In-DOUBLET-tably!

The Renaissance Faire is a peculiar event that sprouted from a high school history project in Southern California during the early 1960’s. It has grown into a sub-culture that spans across the United States, Canada and Europe. Some events are solid historically based events, others are hysterical spectacles of flesh and fantasy, clinging to a thread of Renaissance history…

It’s the garb of man…and occasionally, women. The one piece of clothing that every male would have on, rich, poor...indigent, wealthy…all would have some form of the doublet to wear out and about. If you are doing a Renaissance Faire, you just have to have one.

There are many styles and shapes when it comes to the 16th and early 17th century doublet…too many to count. In addition to that, doublets came in all manner of materials, from cheap wools to fine silks and everything in between. The purpose of this article in not to delve into the historical details of the doublet’s evolution, but rather to present an ongoing visual reference. Here you will find prime source images and photos of extant doublets so you can get a feel of what they looked like and use these visual records in designing a doublet (or doublets) when you reenact. Again, I will be adding images as I find them, so check back frequently…

A word of note on 16th century doublets. The fashion form you see across Europe, the British Isles and America at this time is mostly Spanish. The doublet being worn in the dingy streets of London…is a Spanish influenced creation. Spain was the powerhouse of Europe and Western Civilization during this period, economically and fashionably, so it stands to reason all wished to emulate Iberian power and standing…and not some backwater cesspool, ruled over by a redheaded heretic…

One of the most important documents in fashion history of the late 16th century is Juan de Alcega’s Libro de geometria pratica y traça (The Book of Practical Geometry and Tailoring) published in 1589.

These are clothes all of Europe…AND England…were wearing. It's an invaluable resource for the Renaissance reenactor, and I recommend you find a facsimile copy with the translations if you cannot read Español. Here are the men’s doublet patterns from Alcega's…

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16th-Early 17th Century Doublet Gallery

Styles did not change quickly, and what you were wearing during Elizabeth's reign stayed pretty much the same well into the 1600s. Thomas Trevilian’s Miscellany, 1608. Artist: Thomas Trevilian

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1562. Notice the ribbon ties in lieu of buttons. Subject: Edward Fiennes de Clinton. Artist: Unknown.

Early 17th-century. An interesting example of a slashed doublet worn by an unknown gentleman. The doublet itself could very well be leather. Notice the extensive "black work" on his shirt. Artist and Subject: Unknown

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3rd quarter of the 16th-century. A striped doublet. Subject: A Knight of the Order of Calatrava. Artist: F. Pourbus the Elder

1564. Subject: Robert Dudley. Artist: Steven van der Meulen

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3rd Quarter of the 16th-century. Scotland. Subject and Artist: Unknown

1588. The amount of pearls on this outfit is STUNNING! Subject: Sir Walter Raleigh. Artist: Unknown

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1561. The first shows a leather jerkin over a cloth doublet. Subject: Unknown. Artist: Antonis Mor

1565-70. The second portrays a striped doublet. Subject: Unknown. Artist: Antonis Mor

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Early 17th-century. Subject: New England Colonists. Artist: Cowley-Cross

16th-century. Subject: A Tudor Gentleman. Artist: Unknown

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1569. Subject: Pride from the book Christall Glasse. Artist: Stephan Batman

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Early 17th-century. Portrait of an unknown gentleman wearing a slashed black doublet. Notice that he is holding a crossbow in one hand and gloves in the other, and check out that fine glass of white wine. Artist: Unknown

Mid to late 16th-century. Example of a young gentleman. It has been asserted that this might be a younger Francis Drake. He is wearing what is very likely a slashed leather jerkin, with his red silk or wool doublet peeking out from beneath. Artist: Unknown

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1560. Subject: Unknown gentleman in a pink silk suit. Artist: Giovanni Battista Moroni

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1615. Subject: Wilhelm Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia. Artist: Joachim Zivert

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1558. Another fine example of a leather jerkin worn over the doublet by a noble. Subject: Sir William Carew. Artist: Gerlach Flicke

1560. Here is a very exquisite leather jerkin worn over a very fine suit of red cloth. Subject: Robert Dudley. Artist: Unknown

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1565-1570. Subject: Portrait of an unknown gentleman. Artist: Antonis Mor

1582. Subject: Sir William Borlase of Sittingbourne. Artist: Unknown

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1585. Subject: Christopher Marlowe Artist: Unknown

1589. Subject: Sir Christopher Hatton. Artist: Unknown

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1592. Subject: Gilbert Talbot. Artist: Unknown

1593. Subject: Sir John Ashburnham. Artist: Hieronimo Custodis

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Two woodcuts one from the late Elizabethan period and the second copied and re-used in the early 17th-century...while highly impractical (who is going to furrow rows in their Sunday finest?), it is a good representation of what the lower classes might wear...

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Beating a beggar to the city limits...notice the slashed jerkin on the fellow holding the "cat o' nine tails", it's probably leather. Also, the upper class gent is wearing a flat cap bonnet...

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Even the condemned were properly dressed...

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The poor beggar, or soap-eating con-man. Even the beggars had a doublet, albeit a cheaply made one, or a nice one they pinched! Notice the rags around his legs, the "biggins" cap on his head and the bonnet in his hand...

Same chap...just better dressed. Long doublets were from mid-century were still being worn and were apparently still fashionable, at least in the lower-classes...

Examples of long doublets from the mid 1500s