men to wear capes which was also a nice accessory that usually stopped around the back of the waist and sometimes sported over one shoulder.