- Clothes & Costume -

Clothing is a very important part of your fantasy story. It can set the tone for the story and tell the readers much more about a character than you think. Hoods, Robes and concealing garments add mystery to a character, an eyepatch gives an evil air and rich, well cut clothes symbolizes wealth. In a space of a few sentences, you can tell your readers more about your characters without it seeming.

Fantasy writers aren't bound by any laws on how to dress their characters. But, in keeping tradition to the common medieval setting, I've included a list of clothes and advice to help you decide.

| MATERIALS COLOURS WOMEN'S CLOTHES MEN'S CLOTHES |

| SHOES, CHILDREN & CLERGY |

Blackwork: Embroidery with black silk only.

Brocade: tightly woven fabric with a raised pattern. This was originally with only gold or silver but other colors were introduced over the years. Brocade is expensive and only for those who can afford it.

Canvas: What we make sails out of? Did people really use to wear that? Yes, they did, it was coarse and made of hemp or flax and everyone wore it.

Calico: You must have heard of this as well in all those nineteenth century novels. Calico was fine white cotton imported from Asia, only for the wealthy.

Damask: Another pocket-emptying material. This was silk that was woven with various and elaborate patterns and designs. For Royalty and nobility only.

Embroidery: Not a material but it was done with material… Everyone had embroidery because it was highly prized. Often peasants only had geometric patterns but the nobles had elaborate stitches done with gold and silver.

Flannel: Jeez, grandma used to wear these… Flannel was a lightweight woolen fabric used as undergarments, bandages and wash rags also very cheap.

Frieze: this was a thick woolen cloth that was usually for outer garments and worn by everyone.

Fustian: A scarlet cloth that was lightweight and silky and like velvet except it wasn't the cheap version, more the other way round. Worn by those who were rich enough.

Gold and Silver Tissue: This speaks for itself, can you pictures peasants donning these? It was very light that had gold or silver threads woven into it. For pricing, only royalty got to lay hands on it regularly but there was the richer noble now and then.

Holland: Used for undergarments and shirts. It was very fine woven lawn material that was for the rich.

Kersey: The spell check keeps on telling me this is Jersey. But it another cloth for the richer section of the population. It's woolen, and ribbed.

Lawn: A finely women linen for the wealthy.

Musterdevilliers: Love the spelling. Musterdevilliers (gray woolen stuff) was for the middle and upper class.

Russet: Also known as homespun. It was a coarse woolen cloth that was mostly reddish brown or gray colored. The lower classes usually wore it but it was also part of the wardrobe of the poorer nobility.

Samite: Another silken cloth that was woven with gold, worn by the wealthy.

Satin: Silk fabric that was shiny on one side, I think you know this was for the wealthy.

Scarlet: NOT THE COLOR. This cloth was often red but could be another of a number of colors. It was a softer cloth that was draped in folds and for the nobility.

Serge: A woolen fabric used for clothing and lots of others such as bed-covers, hangings, funeral drapes, shrouds and more. Everyone had serge.

Silk: This was expensive cloth, woven from silk threads in the orient. It was originally only for royalty but gradually came into possession for the richer people.

Taffeta: A plan woven glossy silk for the wealthy.

Tartan: We still wear this, it's a twilled woolen fabric named after it's coloring and design

Black: For scholars, mourners and the elderly.

Blue: everyone wore light blue but the higher-ranking nobles and royalties wore dark blue. Eventually it became associated with scholars and apprentices.

Crimson: A bright red worn by the wealthy.

Flame: Another bright color, red-orange that was also for the upper class.

Gold Cloth: Royalty only.

Murrey: deep purple Red, worn by the rich.

Part-colored: Clothes that were often made up of several different colors like a harlequin doll.

Purple: Only for royalty and higher nobles.

Red: worn by everyone.

Red-brown: Very popular among all tiers of society.

Scarlet: A vibrant shade first reserved for royalty, then the nobility.

Silver Cloth: Reserved for royalty.

Siskin: Light greenish-yellow for the wealthy only.

Slate: A gray blue worn by everyone.

Tan: A light brown worn by the nobility.

Tartan: Scottish origin. These denote the wearer's clan and family.

Tawny: Very popular brownish-yellow that everyone wore.

Watchet: A light green-blue worn by all.

White: Worn by all but preferred by the nobility and royal.

Yellow: A shade which all wore.

Aprons: Worn by lower and middle class women, can be a variety of colors.

Barbe: A pleated piece of linen similar to the barbette and windows, it was worn underneath the chin of windows and over the chin to denote a noblewoman.

Barbette: A linen band that wrapped around the head, under the chin and pinned.

Butterfly headdress: It was worn at the back of the head and made of wire covered with fabric. The headdress was draped with a fine gauzy veil that draped over the forehead and down her back.

Caps: these were made of linen and often worn over frets or with barbettes.

Caul (Fret or Crispinette): A coarse hair net made out of silk, gold or silver worn by the royalty or nobility.

Chaplet: A padded roll worn on the head like a hat. It was often jeweled and embroidered of various shape variations. It was most fashionably worn with the houppelande.

Cloak: We all know what this is. It's an outer garment often semicircular or square shape. Most were fastened with a cord or brooch and nobles had their lined with fur.

Cote-hardie: This was a gown that was cut tight to the hips and then fell in pleats to the ground. A button of rows down the front were used to fasten it.

Dagged (Dagging): Scallops cut into the material for decorative means.

Diadem: It was a crown or chaplet that denoted royalty. In fantasy they can either bet the former or more like chain mail when they are made of finely riveted silver or gold. Often they are bejeweled. Priestesses, enchantresses, demons, ladies and thieves wear them.

