How to Accessorize, Renaissance Style

Getting or making a costume for a renaissance fair can be complicated enough but that’s only half of it!  After you decide on what costume and what class you would like to go as, you now need to decide what jewelry and accessories to wear to match that your costume. The renaissance brought jewelry in a new style and even new materials.  This time brought a new found appreciation and love of jewelry and for those who created it. For instance, the queen was especially fond of jewelry and would give it as gifts and rewards.  Her adoration of jewelry ensured every person in the court was appropriately decorated; even men were included in the wearing of appropriate accessories.  Every social class has jewelry and accessories that they could afford and it’s important to keep these things in mind when dressing for your renaissance fair, costume party, re-enactment; whatever your event.

Peasants and Paupers

Peasants were the working class of the renaissance.  As it stands to reason, this class of people was generally not rich enough to afford any jewelry or accessories to adorn themselves with. They would have their heads and hair covered with fabric, their clothes made of sturdy natural fabric that would allow for growth yet would be lasting.  Their clothes would be simple and so their level of accessories would match their clothes.  Coin purses would be made from fabric scraps sewn together.  Any jewelry would likely be made out of natural materials: wood, hemp, stone, etc.  There are two different levels of peasants, however.  The upper level peasants would be denoted by the possession of hats.  Not hats of fabric but straw most likely with a hat pin.  Their purse to carry money would likely be made of leather with a matching belt.  These peasants would be slightly wealthier than other peasants and—though they might possess jewelry made of metal—their jewelry would likely not include any precious stones or materials.

Gypsies and Pirates

Gypsies and pirates of the renaissance wore very mismatched accessories in every way.  Often they made accessories with things they found or stole, so the accessories of these types of renaissance figures are  often mismatched and oddly placed.  They wore everything they owned so they would make necklaces into belts or anything else they needed.

Lords and Ladies

The middle class dressed as fancy as they could afford so they could fraternize with nobility.  There is a great difference between the accessories of the peasants and the accessories of the middle class.  The middle class could afford more luxurious fabrics and more elaborate dress cuts and silhouettes.  These people could afford ribbon pieces to adorn their hair with and they would have jewelry that was made of metals and precious stones, though smaller quantities and smaller stones than nobility.  They would be adorned with necklaces made of pearls or possibly pendants and jeweled rings. Their hats would be made of fabric or felt and have brooches or feathers adorning them.  Men would wear swords and decorative chains with gems in them.  Men would also wear rings with jewels in them.  The details of the dress, especially for men, would change based on the kingdom they resided in.

Kings and Queens

The noble class and the royals would dress best of all.  The jewelry and the clothing would be the most ornate here.  The hair of nobility was decorated and dripping with strings of pearls and jewels.  If royals covered their hair, it was a piece of velvet adorned also with jewels and gold.  The sleeves of the dresses and shirts of the nobility would have embroidery on them with black thread most likely and have gems and expensive pieces of metal attached to the shirt as part of the design.  Even the closures on the dresses for the royals were ornate because they had servants to help dress them.  Dresses and shirts would be trimmed with ribbons and in the winter, fur.  Jewelry for the royals was usually matching between necklaces, earrings and brooches.  Necklaces for the nobles were long and accented the jewels all over the body and the sleeves of the dress.  The most notable aspect of the nobility jewelry is that it was all personalized with initials or a distinctive pattern on it.  Rings of nobility were mostly cameos and rather large gemstones, these rings often had secret compartments underneath them.  Bracelets and earrings were also worn by members of court in various settings; earrings were long and geometric usually and long.  Bracelets were mostly made of beaded pearls and gems.

Allie
Ye Old Renaissance Shop