We would like all participants to remember that we are attempting to reconstruct a total environment. We ask each of you if you haven’t done so already and if you are willing to do so to develop a unique, authentic character and to be "in character" during the faire. As stated in other places we are requiring head-to-toe costumes for all participants during hours of the faire.
This includes Merchants, Food Vendors, Entertainers and Volunteers. No participants will be in the Faire Proper out of costume during the hours of the event. Please remember, chemises with skirts and no bodice or shirts and pants with no jerkin or doublet, you are technically not fully dressed in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The eventual Goal is to get everybody Fully Dressed. (GRIN)

In keeping with the village fair theme, the illusion that our village is a “REAL” place. Garb should focus mostly on country peasant attire up to middle class for the richer merchants. Although all classes of society will be represented, the dominant ones will be peasants and merchants -- folks who would be part of/ residents if you will of a Medieval Village.

To create a "living history" environment, we are requiring that costumes be historically accurate as possible and appropriately accessorized. What you wear should accurately reflect your character,
your class, and what you are doing here at the faire. Please also understand what follows is merely
a guideline and the “Ten Foot” rule can most certainly come into play. For those unfamiliar with the term it means simply if it looks period from ten feet away it’s fine. Now as the Village is in Europe, Middle Eastern Costume or Garb is out unless you are a seller of such things from the Middle East.
To better design and create your Garb here is a good place to start:

The first question to ask yourself is, "Who am I?" The second question is "does what I'm wearing reflect that?" Often the craft that you specialize in could dictate as to certain worn items.

Fabrics: Try and use 100% natural fabrics. Some of the best fabrics to use are wool, woven cottons, raw silk, textured natural fabrics, leather, and linen. Velvet, satin, and brocades are only for the upper classes. Do not use prints, velour, sheers, gingham, seersucker, gauze, or polyesters.

Colors: Use earth tones and muted shades - browns, greens, golds, rusts, and variations thereof. Richer tones, black, and true white are reserved for the upper classes. Try to avoid using fluorescent colors, pastels, bright, or modern-looking colors.

Ornamentation: Make your character more visually interesting by using belts, pouches, drinking tankards, and occupational implements. You should use trims and jewelry sparingly, unless you are
a noble, and wear only what is accurate to your class and character. Do not use obvious makeup -
no eye shadow, glitter or metallic makeup, nail polish, or bright lipsticks. It goes without saying that people of the Middle Ages and Renaissance did not have their noses, lips, eyebrows, etc. pierced and neither should you. Also, do not wear sunglasses, wristwatches, or any other modern accessory that will destroy the illusion we are trying to create.
Note About Favors: We all get favors, we all love favors; we all want to show off our favors. However, just as with every other part of your costume, they have to be appropriate and accurate to your character. Please use discretion and wear only what is both period and in keeping with who and what you are playing at the faire.

Head and Hair: Everybody over the age of twelve wore some kind of hat or headdress, and so should you. All modern hairstyles and colors must be covered. Women's hair should be tucked under the hat or tied back, not left loose.

Shoes and Legs: Shoes and boots should be sturdy and comfortable. Most kinds of "earth shoes," high-top moccasins without fringe, closed-top Birkenstocks, and "Kung Fu" style shoes are acceptable. Wear cotton tights or knee socks. Do not wear obviously modern looking sandals, cowboy boots, heels, or sneakers. No bare legs or feet. The last is for your protection

Breeches: Pants must be full, not form fitting. Length can be thigh high, above the knee, or
mid-calf. No visible zippers or pockets.

Shirts: Everyone must wear a shirt or blouse. They should be long sleeved and full-bodied. Drawstring, high-collared, drop-collared, or no-collared shirts and blouses are acceptable.

Skirts: Skirts should be full and just below the ankle in length. No "party skirts" (different colors), ruffles, or tiers.

Bodices: Bodices should be well cut with sufficient boning and support for your figure. Although
we don't expect you to be modest, we will not be approving costumes that are "over the top."
In other words, use discretion.

Fabrics: Fabrics were coarsely woven. The lower classes mostly spun their own yarn and wove their own cloth. They also wore leather when they could get it from hunting. To make your costume as authentic as possible, use 100% natural fabrics if possible or use fabrics that look like period cloth. Some of the best fabrics to use are wool, woven cottons, raw silk, textured natural fabrics, leather, and linen. Utilizing fabrics with different textures will help to make your clothing look more functional and less like a "costume." Do not use prints, velour, sheers, gingham, seersucker, gauze, or polyesters. Velvets, satins, and brocades are not appropriate for peasants and leather if used should be of a natural shade. Check with us for fabrics that look authentic and less expensive.

