Find A Great Medieval Renaissance Costume For Your Renaissance Faire. See Our Full Range Of Medieval Renaissance Costumes & Outfits

We have all heard about the Renaissance period, thanks to the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. It was a cultural, social, scientific and political rebirth that continues to fascinate us to this day even when it was deemed over by the 17th century. And it is this period, too, that is the inspiration for many a medieval Renaissance costume.

Celtic Burgandy Medieval Renaissance Costume Dress

Opulence Was the Byword

During the Renaissance, men and women of almost all classes wore opulent clothing characterized by the generous, oftentimes ostentatious, use of rich fabrics such as silk, brocade and velvet. Even today, these fabrics are expensive precisely because of the quality of the cloth in terms of colors, softness and luxuriousness.

Thus, you will see paintings from this period of men and women attired in what looks like yards and yards of all types of fabrics in all possible colors that even the gowns of today cannot hope to compete with. Add in the lavish use of furs and you have a case for PETA.

Well, of course, nowadays medieval Renaissance costumes cannot be compared to the richness and opulence of the clothes they want to imitate. Basically, you only have the designs and the patterns of the clothes being similar but the materials used as well as the number of layers in a single outfit are not adopted.

Spanish Medieval Renaissance Costume Dress

Layers Galore

And speaking of layers, Renaissance clothing was made of as many as 5 separate layers piled one on top of the other. And this does not include the fashion accessories either! Women had to dress in a skirt, bodice, vest, underskirt and collar, all of which had to be worn even on a hot summer’s day. Yes, indeed, you should be thankful that the Renaissance costume you wear during Halloween is only one layer of clothing, often shortened at the hems and the sleeves, to boot.

And if you were wearing a gown, you were also required to wear a kirtle or a frock, which consisted of a flowing skirt and a tightly-fitted bodice. And when we say tightly-fitted, imagine having your corset drawn too tight.

Lest you think that it is enough layers, there was also another fad during the period especially in the Spanish and French courts. It was called the farthingale, which you might know as a rigid petticoat made of whalebone and ropes. Thankfully, this is not a feature in your medieval Renaissance costumes because it really restricted movement especially when you consider that you still had to deal with all the layers.

Italian Doublet Medieval Renaissance Costume

Accessories Overload

Don’t forget the accessories either. Women liked to wear pointed hats while men generally went for wearing berets. Even these accessories did not escape the fashion excesses of the age since luxurious materials like semi-precious stones and lace were sewn into their patterns. Did we mention that even the clothes also had gems sewn into them?

Now, pile on the family jewels and you have a case for being weighed down by cloth and stones. Still, it looks like fun on the paintings which show us the history of the 15th century fashion, so men and women of that period could have also enjoyed their clothing so we in the modern age have really nothing to complain about the fashion of the age. Not when you have a gorgeous medieval Renaissance costume to show off during parties! Oh, the romance of it all.

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