Anybody know where I can find a quality authentic-looking Renaissance Costume?

Question

Most costumes I've looked at are made with shiny fabrics that don't look real. This Halloween costume is going to dub as Renaissance Faire garb.

Answer 1

Make your own! If you can sew a straight line, it's really not that hard. Stay with natural fibers (cotton, linen, wool). Synthetics trap the heat, and you do not want that at Faire, unless you want to get the attention of that cute EMT in the ambulance.

Start here, for skirt (you'll want to make 2) and chemise patterns
http://www.reddawn.net/costume/patterns.htm
Then here for a bodice pattern
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/kirtlepat/index.html
and voila!
Don't go with the commercial patterns; they won't fit right, and are way more complicated than the more authentic patterns... (I've tried both, the authentic way was much, much easier...)

Or, go here to buy one:
http://www.verymerryseamstress.com/sales.htm

Answer 2

Sounds like a lot of fun! Here's some of my favorite on line shops to buy Renaissance or Medieval costuming. I've lost track of which ones of these I've actually bought from, but I've never had a problem, and I'm sure the ones I haven't bought from yet are good as well. Have fun browsing! There's a LOT to see! =)

http://www.ancientcircles.com/
http://www.bytheswordinc.com/acatalog/Women_s_Clothes.html
http://camelot.windsofstorm.net/
http://www.castlegardencreations.com/
http://www.garbtheworld.com/
http://www.garbtheworld.com/
http://www.fantasycostume.net/renaissance/
http://www.pendragoncostumes.com/
http://nicknacks-n-more.com/renaissance.htm
http://www.sapphireandsage.com/index.html
http://www.swordsofhonor.com/clothing.html
http://www.verymerryseamstress.com/home.htm

Answer 3

Try eBay. Otherwise, go to a Renaissance Festival and pick one up. Your best bet is to go buy a pattern (try http://simplicity.com) and then pick out the fabric you like and get that too. Then sew it all together, or take it to a seamstress or a friend and pay someone else to do it if you can't sew or don't have time.

Answer 4

http://www.reliks.com

Just do a search, you'll have to weed out the cheapo costumes. This site has good ones and the site mentioned by the first responder is excellent also.

Answer 5

Theatre companies use specialised shops that provide costumes. You could try then as they will rent out to the general public.

Answer 6

if you sew or know someone who does, then look on the Simplicity , McCall's, Vogue websites, they have great patterns for the kind of costume you are looking for and it is cheaper and will fit you better and you will be able to add extras....Good luck, I hope you find what you are looking for

Answer 7

Museum Replicas has some nice stuff.
http://www.museumreplicas.com/webstore/home.aspx
They have been around for a long time and are dependable.
We are headed to our Ren-fest in a few weeks. (Crownsville MD)
Have a great time!

Answer 8

ebay has good stuff, made to request, 2-3 seamstresses on there are VERY reasonable

Answer 9

try the sexygirlshop.com
they always have good costumes

Answer 10

www.shantillyslace.com
www.maidmarians.com