Garb is the your character’s clothing: it defines what your character wears and uses. When used properly, it can communicate your character’s status, lifestyle, and occupation. While many people may call it costuming, this is ultimately untrue. The goal of garb is to bring your character to life, not to show someone playing a role.
Following below are observations that we hope will help you garb your character. These are not rules, but guidelines to bring your character to life.
Make Period-Appropriate Choices
Your character should be dressed in a way that represents the medieval period. The allowable years of style are up to and including 1499, just before the English Renaissance and Elizabethan Era. The acceptable geographical boundaries of fashion are to the east, the Caspian Sea; on the west, the Atlantic Ocean; and to the south, the Sahara Desert. Anything beyond these areas is considered outside the scope and setting of Shadow Accord. The simple way of doing this is to look into samples of medieval clothing from these time periods around the allowable locations and to select a few inspirational pieces. Try to go beyond simple Google image searches when you research and utilize other sources such as museum websites, historical databases, and your local library.
- Visible zippers
- Visually modern fabrics like denim
- Cargo-style or obvious pockets
- Sneakers and overly modern shoes
- Clothing with brand names
- Shoes that aren’t waterproof
Dress to Fit the Character
What is the social status of your character? What is their occupation? How did others with this status and occupation dress in the given time period? These three questions can save you a lot of work and worry. Research how your character’s counterparts dressed in history and see if you can find comparable clothing.
While you research, keep in mind:
- Select materials that your character would be able to procure. A butcher wouldn’t be able to get their hands on much silk but would have easy access to leather. Similarly, those of the wealthier classes would be able to have easier access to rarer materials than those who beg in the streets.
- Select colors that your character would be able to wear. Some dyes were more difficult and rare than others. At first, the cost of certain colors, such as reds, blues, and purples, were so prohibitive that only nobility could wear them. However, with the rise of the middle class (the merchants and artisans of the time), more and more people were able to shoulder the cost. Eventually, in the late 1200s, this encroachment on the style of the nobility resulted in the creation of sumptuary laws, which prohibited certain lower classes from wearing select garments, materials, and dyes so as to reinforce the visual power of noble fashion.
- Select garments that your character would wear. A cook would have an abundance of aprons, a fieldhand would wear clothing easy to work in, and those of higher classes would have more fabric on them than those of lower classes. Keep in mind the living of your character and show that through their clothing. The more lived-in your character’s clothes appear, the more realistic your character will appear.
Add Meaningful Accessories
To further cement your character as a living, breathing creation, consider what items they would have on them at all times. Would they wear a fur or a small cloak? Would they wear a belt and a purse? Would they have toothpicks and a small comb with them? Perhaps some knitting always at their side? In short, what would this character have with them to help them in their day to day lives?
This section especially can bring a character to life. Basic garb is good, and its importance cannot be overstated. But how would this character make their clothing and their style their own? Consider layering certain consistent pieces such as jewelry, belts, and scarves. Experiment with hats and cloaks. Make sure that the things you choose reinforce the character you are making.
There are many places that our community members find garb. Here is a brief list that we hope helps:
- Thrift Stores: There are diamonds in the rough for those who wish to find them. In many thrift stores, there can be pieces of simple garb, jewelry, period-appropriate accessories, and plenty else to see. This can be the best low-cost option to garbing a character.
- Commissions: We are lucky to have many talented crafters in our community. If you are looking for a particular piece of clothing or simply want to support our members, please consider putting a notice on the Official Shadow Accord Facebook Group to see if anyone is available. Including examples of the pieces you want are always helpful.
- Online Shops: Many, many online shops exist that are devoted to garbing LARPers, re-enactors, and medieval hobbyists. From SCA members to professional LARP businesses to pages on Etsy, there are countless options for you to explore.
- Garb Swaps: Every so often, a member of the community will organize a garb-swap meet. In these meets, old garb from old characters is brought and swapped between people. It can be a great way to upcycle old pieces and create something new and relatively low-cost.
- Fabric and Sewing Stores: If you are feeling crafty and can set aside time, you can always create your own pieces. This can be done simply enough with gathering materials of the proper type, getting patterns of the desired pieces, and devoting some hours to their construction.
Please note that Shadow Accord does not promote any of the options, nor are we sponsored or supported by them. These are meant to be vague suggestions, not requirements. Your purchases and purchasing experiences will vary. Be smart when procuring your garb.