Colors: Colors for dying fabrics were obtained from vegetable sources and consisted mainly of earth colors and muted tones. Shirts and shifts were left undyed because they were likely to be washed more often. As there was seldom enough time or money to buy or make a lot of cloth at one time, the color of one garment hardly ever matched the color of another. When choosing your colors, look for earth tones such as browns, greens, gold, rust, and variations thereof. All colors should be muted, not bright. Do not use fluorescent colors, reds, black, purple, pastels, bright, or modern-looking colors. Shirts and shifts should be natural, not bright white.

Ornamentation: Trim on peasant clothes was simple and usually consisted of embroidery or plain strips of contrasting fabric sewn to the edges of things to set them off. Most often, there was no trim or adornment of any kind. Trim, if used, should be simple and rustic, not shiny or patterned.
It goes without saying that peasants had no jewelry or ornaments on their clothing. At one's belt would be a pouch, a small knife for eating purposes, and perhaps a tankard and/or objects pertaining to one's profession. When choosing these, be aware of your position and carry simple items.

Footwear: Shoes should be sturdy, comfortable working shoes, either leather "earth-shoe" type shoes, boots, or "kung-fu" style cloth shoes.

Headwear: Muffin caps and coifs, either alone or with a large straw hat, are the most common style for peasants. Women's hair should be tucked under the hat or tied back - not loose - and all modern hairstyles and colors must be covered.

MEN'S CLOTHING:
Your costume should include:
• A shift or shirt, long sleeved and full bodied
• Breeches, either baggy, knee length with hose or long and cross gartered from ankle to knee
• A jerkin (without sleeves) or a doublet (with sleeves)
• Appropriate headwear and footwear
• A belt with pouch, knife, and other appropriate accessories

WOMEN'S CLOTHING:
Your costume should include:
• A long-sleeved shift
• At least two skirts with the upper skirt, usually newer than the underskirt, tucked up out of
  the dirt
• A tight-fitting, scoop or square-necked bodice with or without removable sleeves
• An apron, if working
• Appropriate headwear and footwear, with cotton tights
• A belt with pouch and other appropriate accessories
• You can also carry a basket for your purchases or items you have gathered in the fields.

This broad category consists of lower middle class, whose clothing would be similar to peasants, to upper middle class, who resemble the nobility. You'll need to define where in that spectrum your character resides in order to create a costume that will work for you and the show.

A note about sumptuary laws: these laws, equivalent to a luxury tax, are very important to keep
in mind, particularly when constructing a middle class costume. Essentially a mandatory dress code of the different classes within society, they dictated the fabrics, trim, colors, and decoration a person could wear. People who wanted to get around the laws could pay a fine, called a sumptuary tax, but bear in mind that one would have to be able to afford to do this so your character's position will determine how elaborate you can get.

Fabrics: Again, use only 100% natural fabrics or a modern look a like and vary the textures for the most authentic look. Lower middle classes used fabric similar to that of the peasants, but less coarse and sometimes purchased from a professional weaver. The best fabrics are wool, woven cottons, raw silk, textured natural fabrics, leather, and linen. For the upper middle class, fabrics remain the wools and linens but are finer quality, and can include bits of silk and velvet. Remember the sumptuary laws when adding particularly rich fabrics to any middle class costume. Check with us for fabrics that look authentic and less expensive. Do not use prints, velour, sheers, gingham, seersucker, gauze, or polyesters. Keep silks, brocades, and velvets to a minimum.

Colors: Fabric colors may be more intense than for peasants, but the nature of the vegetable dyes was such that colors would still be subdued - again, earth tones and muted shades. And they, of course, all faded with time and washing. True black was a very difficult color to obtain and maintain and was, therefore, restricted to those with the money to afford it. For the upper middle class, colors could move into more jewel tones, but not bright, and black for formal occasions.
Do not use fluorescent colors, purple, pastels, bright, or modern-looking colors. Keep black to a minimum. Shirts and shifts can be natural for the lower middle class and white for the upper middle class.

