Medieval Costume Do's and Don'ts

If you aren't an expert on Medieval fashion terminology then here are some notes that you can use when talking to your seamstress or rental shop clerk.

Do's

If your costume has some of these, then you're probably on the right track time-period wise.

• Wipple or Barbette (special veil)
• Cone hat
• Girdle (long narrow belt worn low on the hips and tied in the front, with excess falling to the floor)
• Kirtle, Cote, Surcoat, Houppelande or Cotehardie (all names used to refer to dresses in the medieval time period)
• Tabbard
• Tunic
• Parti-coloured garments (outer garments with colored panels divided in half or quarters)

Don'ts

Reniassance fashions are often mistaken for Medieval fashions by the uninitiated, but there is a big difference between the two periods. If you don't know the difference then take a look at this list... if your costume has one of these, then you're definately in the wrong time period.

• Hoop skirts
• Corsets
• Bumrolls (a cresent shaped pillow worn on the lady's hips below the skirts)
• Mutton pants/chops (short pants that make you look like you're wearing a fancy diaper)
• Slashing (a decorative technique where the outer garment is cut and lining fabric is pulled through the hole in decorative poofs)
• Codpieces
• Ruffs