Attending a Renaissance fair can be a great deal of fun.
Not only do you get to experience the best of medieval life, but you can also dress up in a costume.
If you’ve never been to a Renaissance fair before, then you may wonder what’s appropriate to wear.
Choosing the wrong outfit may make you stick out like a sore thumb.
From certain clothing items to full-on costumes, here are some ideas you can use to inspire your outfit for a Renaissance Fair.
What To Wear To A Renaissance Fair (20 Ideas)
1. Chemise
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Your medieval outfit begins with a chemise.
Chemises were common clothing items in medieval times.
You can think of them as a sort of dress you’d wear like underwear.
When choosing a chemise, you’ll want to go with either a white or an off-white color.
If you’re not going for authentic, however, then you can choose any color you want.
Chemises are typically worn with a corset over them, so it’s a good idea to choose a color that matches the corset well.
Because you’ll be walking around and sitting at a Renaissance Fair, it’s also important to get a chemise that has some elastic or spandex in it.
That’ll let you move around comfortably and breathe.
2. Gothic Blouse
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If you want to wear something a bit more gothic or witchy, then you should choose a gothic blouse.
Gothic blouses are great for Renaissance Fairs because they add some spice to your look.
Renaissance Fairs typically celebrate the wider medieval period.
As such, a gothic blouse will fit right in.
No gothic blouse is complete without billowing sleeves.
It gives you a great look while staying true to the theme.
You’ll also want to make sure that it fits well as the particular cut of a gothic blouse can be a bit tight.
3. Upscale Peasant Dress
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A common staple of the medieval landscape was the peasant.
You’ll find quite a few people dressed as peasants or similar common folk at Renaissance Fairs.
If you want to fit in, then wearing a peasant costume is a great choice.
That said, you don’t have to be a dirty peasant.
You can be a peasant with a bit of money.
That usually means your clothes are a bit nicer than what you might expect from other peasants.
A nice shirt with a trumpet sleeve along with folded skirts is a great look for an upscale peasant.
You can also always add a flower crown to make your look more pagan than peasant.
4. Elvish Dress
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While a lot of people will wear authentic clothes to Renaissance Fairs, you’ll also find people leaning towards fantasy.
That’s perfectly acceptable at most Renaissance Fairs, provided they’re not reenactments.
As such, you can choose to wear an elegant elvish dress to a Renaissance Fair.
Elves are typically associated with the color green, so you may want to look for certain dresses or robes in that color.
You can also pass off your elvish-looking dress as a noblewoman’s dress if elves aren’t accepted into the fair.
Couple your dress with a few accessories, and you’ll look perfect for a fantasy character.
5. Blue Noblewoman’s Dress
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Speaking of noblewomen, if pretending to be a peasant isn’t quite your idea of fun, then you can always go to a Renaissance Fair dressed as a noblewoman.
Noblewomen typically wore simple, albeit elegant, dresses.
The key difference between their clothes and that of the peasantry was the use of color.
Noblewomen were able to afford more expensive dyes.
As such, their clothes tended to use remarkable colors—at least to the eyes of peasants.
If you’re looking for an authentic noblewoman’s dress, then one such option to choose from is a blue dress lined with red.
Not only is it elegant, but it has that sort of richness to it that would have set the noblewoman apart from others.
6. Black Gothic Dress
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Another simple dress to wear to the Renaissance Faire is a black gothic dress.
This dress is simple but offers a little fun with its trumpet sleeves and billowing skirt.
A golden rope belt pulls the whole thing together.
It’s the particular style of the skirt and its color that make this dress lean more toward the gothic side of things.
You can also wear this dress if you’re dressing as a noblewoman as it uses black dye.
7. Green Corset And Dress
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A very simple dress to wear at a Renaissance Fair is the white chemise with a green corset and dress attached to it.
This particular dress is popular at Renaissance Fairs because it’s easy to put on and it’s all one piece.
Corsets, in particular, were common wear in medieval times.
When buying this particular costume, you’ll want to make sure that you get the size correct.
Although it likely has some sort of drawstring closure, the corset is tight and will prevent you from pulling the dress closed if it doesn’t fit right.
That said, this costume is ideal for anyone who wants a traditional Renaissance Fair outfit.
8. Off-Shoulder White Blouse
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Another great piece of clothing to wear to a Renaissance Fair is an off-shoulder white blouse.
This costume is great for a fair because of how much air you get on your shoulders.
Many fairs occur during the summer season when temperatures are at their hottest.
As such, if you’re wearing something with a lot of layers or something that covers your skin, you’re going to get sweaty fast.
This particular blouse has a cut that exposes your shoulders to the air.
It looks great and can help you keep cool.
9. Off-White Medieval Dress With Brown And Teal Dress
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Another great costume to wear to a Renaissance Fair is an off-white medieval dress that comes with a brown and teal dress attached to it.
This is another great option because everything you need is attached to it.
It also has a corset, so you’ll need to ensure that you’re choosing a size that best fits you.
This particular style of dress is reminiscent of the Swedish peasantry.
It has colors that harken to that sort of community.
That said, you can wear it to any Renaissance Fair.
Another reason this costume is ideal for a Renaissance Fair is that it comes with flaring sleeves.
These particular sleeves allow for a lot of air flow.
That also makes it ideal for hot temperatures.
Even if the dress is keeping you hot, the short cut of the sleeves will help you stay cooler.
The style of the dress also means you can pass off as a peasant or as someone who works at a tavern.
