There currently seems to be a debate raging as to whether the middle class adhered strictly to sumptuary laws wearing only wool.

To that, I have gone and found as many portraits of middle and merchant class men and women between the 1550 - 1560 time frame. A very narrow number of years purposely to gauge one time period snap shot of dress. I have not restricted my search to only UK portraits but to all of Europe as the English history during this ten year span had both Protestant and Catholic monarchs.I have not included in my list any royalty or obvious royal relations - the point is to create a visual record of what the middle class could afford and actually wore.

From the portraits I have seen of merchant class wives - they tend to wear very expensive clothing, silks, velvets, brocades and jewels as it were to proclaim their husbands wealth and station, whilst the men seem to wear predominately black and it seems to be a mix of wool, silk, velvet and fur.

This will be added to over the next few months - adding book resources and a bibliogragphy where I can.