Renaissance Costumes for Men

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Peasants wear colors but the fabrics from which their clothes are made is much less luxurious to the touch than that of nobility. You may have a velvet (or something that looks velvety), satin, or brocaded vest, jacket that you could wear with a nobleman's costume.

Shirts, jerkins, doublets, capes

"Shirts should be long-sleeved and full-bodied. Drawstrings, high collars, drop collars, and no-collared shirts are appropriate. No zippers (that show) or pockets if you can help it! A jerkin is a loose-fitting vest, usually sleeveless. A doublet is a tight-fitting vest." In a pinch, you can'st adapt a loose-fitting shirt of your father, propping up the loose collar with a piece of matching toned yarn or string to hold it in place for a high-collared shirt. Do you have an old shirt that could be altered? Cut off the collar for a no-collar look. Drop-collared shirts may be done by tacking men's handkerchiefs at the shoulder to 'drop' 1/3 down the front of the shirt; one on both sides. Remember to wear the correct color!

Capes? What tablecloths do you have a home that are the right colors for the Renaissance? Tack on a ribbon of a matching color for a tie to hold it closed. Capes in our time were, sometimes, black on the outside and deep red or orangish-brown inside. Quite dapper!

Breeches, pants, and hose

I notice that the pants you have on are way too tight! "Pants or breeches should be full with lots of volume, not form-fitting! Length can be thigh-high, above the knee, or below the knee. Ankle-length pants are quite inappropriate. No zippers or pockets showing. Loose-fitting appropriately colored 'sweats' would work fine for breeches! Hike them up over your hose and hold them in place below the knees with a rubberband (that isn't too tight) of even with dull-colored masking tape that will look like a fabric band around the bottom edge of each pant leg!

Wear hose (Men do wear hose in our time - keeps the legs warm and protected from the elements!) or woolen socks if your legs aren't covered by pant legs. "Only Scots and the Irish show bare legs!" Hose - I hear you sniggering - could be long white athletic socks, covered at the knee with the pants you are going to wear.

 

 

Accessories

Soon you will be or already have adoped a name from our time! Accessories make the man! For your 'character' , think of what little additions to your costume would indicate your station in life or your occupation that you will be apprenticing. "You should at least have a belt and a purse." Don't be a clumperton! a purse is really a leather pouch with a drawstring and loop that is to be hung from your belt. How else would a man carry his money and most important belongings?

 

Hats and hair

"Everyone wear hats except the Irish and the Scots. Proper hats include the muffin cap (It does look like a muffin! Poofy at the top with a wide, tight headband.), biggins (a close-fitting cap worn by children), flat caps, felt and straw hats. Women wore hair pinned up or braided under their hats."

 

 

Shoes and hose

"Bare feet and legs are inappropriate - unless you're an Irishman or a Scot! Most earth-toned shoes will work: wallabies, Minetonka mocassins, closed-toe Birkenstocks. In a pinch, use black kung fu slippers" or even brocaded slippers. If you only have those althletic shoes I see on your feet - whoever thought of those? They look so cumbersome! - take a remnant of cloth that is earth-toned and cover the tops of your shoes, taping or pinning each around your ankle.