Costuming Workbook Middle or Merchant Class Middle Class Male & Female Shoes: (Required) Slippers are the most common shoe but boots are acceptable for festival. No zippers or modern closures should be visible. Pouches: (Required) Pouches are used instead of pockets to keep important items secure. Most any kind of bag without a modern closure will suffice. They can be hung from the belt, or, for ladies, worn under the skirts and accessed through an opening in the skirt seam. Sleeves: Sleeves are worn in various styles. Sometimes inner and outer sleeves were worn during colder weather. They can match the bodice/doublet fabric, but don’t need to. They can be attached or removable. Tabs or Peplums: Tabs or Peplums are attached at the shoulder and waist of a Doublet or Jerkin to add visual interest. Tights/Socks: (Required) Tights or tall socks need to be opaque (not see through). Though tights can be used, socks that come to the knee or higher are recommended for ease of privy use. Tights that end at the ankle are permitted only if wearing boots that hide the foot opening. Men must wear a dance belt or cod piece with tights. Middle Class Male & Female Parasol: Parasols should be made of wood Cloak: (Required) A cloak can be of varying and fabric, no metal bones. lengths and can have a hood. Fan: Fans are board-like and do not fold like modern fans. Apron: Aprons can be worn by women of the Middle Class. They would definitely be worn if work is being done in order to protect the gown. They would be made of linen and can be plain or decorated with a bit of embroidery. Aprons did not have ruffles or pockets. Gloves: Gloves or mittens are worn to protect the hands from cold weather or horse riding. Have a pair for when the weather gets colder later in the season. Mug/Cup: (Required) Metal, wooden, leather, or ceramic cups will suffice. Be aware that any ceramic or glass mugs have the potential to chip or break. Glass bottoms on metal mugs must be covered. Belt/Basket/Sack: (Required) A leather belt or cloth sash is used to hold pouches, blades and a cup. In lieu of a belt you may carry a basket or a sack to hold all your important items. Garter: Ribbon or string tied or buckled around the knee to help keep the hose or tall boots secured. Middle Class Male Shirt: (Required) White cotton or linen shirts are worn to the wrist. Shirts are long and usually hit between the hip and thigh. Collar and cuffs have button and loops for closures or tie strings. They can have a short pleated or gathered ruffle at the cuff and collar. Doublet: (Required) Close fitting jacket with a straight collar. Sleeves may be attached at the shoulders by tie points for easy removal. Pants: (Required) Various styles of pants are shown below. They are typically worn with tights/hose/thick stockings. Middle Class Male Hats: (Required) Some of the various styles are below. Broaches or feathers are optional as extra design elements, though Middle class would not wear pheasant feathers. Some styles include Flat Caps, Muffin Caps; Cavalier Hats are acceptable (although they are not period). Men would wear either just a biggins or just a hat. Most popular hats were straw hats, tall hats, round hats, flat caps (Brimmed and not brimmed), and round caps (similar to a pill box hat). Jerkin: A fitted over-garment without sleeves worn on top of the doublet. This can be buttoned up the front like the doublet or open in a V cut down to the waist. The jerkin can have tabs/peplums at the shoulders and a long or short skirting. Blade: Gentlemen would typically only wear a decorative dagger, but rapiers, long swords, and broadswords are acceptable for some characters. They must be approved, “peace tied”, and secured in a sheath at all times. Cane: Most any fancy cane without modern ornamentation will suffice. Spurs: Most any spurs that do not jingle as western spurs do will suffice. English style riding spurs are acceptable. Jewelry: Earring in left ear, medallions, rings. Middle Class Female Chemise/Smock: (Required) White or light-colored cotton or linen shirt can be cut hip length, but knee length is more comfortable and modest. Drawers/Bloomers: (Required) Many ladies choose to wear drawers or bloomers under costumes for comfort. Bike shorts would also suffice as long as they are not seen. Partlet: This can be of a light weight fabric that is worn under the bodice or a heavy weight fabric worn on top of the bodice. Corset: A corset, or pair of bodies, is NOT designed to squeeze the waist down to a tiny