Hello chaps. Okay, here is an odd one. It is once again Renaissance Festival season here in Kansas City. It really is a fun time if you let yourself get into it and just have fun. I have never donned the garb of the Renaissance and thought this year should be different. However, a quick perusal of the vendors at the faire and online reveals that a set of togs for a gent will set you back several hundred quid if they are decently made! So of course my thoughts went to making some of this myself. I am not an experienced at sewing(I know. You were thiking; No, really?) but wouldn't mind tackling some of it.
A bunch of Googling for things like trunkhose, breeches, and other items for men does not reveal much in the way of DIY. Now I am not talking one of the very nice brocade or jacquard material items like a custom jerkin or doublet. More along the lines of peasant or middle class style of dress at this late stage of the game. This would work well as a Halloween costume as well and by then, maybe a fancier set could be made. What I balk at are the ubiquitous, "one size fits most", 50" drawstring "pirate pants" sold at Renfests for $45-65. Most are made of cheap material that won't last long enough to wash five times. And the ginormous size is ridiculous.
So with that in mind, can someone hazard any advice about sewing up a set of breeches themselves? I found one YouTube video of a lady who used a pattern set to make jerkin, shirt, and breeches for her hubby and they looked pretty good. She used a cotton bed sheet for the shirt material and it looked very nice. The breeches seemed simple enough but she didn't spend much time talking about them. I could go with trunkhose and nether hosen for a more authentic look but I like the idea of a more regular fitting pair of breeches with a tie cinch(NOT eleastic) below the knee. A simple drop font yoke shirt would suffice for a top.
We attended opening festivities and some of the garb this year is superb. The detail, historical accuracy, and quality of the costumes were top notch. I cannot aspire to that. At least not this year but wouldn't mind a really nice set for the heck of it. Told you guys I was an eccentric old curmudgeon.
Regards, Todd
A bunch of Googling for things like trunkhose, breeches, and other items for men does not reveal much in the way of DIY. Now I am not talking one of the very nice brocade or jacquard material items like a custom jerkin or doublet. More along the lines of peasant or middle class style of dress at this late stage of the game. This would work well as a Halloween costume as well and by then, maybe a fancier set could be made. What I balk at are the ubiquitous, "one size fits most", 50" drawstring "pirate pants" sold at Renfests for $45-65. Most are made of cheap material that won't last long enough to wash five times. And the ginormous size is ridiculous.
So with that in mind, can someone hazard any advice about sewing up a set of breeches themselves? I found one YouTube video of a lady who used a pattern set to make jerkin, shirt, and breeches for her hubby and they looked pretty good. She used a cotton bed sheet for the shirt material and it looked very nice. The breeches seemed simple enough but she didn't spend much time talking about them. I could go with trunkhose and nether hosen for a more authentic look but I like the idea of a more regular fitting pair of breeches with a tie cinch(NOT eleastic) below the knee. A simple drop font yoke shirt would suffice for a top.
We attended opening festivities and some of the garb this year is superb. The detail, historical accuracy, and quality of the costumes were top notch. I cannot aspire to that. At least not this year but wouldn't mind a really nice set for the heck of it. Told you guys I was an eccentric old curmudgeon.
Regards, Todd