Fillet: A fillet was a stiffed piece of linen that was molded into a wide headband and wore like a hat, often with a barbette or veil.

Fitchets: A hole cut into a cote-hardie to allow the wearer access to their purse.

Girdle: This was either metal or leather worn around the hip. The style and length varied depending on the fashion and sometimes a purse was tied to it.

Gloves: Made of leather of fabric. These were worn during winter or travel. The wealthy had theirs lined with fur and scented with flower oils.

Headdress: This was referred to a combination of a wimple, veil or the fillet and barbette, a barbette and veil or a cap and veil. Never say medieval people were simple.

Hennin: How many times have you seen those high pointed headdresses that look like a dunce cap? Well that's a hennin, they often had a piece of sheer veil worn over it or have a lirapipe attached to the point.

Hose: They were either thick as a sock or thin as our modern tights and fastened around the knee with a garter.

Houppelande: A long gown that fell loose from the shoulders, belted at the waits and had a high, tight collar.

Kirtle: Simply a dress, it could have number of shapes and was usually used to refer to the tight fitting undergone or smock.

Lirapipe: A long streamer attached to a chaplet, hennin or heat shaped headdress.

Mantle: A clock worn indoors for court and such situations. It was attached to a dress with brooches or tied with cords.

Pelisse: A jacket like covering that was often worn over a dress.

Purse: A sack made out of leather or cloth and drawn closed with rod or leather straps. These were then fastened to the girdle and the purse hung down to about mid thigh.

Sidelss Surcoat: This was an outer dress worn over a Kirtle or smock. Its sides were left open and cut to the hip. The neck could be square or round and was worn by the rich as court dress.

Sleeves: Believe it or not, sleeve fashion changed so much that these were made to come off so the owner could update them without buying a new dress.

Smock: The smock was a chemise or gown worn beneath a dress. In some styles it was all concealed whereas in other the sleeves, skirt or both were visible.

Supertunic: A strip of material with a hole cut out for the head. The sides could be sewn or not and worn by the lower class.

Tippet: A white piece of linen attached to the upper arm and wore down to trail on the floor. It was purely decorative.

Veil: They could be long or short according to fashion, worn down the back or wrapped around the shoulders. Often a circlet of band was worn to hold it in place, or it was pinned to the hair.

Widows: A wimple that was worn over the chin with a series of pleats on the front.

Wimple: This covered the throat and was often tucked into the neckline of the dress.

Breeches: These were simply pants, the lower classes tended to wear them looser and the wealthy wore more form fitting ones. Many of them had feet made into them or with loops to secure them onto the foot. They were secured at the waist with a drawstring.

Cap: A variety of small and brimless hats.

Chaperon: similar to the women's chaplet. A chaperon was made of material rolled up around the head, extra material was place up top and allowed to drape to one side. It was often worn with a coif.

Chaplet: Same as the Women's.

Cloak: Like the women's. These took on a variety of shapes and styles and were worn to keep the wearer warm in colder weather.

Codpiece: Fish fingers? No, these were hoses that were so long they met and were tied together at the waits, a small triangular piece covering the joining.

Coif: Similar to the barbette, they were made of white linen and covered the head and ears.

Cote-hardie: Worn over the gypon, the cote-hardie went originally to the knee. It was then shortened so it barely reached the hips, the front was fastened with buttons.

Cowl: These covered the head of the wearer during horrible weather and came to a point that draped down the wearer's back.

Dagging: Scallops cut into the gorget, hem of tunic or sleeves.

Doublet: A tailored tunic worn over the undertunic. The front was most often stuffed to make the wearer more 'broadshouldered".

Folly-bells: These were worn by noblemen and jesters, small bells hanging from the girdle.

Garnache: A supertunic that was allowed to drape over the shoulders to beyond the elbow. It was either left open or sewn as the sides.

Gorget: The cape part of a hood or cowl.

Gloves: Of leather for the rich and linen for the poor, they were worn out of doors but also indoors by nobles and high officials.

Girdle: Same as the women's

Hose: Made of linen of wool these were pilled over the breeches to the knee and were cross-gartered to the shin.

Houppelande: A loose gown that was hung from the shoulders and was belted tot he waist. The collar was high and tight. A slit was made at either side or down the center to allow more movement.

Jerkin: Identical to the houppelande except the collar was cut low into a circle or square.

Lirapipe: A hood that had its point extended and left to bangle down the back tot he wearer's feet.

Pallium: a toga like garment draped over the shoulders and hips.

Phyrgian cap: A cone shaped cap made of wool or linen, the brim folded up.

Tippet: A long streamer that hung down from the elbow and down the wearer's leg.

Tunic: A typical shirt.

Poorer people wore sandals or ankle length shoes, little more than leather tied onto their feet. Boots were worn by men, and had a variety of styles. The wealthy often had their boots lined with fur and would turn down the tops. Women wore shoes made of leather and sometimes fabric.

Children worn clothes identical to their parents and babied were wrapped in blankets or lightweight linen and limbs tied.

Nuns wore simple dresses, their style or color was determined by their order. Almost all wore veils and when wimples came into fashion, they wore both together. Crucifixes were often tied to their girdles and some wore wedding rings t denote their marriage to God and the Church. Many of them wore silk chemises under their coarse dresses and some even red. On the other hand, the pious would wear horsehair shirts beneath their robes to chaff their skin as a reminder of the sufferings of Christ.

Monks and priest worn homespun robes, color dedicated by their order. Some wore a wooden cross round their neck, leather sandals and shoes on their feet.

Bishops and archbishops and popes wore silks, exactly the same color and style as today.

Enchantresses and Sorceresses can wear a variety of things, determined by you. Do not give Disney type robes embroidered with stars and moons.