size, but to smooth the lines of the torso, compressing it into a smooth cone shape. The waist is not overly compressed and the breasts are flattened, resulting in a high, mounded bust line. For some ladies, a padded roll is stitched inside to help keep the bust from sinking down into the corset. They can lace up the back, front, or both. A corset may be worn underneath a bodice, but does not replace it. Corsets are not allowed to be worn alone without a bodice over top of it. Middle Class Female Petticoat/Farthingale: (Required) Petticoats are extra skirts, sometimes stiffened with cord and worn under the outermost garments. The number of petticoats depended on weather or special event. A farthingale is a cone shaped hoop skirt worn by the Upper Middle Class for special events. Bum Roll: A Bum roll is a crescent shaped pad that is worn around the waist and under the skirt. Pockets: Pockets could be hung from the belt, or on their own wide strip of fabric to tie around the waist. There could be one or two and look very similar to those used in the 1700s. They are worn under the skirts but over the petticoats/farthingale and accessed through an opening in the skirt seam. Middle Class Female There are two styles of dress for the middle class (Required): A) The bodice and overskirt with optional forepart and B) The Kirtle dress with Gown. Kirtle Skirt/Underskirt: The kirtle skirt for style A is an ankle length skirt worn over the undergarments. It would be made of linen, wool, or silk. Forepart: The forepart is a decorated front panel, which may be removable with ties, pins or snaps. It is most seen when the farthingale is used. It can also be sewn to the underskirt so that the front panel is the forepart. Overskirt: The overskirt is a full pleated floor length skirt that may be attached to the bodice or separate. It is usually made of the same material as the bodice and opens in the front. Bodice: There are two basic styles of bodice, the square necked bodice and the doublet. The square necked bodice is fitted to go over a corset, and help keep the bust in place. The bodice must cover the bust. The doublet style has a high neckline with a standing collar, and fastened down the center front. Both these styles could have shoulder and waist decorations in the form of shoulder rolls, tabs, or peplums. The overskirt can be attached to the bodice by stitching, ties, lacing, or hooks and bars. A corset may be worn underneath a bodice, but does not replace it. Middle Class Female Kirtle Dress: The kirtle dress for style B is an ankle length dress worn over the undergarments. It would be made of linen, wool, or silk. Gown: The gown is worn over the kirtle dress for style B. It is slightly longer than ankle length and closes up the front. It usually either has a rolled collar and can stay open near the top of the bodice to show the kirtle, or has a closed collar and closes all the way up the neck (also known as a doublet style). The skirts are not stitched closed so the skirts of the kirtle show through. Gowns can also be worn over the kirtle skirt. Surcoat/Loose Gown: The Surcoat is a loose garment worn over a kirtle or bodice with skirts. It can be made to close, but is typically seen hanging loose and open. Jacket: Jackets with sewn in sleeves can be worn over the bodice or kirtle. It can be plain, trimmed, or fully embroidered. They usually have some kind of peplum. Hats: (Required) Women would wear a linen coif, biggins or caul with a hat. Women can wear just a caul, but it should have a bit of decoration. Most popular hats were straw hats, tall hats, round hats, flat caps (Brimmed and not brimmed), and round caps (similar to a pill box hat). Some of the various styles are below. Broaches or feathers are optional as extra design elements. Middle class would not wear pheasant feathers. Costume Development Worksheet Before a costume can be designed, one must have a full understanding of their developed Character. Complete the Character Development Worksheet located in the appendices of your Entertainment Handbook first and use it as a reference point while completing this worksheet. This form must be completed in full and submitted to the Festival Entertainment Department prior to making any purchases pertaining to your costuming. Please complete the form with as much description as possible. Cast Member’s Name: ________________________ Character Name: ____________________________ Character Station (check one): Peasant Lower Merchant Upper Merchant Nobility Misc.