Renaissance and Medieval Costumes

The Renaissance is an important period in history with a phenomenal timeline. It is a costumer’s delight and along with the Middle Ages is one of my favorite periods in history – for personal reasons.

My hometown is situated within the perimeter of one of the most famous castles in Medieval France. In fact, our property extends right down to a section of original walls...which are still standing! The view from the garden is nothing short of spectacular.

It goes without saying that history has always been a favorite subject and what better way to re-live it than to wear the clothes of the period?

As a result, stepping back in time through participation in living history events, re-enactments and costuming in general has always been an important pastime and a tool which allows us to keep our personal family history alive.

In fact, we've gathered costuming information for various historical time frames. Thanks to a diverse heritage, circumstances, historical events and geographical locations, we have always had one foot in the past and one in the present.

At Hobbie’s House, we all take history quite seriously. These days, our aim is to preserve history, especially here in the Old Dominion, where progress is fast encroaching on historical sites.

Renaissance Costumes

With the current popularity of Renaissance fairs, it's no wonder that traditional Renaissance costumes are equally popular.

Not only reserved for the fair workers and those who attend them, Renaissance costumes also make charming additions to Halloween and costume parties.

So, what are the basics that encompass the Renaissance period? Well, it all depends.

The era spanned a long period of time and the costumes largely depended on the specific year, more so on social standing, and varied a great deal from country to country.

So it is one thing to decide that you want to dress in traditional Renaissance costumes and another to understand exactly which type of costume you would like. In addition, you have a few options in obtaining a costume.

If your main purpose is to attend a Renaissance Fair, you may want to contact the event organizers to see where they suggest you get the costumes.

Some have several booths where they sell the costumes or if you want to rent, you may be able to do it at the fair or they can suggest a shop nearby that will accommodate.

If you are a frequent attendee of the fair, you may want to consider buying or making your own Renaissance costumes.

You can choose from a wide variety of sewing patterns but costuming companies have a great selection of Medieval and Renaissance costumes for men, women and children.

If you want to wear your Renaissance costumes to a costume party or for Halloween, you may not need to worry so much about authenticity. At the fairs, more people will probably scrutinize your outfit. At a costume party, you are probably just looking for something that is fun and will look great. In this case, you can take dressing up in a Renaissance costume as far as you want it.

You can find Renaissance costumes at Renaissance fairs, and at costume shops. You can also find them at online auction sites or at online costume stores. Of course, there is also the possibility of making your own from a pattern you design or purchase.

Keep in mind that if you do decide to purchase your own costume they can get expensive. Some people specialize in making authentic, home sewn Renaissance costumes. If you choose to purchase one of these, you will certainly end up with a striking outfit. The only drawback is that it may cost a lot more than you were expecting to pay. So don't forget to check eBay for some fabulous finds.

Events & Faires

Need a bite to eat while at the Festival? Don't leave without sinking your teeth into one of those huge, grilled turkey drumsticks! Food fit for a king or queen...

Here in the Old Dominion, we have the Virginia Renaissance Festival during May and June.

Check Faire News for Ren Fairs, Medieval, Pirate, and Fantasy Festivals in your area.

Faire-Folk.com displays a list of events throughout the United States.

You can also search this site for another complete listing of Ren Fairs from state to state and beyond!

Costumes & Clothing

For the serious collector or the re-enactor searching for authentic looking accessories, be sure to visit The Castle Court. The Castle Court carries an incredible selection of replicas - everything from Spartan helmets and shields to varied accouterments from armor to chain main tunics and coif.

Purveyors of incredibly beautiful Medieval and Renaissance clothing, ArmStreet also carries accessories, armor, footwear and spectacular custom made items.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!...Whether you call it a cape, wrap, coat, cloak or robe, you will find it at Twin Roses Designs. The garments are spectacular in design and beautifully crafted. Authenticity is evident in every detail. Twin Roses offers clothing for nearly every period in history as well as all your fantasy land favorites!

Click HERE for a beautifully authentic collection of renaissance costumes for children. Child Costumes is a great source of economically prices period costumes for children.

Pearson's carries unique and elegant period costumes and medieval clothing. They have a great selection and lowest prices for historical clothing and costumes. Check them out for an authentic line of wench costumes, bodices, princess gowns, dresses, and clothing for men.

Amazingly enough...Amazon.com has an excellent collection of Renaissance Costumes and accessories.

The Very Merry Seamstress has costumes and gowns plus assorted garb for men, women and children in Medieval, Renaissance, and Regency styles. They also have a beautiful selection of period wedding gowns! Not sure what you are looking for in period garb? Check out their catalog.

Looking for a specific historical character? How about an adult, super deluxe, Anne Boleyn costume? or maybe a Guinevere costume gown, complete with cape and headpiece?

A personal favorite "event" is the Marching Through Time event at Marietta Mansion in Glen Dale, Maryland. Marching Through Time is usually held during the 3rd weekend in April. The event is a multiple period, living history encampment, with reenactors from Viking times through the Gulf War.

Mock battles and tactical demonstrations are performed during the day, and visitors are invited to visit the camps, mingle with the participants and learn about their accoutrements. The photos below were taken during a recent Marietta Mansion weekend.

Sewing Patterns For Historical Costumes

We are not the only fans who are into creating/sewing our own period garb for Renaissance Fairs and other events. For the best in period costuming resources, or check on authenticity of design details, we always turn to Amazon.com.

The paisley vest you see in the slide show was made to be worn with a slate blue skirt and a muslin shirt.

Most of our costumes are created using a combination of sewing patterns.