Ornamentation: Trims were simple, such as ribbon and embroidery, and always colored - gold and silver metallic threads or trim were far too expensive as was lace. As one moves up in the middle class, trims can become more ornate and include the gold, silver, and lace for those able to afford the sumptuary tax required. Jewelry also varies as one moves up in the middle class. The lower middle class would have little if any jewelry and it would be simple in design. The upper middle class would wear more ornate jewelry. Belts with pouches, eating knives, tankards, etc. were also included.

Footwear: Loafer-type shoes, boots, and kung-fu style shoes, adorned with decorative buckles or shoe roses for the upper classes.

MEN'S CLOTHING:
For the lower middle class, your costume should include the same basic garments as described for peasants, but they would be cleaner, neater, and newer. The shirt or shift could have a neck ruffle on the collar and the jerkin or doublet would be more fitted and perhaps made of the same material as the breeches.

For the upper middle class, your costume should include a shirt made of fine linen or cotton with neck and wrist ruffles and perhaps a touch of black work embroidery or lace, if you can afford it. Over the shirt will be a close-fitting doublet and breeches or slops.

Headwear: A coif with a flat cap or straw hat over it for the lower middle class, adorned with a feather or two or a flat cap or tall-crowned, small-brimmed hat with feathers and a fancy hatband for the upper middle class.

WOMEN'S CLOTHING:
For the lower middle class, your costume should include the same basic garments as described for peasants, but they would be cleaner, neater, and newer. Fabrics would be less coarse than those used by peasants. Your bodice and skirts fit better and can be made of matching fabrics, and one of your skirts might be decorated or made from a richer material than the other skirt. You can also wear a modest bum roll under the skirts and have boning or a busk down the front of your bodice to have the effect of a corset.

For the upper middle class, your costume should include a high-necked chemise of fine cotton, linen, or silk with neck and wrist ruffles and perhaps embroidery or lace, if you can afford it. Over the chemise will be a bum roll, hoop skirt, and petticoats - just like noblewomen but in a less exaggerated style - and a tight-fitting bodice.

Headwear: There are many styles from which to choose, from the simple muffin cap and straw hat of the peasant to more elaborately embroidered and decorated cauls, French hoods, and tall hats worn by noblewomen.

The nobility were the fashion setters of the land. Many literally wore their fortunes on their backs, with clothing heavily pearled, jeweled, and embroidered. The men and women of Court could afford to dress as they liked -- so long as no one tried to outshine the reigning Monarchs or Lords.
If you are considering an upper class costume, bear in mind the cost and complexity involved as well as your role in a country market fair.

Fabrics: Fabrics can be quite glorious, though they should still be 100% natural. In addition to the usual wools and linens one can include silk, satin, brocade, damask, and velvet. Check with us for fabrics that look authentic and less expensive. Do not use prints, velour, sheers, gingham, seersucker, gauze, or polyesters.

Colors: Colors were brilliant, but not loud. Black was most proper for formal wear. Remember that the colors were still made from vegetable and mineral sources so their intensity would be much less than those made from modern dyes. Think rich and deep, rather than bright. Do not use fluorescent colors, pastels, bright, or modern-looking colors.

Ornamentation: Jewelry was abundant, including gold chains, brooches, rings, strands of pearls, earrings, and jeweled buttons. Clothing was also heavily beaded, trimmed, and embroidered.

MEN'S CLOTHING:
A nobleman's costume should consist of a shirt made of fine linen, cotton, or silk with lace-edged neck and wrist ruffles. A ruff could be either part of the shirt or separate from it.
The doublet was close fitting, with matching removable sleeves and much ornamentation.
Breeches came in several styles -- slops that came to mid-thigh, padded Venetian breeches that reached the knees, or pansied or paned slops. Accessories can include a pouch, dagger or sword, gloves, pomander, and, of course, jewelry.

Headwear: Hats might be a flat cap or high-crowned, narrow-brimmed tall hat, with elaborately trimmed hatbands and feathers.

WOMEN'S CLOTHING:
A noblewoman's costume should consist of a chemise made of fine linen, cotton, or silk and including lace trim, embroidery, and/or beading. The ruff can be part of the collar or separate from it. Over the chemise should go the petticoat, hoop skirt, bum roll, corset, elaborately decorated underskirt, overskirt, bodice, and sleeves. Accessories can include a pouch, pomander, fan, hand mirror, gloves, handkerchief and, of course, jewelry.

Headwear: Many noblewomen wore wigs and long hair was kept covered. Many hat styles were available, all of which would be elaborately trimmed and decorated, including the flat cap, French hood, high-crowned tall hat, caul, and pillbox style hat with a veil.