Medieval Garb Question

[Celtic_Fae]

I wear noble garb (fancy bodice with detachable sleeves and a split overskirt with fancy forepart underskirt) over a hoopskirt for my Renaissance faires, with either a french hood or a tall hat, following the direction of what the cast is wearing. After a bad bout with the garb snarks at some of my FL faires, having my gown, hoopskirt, etc. picked over and being insulted in public, I have a question to pose to you. How would I use my Renaissance faire nobility garb for a medieval faire? I was really put off and embarrassed by the remarks I got, so I am a bit afraid to go to a medieval faire when all my garb is fashioned for the Renaissance faires. When I've tried to research medieval fashion and headwear, all I've come across are sites advertising garb without distinction of time period. I'm not looking for complete HA, but I don't want to be the butt of jokes either like I was with this one woman and her friends.

[dott1]

Welp... I did a quick google search for "Medieval clothing how to"  and came up with this....
http://www.virtue.to/articles/#Clothing
Hope that helps a little... I ended up looking thru it for about an hour... very interesting!

[Tammy]

Well first I wanna say whoever snarked you was wrong for being rude. Unless you specifically asked for her opinion...she was completely out of line!

Second...with medieval clothing I think of things such as this...


Or chemises with surcote's over them like this...
https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/rh019-14th-century-womens-surcote.php?s=&c=22&d=29&p=537&w=21

[Celtic_Fae]

That's what I think of, too. I was just wondering if it was at all possible to get away with using the garb I have, since A) I don't have any specifically medieval garb right now and B) the medieval garb I've tried on in the past wasn't at all flattering. 

[Tammy]

Well...I won't say it's flattering...but my 2nd trip to Ren Faire...I wore this....

I know it wasn't period correct, but it was that or the faery costume I had worn the 1st time there (I had made that for Halloween).
It has an elastic neckline, that I pulled down to my shoulders...the red straps you see are from a Fredrick's of Hollywood corset I had on underneath (to smooth out the silhoutte  ) .  I got compliments...and even had a couple stop me ans ask for a picture. They liked that it was different. 

[Celtic_Fae]

Good idea of the corset underneath. My problem has always been the hills and valleys that a corset helps to correct.

[Tammy]

Well, that gown is made for a size 14...I'm a size 16/18 (depending on how it's made)...so the corset really helps it not look quite so clingy...and it holds in the tummy, and pushes up the girls. 

[Sir William Marcus]

After a bad bout with the garb snarks at some of my FL faires,

Thats just not good. I'm so sorry to hear you had to even experience that. 

Moving on miLady. You may want to add "Medieval Costume and Fashion by Herbert Norris" to your book collection. Its a good reference book to have and you can usually find a good used copy at Amazon for dirt cheap.

[Var Greyshadow]

This is what I think of when I think medieval:

[DragonWing]

I found this pattern and to me it looks very similar to Renaissance gowns but with out the elaborate extras.

http://www.butterick.com/item/B4571.htm?tab=costumes&page=2

Is there some way you can alter your gown/s to look something like it? 

[DonaCatalina]

The women's garb in Braveheart was actually not too far from accurate....even though the princess was only five years old at the time.
Maybe this will give you some inspiration.

[sealion]

The person who snarked you was totally out of line. Just remember the old saying "Those mind don't matter than those who matter won't mind."
I really wouldn't get stressed out over what to wear to the medieval faire. From the one I've attended and most of the photos I've seen online for medieval faires 90% of the people are wearing the same garb the would wear to a rennaissance festival. The only time I was ever snarked was when I wore medieval headwear to what I thought was a medieval faire and one of the cast members dressed in typical wench garb made a rude and ignorant comment about it! LOL If you really do want something plausibly medieval try http://historicenterprises.biz/kirtle-linen-circa-11501450-p-906.html?cPath=100_191 or http://stores.shop.ebay.com/The-Gift-of-Garb__W0QQ_armrsZ1 to purchase or if you sew this pattern isn't completely accurate but it's not bad and you can make it more or less fancy depending on your fabric choice http://www.butterick.com/item/B4827.htm?search=4827&page=1

[VIII]

Yeah, we used to have 'Garb-snarks' at Scarborough, but we've grown up since then.

[raevyncait]

Yeah, we used to have 'Garb-snarks' at Scarborough, but we've grown up since then.

Oh, we still have them, they just don't get publicly vocal about it, at least in my experience.

[Betty Munro]

Garb snarks suck.

Aren't we all there just to have fun?