As with the women’s clothing in 1640s England, a gentleman’s outfit could give a clear message about their political and religious beliefs.

The image above was generated using AI (artificial intelligence) to show the differences between the Puritan man (left), a wealthy merchant who supported Parliament, but wasn’t a fully-fledged Puritan (middle), and one who supported the King (right). The image isn’t completely accurate, but hopefully it’s useful for the purposes of illustration. 

The key items of note are:

Doublets 

These were fitted, padded jackets, worn by all men. They were cut close to the body, often extending to a short skirt. Although not shown in the image, those of the Royalists may have been worn slightly longer than the others.

For those with money, the doublet would be made of fine wool, silk or damask. Velvet may also have been worn by supporters of the King (royalists).  

Royalists liked to flaunt their wealth by wearing bright colours such as reds, blues, and green, and the doublet may have included decorative buttons, jewels, or embroidery to finish it off.

Merchants preferred to wear muted colours, such as grey, dull green, russet, or maroon. Decoration would be limited to possibly ‘unshowy’ buttons down the front.

Puritans should shun any sign of extravagance and wear ‘sad’ colours such as black, brown, or grey. 

Collars/Falling Bands 

Wide collars had become popular by the 1640s as replacements for the ‘ruffs’ of the 1500s. The image shows that the degree of decoration differed depending on political/religious affiliations. Puritan collars would be plain linen, the brightness of the white being a sign of the wearer’s purity. 

Merchants may have worn similarly plain collars or may have preferred those discreetly edged with lace. Royalists, on the other hand, would wear large, lace-edged collars, often with a bow, or band strings that hung loosely. They would also wear matching lace cuffs.

Hats

These were an essential part of any gentlemen’s wardrobe, with the fashion favouring those with wide rims and flat tops. 

There were still differences between the groups with Puritans wearing plain hats, while royalists would wear their hats turned up on one side and plumed with a large feather (as is just visible on the image above). They may also attach a jewel. Merchants continued to favour the less flamboyant style but may have worn hats decorated with a buckle on the front.

Shirts

Beneath their doublets, men would wear a fine linen shirt. These were long, full casements, which may, in their own right, have lace collars and cuffs. For the royalist gentlemen, they may wear them under a doublet with slashes in the sleeves to show off the fine quality of the shirt. If you look at the man on the right-hand side of the image above, you can just see some white on his upper arm. The slashes may, in reality, have been more pronounced than that.  

Breeches

The fashion at the time was for men to wear breeches. These were full and reached to just below the knee, where they would be gathered and fastened with buttons or ribbons. For the Puritan or merchant, the breeches would be plain, often to match the fabric and colour of the doublet. The royalist may have worn ‘paned’ breeches, which means they had strips showing a contrasting fabric beneath.

Stockings

These would usually be made of knitted silk or wool and would come to the knee so that no bare leg was visible. Black or other dark colours were most common except among the royalists who might wear brightly coloured silk stockings.

Cloak

Outdoors, especially in cold weather, men would wear cloaks (sometimes called overgarments). For Puritans and merchants these would typically be short or medium length. They would be plainly cut, of heavy wool or broadcloth and often with minimal lining. Royalist cloaks may have been longer and would be lined with contrasting silk or fur for added warmth. Cloaks would often be worn over one shoulder.

Shoes

For the Puritan/merchant, simple low-heeled, square-toed shoes were worn. They were usually made of black or dark brown leather with ribbon ties. Royalists, unsurprisingly, might have worn shoes with large rosettes or ribbons, sometimes with high heels.

Hair/Beards

The way men wore their hair could also be indicative of their political allegiance. 

The merchants would often have their hair relatively short or modestly shoulder-length. They would typically have a trimmed beard that was neatly cropped.

Puritans may have worn their hair longer, but it was still neat and never flowing. If they had a beard, it would be short and trimmed, although they may have been clean-shaven. Being clean-shaven was not common amongst the non-Puritans.

Royalists were at the other end of the spectrum. They would often have long, flowing, locks, that were carefully styled, even curled. Their beards were usually pointed with an elegant moustache.

Other Accessories

Puritans rarely wore addition accessories, but if they did, it might be a signet ring, a sturdy belt, or they may carry a bible or other small devotional book.

Merchants and royalists may choose from a variety of items:

• Gloves of soft leather.
• A sword (rapier or small sword) might be worn, although it was more as a mark of social standing than for combat.
• A cane or walking stick could also denote dignity and maturity.
• A small purse often attached to a belt.

In addition, royalists would often wear jewellery, such as rings, gold chains, or jewelled hatbands. They may also have ornate sword hilts or wear coloured sashes as in the image above. Finally, to finish off their ensemble, royalists may also perfume their gloves or hair.

If you’d like to learn more about life in 1600s England, click HERE.

For details of my previous series, click HERE.