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 Costumes and accessories are the tools you will use to create your Renaissance character. Choosing your character's level in society will dictate the costume. Peasants will naturally have simpler (and often more comfortable) clothing that middle class and nobility.
Renaissance clothing really does make the man or woman. The more you feel like you are that character, the easier it will be to pretend that this is all real. Picking your character and shopping for your costume parts, whether you buy them or make them yourself, should be an enjoyable experience.
How To Get Started
Decide who you are and that will tell you what kind of costume to make. Or decide what kind of costume you want to make and that will tell you something about your Elizabethan self.
We recommend the following book as the ultimate guide to making your own costume:
 Elizabethan Costuming (For The Years 1550 - 1580)
Elizabethan Costuming (For The Years 1550 - 1580) has been the "Bible" of Renaissance Faire costumers for over 25 years. We highly recommend it as an instructional guide whether you are creating your own costume or simply want to know how to put a correct costume together from the clothing merchants at the faire. This book should be required reading for all costumed faire participants.
Cost: This is what may be your most limiting area, so this is where we will begin. A simple costume, especially peasant, can be very inexpensive to make. (Borrowing, of course, is cheaper still, but it’s not quite the same as having your own costume or as the Ren Folke say, garb.) Unless you make some incredible finds at garage sales or find an Elizabethan sale rack at Mervyn’s, you can expect to spend at least $30 (we’re talking basic peasant here).
 Generally speaking, the higher up you go in station (Elizabethan for status) the more you will spend.
Fabric: Desirable fabrics would be natural fabrics,. Natural fibers such as wool, linen, cotton, silk are preferred, both for comfort and authenticity. Equally acceptable are blends of these, proving they look like they belong in Elizabethan England.
Now…(this may be obvious, but you’d be surprised) NO polyester double knit (here’s a clue: if it looks like you could make a leisure suit out of it, go ahead, just don’t wear it to FAIRE).
Colors: Earth colors and muted tones are best, just ask if you’re not sure. These would have been obtained through natural dyeing. The darker or deeper the color would most likely show that you were from higher up the social ladder and bright colors would have been difficult to create and to maintain. White would not have been for long.
Black is reserved for nobility and purple is reserved for the Queen.
Colors to avoid (or not even think about): hot colors: pink, chartreuse, orange, or any day-glo color. No prints, please…they weren’t invented yet.
Resources: Search on the internet and/or visit your local library. Sites and books on history, art or costuming are good places to start
Thanks for Visiting!
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