If the fantasy bug has bitten you, especially after watching a plethora of fantasy shows, then going to a Renaissance Faire might just scratch that itch. However, you might be facing the age old question, what do I wear? If you have no idea where to start, then this guide will help you figure it out!
Historical Accuracy
If you want to wear something that’s a bit more historically accurate, you have a few choices. You could make something using a pattern like this:
Or, if you’re not sewing inclined, you can get some basics from sites like Medieval Collectibles, Pendragon Costumes, and Museum Replicas. Mostly, you want to figure out what “status” you’re going as. Personally, I’m a fan of going as a peasant because you get a bit more leeway in what you wear. But you can also go as a merchant, or someone who may be in a royal court.
Many faires have guidelines, so check those out if you’re unsure. Just a warning though, this is a rabbit hole, so if you get overwhelmed easily, start out simple.
Themed Days
Another great option is checking out if your local faire has themed days/weekends. For example, a faire I attend has a pirate weekend, a viking weekend, etc. These weekends are a great way to have some guidelines, but also have some fun with your look. Again, you can either make your own, or pieces together some looks from the sites above.
Cosplay
OK, so we’ve all seen a show where someone time travels back to the medieval times, right? Well why not try wearing a costume from that series? A few I can think off the top of my head are, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. This can also overlap with themed weekends.
Or even better, why not use a non-fantasy show to put together a Renaissance inspired look? This version of The Mandolorian is fantastic and accurate!
Fantasy
Ok, so lets be serious here, one of the reasons we’re interested in going to a Renaissance Faire is the fantasy appeal, so let’s go all in! Why not take inspiration from your D&D character, or maybe one of your favorite fantasy characters from a novel or film? The best part of fantasy is you can just make it up! Here are some great patterns to start with:
Modern Fantasy
If you want that sweet spot of dressing up, but also the comfort of modern clothing, then consider a modern fantasy look. I also call this the Guild Party aesthetic! The Longsword Dress is a great example of a garment you could dress us and accessorize to get that Ren Faire feel. Here's a video of me doing just that!
I've also written a helpful guide on how you can incorporate more modern fantasy looks into your wardrobe.
Plain Clothes
This might seem obvious, but you can just go wearing what you normally wear! I love dressing up in costume, but realize that it’s not for everyone. I also get that you may be overwhelmed the first time you go. So just go and have fun!
If you do feel like you want to dress up later, there are plenty of merchants at these faires that would love to sell you something. That’s actually what I did for the outfit below!