How to Make Medieval Clothing

Many people enjoy historical reenactment as a hobby. The medieval time period is a favorite for reconstruction by living historians. Accurate clothing is one of the prime requirements for participants. Lots of reenactors enjoy making their own clothes. There are several ways to make historically accurate medieval clothing.

• Research is the key to making medieval clothing. Find out what men and women wore during the time period. Types of clothing were different for people based on their socioeconomic class. Poor peasant farmers typically wore simple and sturdy clothing. A blacksmith might wear something more protective. Nobles were able to afford more variety and color.


• Look at museum photographs and pictures depicting medieval clothing. This will give ideas for what to make.


• Make a list of a basic outfit for the persona that you intend to portray. This list will include basics such as breeches and tunic for males, and dresses for females. There may also be jackets called doublets. Almost all people wore hats and carried bags of some sort. Cloaks offered protection from the elements. Medieval shoes are also easy to make and add a touch of realism to an authentic medieval costume.


• Take measurements for the person that will be wearing the clothes.


• Decide on patterns and purchase them. Some basic patterns, such as for a tunic, are available for free online. Others are readily available for purchase.


• Purchase the required fabric, material and notions. The most authentic medieval clothing is constructed from naturally dyed cloth. The cloth is woven from natural fibers such as flax wool and silk. Make sure that all cloth is “finished” before cutting. This means the cloth has been washed to prevent shrinkage. Only real leather is appropriate for medieval shoes.


• Assemble the tools needed to sew. Good, strong needles of varying sizes are a must, as are sharp scissors. If working with leather, an awl and stitcher is helpful.


• Place the pattern pieces appropriately on the fabric, being careful to mark any special sewing instructions on the fabric with chalk. Cut out each piece. It might be best to make what is known as a muslin mock-up, or test garment, before cutting the expensive fabric.


• The purist will hand sew all of their medieval clothing. Some folks will machine sew major seams, then handwork anything that is visible. Typical stitches used include the running stitch, backstitch, topstitch, buttonhole stitch and whipstitch. Sew all main seams, then complete any required topstitching, seam finishing, or button holes.


• Check for fit and enjoy!