Its versatility makes it an ideal pick for a Renaissance Fair.
10. Ladies’ Pirate Costume
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Although most people think of wearing some sort of medieval clothes to a Renaissance Fair, you’ll quickly discover that a lot of people also dress as pirates.
After all, pirates were a terror on the seas during some parts of the Renaissance period.
Some fairs also have special weekends where the theme is strictly pirates.
Whether you plan on going to the fair during that weekend or just want to dress up as a pirate, you can choose a pirate costume.
There’s no shortage of different pirate costumes, but you’ll want to keep the temperature in mind.
The great thing about pirates is that they’re less conservative than traditional peasants and noble ladies.
As such, you’re able to show a bit more skin if you’re choosing to dress as a pirate.
Dressing as a pirate captain also gives you some authority.
If you’re going with a group of friends or a partner, then you can take center stage as the individual who sets the course for the day.
Pirates also usually come with fun props.
You can bring fake swords and pistols, for example, to most Renaissance Fairs.
You’ll just need to get them secured with plastic handcuffs.
It’s also a great opportunity to drink a bit more rum than perhaps you might normally.
Dressing as a pirate can be a lot of fun at a Renaissance Fair.
11. Brown Medieval Pants
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Men and women can also choose to wear brown pants with ankle cuffs to a Renaissance Fair.
These pants, in particular, are ideal for a Renaissance Fair because they have the right look to them.
The last thing you should do is have a great top only to ruin it by wearing jeans.
If you need pants for your medieval outfit, then this pair is a great option.
One of the reasons it’s ideal is that it has a drawstring waistline.
This makes it comfortable to wear throughout the day.
If you load up on turkey legs, for example, the pants have some give to them and will remain comfortable.
The ankle cuffs at the bottom also give this particular style of pants some flair.
It stands above other standard medieval pants since those ankle cuffs can give your legs some definition.
Otherwise, the pants are quite simple.
If you want a traditional medieval look, then you’ll want to choose the brown version of these pants.
If you’re going for the look of a noble or a merchant, then you can opt for something more colorful.
12. Cotton White Lace-Up Shirt
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Men will enjoy wearing a simple cotton lace-up shirt.
This was standard wear for many men in the Renaissance Fair.
It’s the male version of the chemise.
Men would often wear a lace-up shirt, and then have a vest or coat over it.
Peasants might have an even simpler version of the shirt with an animal hide jacket over it.
Depending on which direction you intend to take your outfit, a lace-up shirt is your first step.
This particular shirt is great because its cut allows you to lean towards different Medieval periods.
You can dress as a Renaissance noble or even as a Viking warlord.
It’s also made of cotton, so it’s quite comfortable against the skin.
Another advantage of this shirt is that you can roll up the sleeves and cuff them.
That allows you to help keep yourself cool when the temperatures become too hot.
13. Black Gothic Shirt For Men
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While some Renaissance Fairs lean towards a traditional medieval experience, others have special days or events.
One such event is a Gothic Renaissance weekend.
It shines a spotlight on Gothic architecture, art, and outfits.
Men will find that some of the best Gothic Renaissance outfits usually include ruffles of some sort.
To take things in the macabre direction, you’ll want to choose a shirt that’s also black or dark in color.
Victorian or Gothic shirts also usually include a high collar.
This particular shirt has everything you need for a Renaissance Fair that has a Gothic weekend.
Whether you’re going as a vampire or as just a standard Gothic noble, this shirt will sell your story.
Besides having the required ruffles at the front, it also has ruffled sleeves near the cuffs.
Despite having ruffles and looking Gothic, the great thing about this particular shirt is that it’s a button-up.
That makes it easy to put on and take off.
If you want to sell your particular outfit during a Gothic Renaissance event, then this shirt can get you started.
14. Medieval Brown Vest
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If you already have a white shirt and need something to take it to the next level, then you should consider this medieval brown vest.
Vests were quite common in medieval times.
Not only did it add another layer to keep people warm, but many nobles used them as fashion pieces.
This particular vest leans more towards the peasant side of society than the noble side.
As such, if you’re looking to dress as a peasant, then this brown vest is exactly what you need.
You don’t have to dress as just a peasant either.
Because the vest is reminiscent of leather, you can also dress up as a huntsman or trapper.
This particular vest is also a lace-up, so you’ll want to make sure you get one that fits.
Otherwise, the vest won’t fit all that well on your body.
15. Men’s Noble Overcoat In Red
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Another great option for men to wear to a Renaissance Fair is a noble overcoat.
This particular overcoat is in red, but you can also choose the black option if you’re attending a Gothic Renaissance event.
During balls, noblemen would often wear extravagant overcoats to show off their status.
Like noblewomen, noblemen had enough money to buy expensive dyes.
They showed off their wealth by wearing clothes of vibrant colors at social gatherings.
This overcoat also comes with a matching vest.
As such, you have most of your outfit already taken care of.
Although this particular overcoat is ideal for a situation in which you’re attending a ball, you could pass it off as a hunting jacket as well.
16. Tavern Men’s Medieval Costume
Tavern Man Costume Medium
If you want a full outfit that gets you ready for a night at the tavern with the boys, then this particular outfit will serve your needs.
It has everything you could need for a jaunt through a Renaissance Fair.
The sleeves come attached to the vest, so it’s mostly one piece.
The pants are separate.
This outfit is great for a Renaissance Fair because it keeps to the traditional look of the average individual who lived in medieval times.
The vest suggests that the individual was likely a merchant or someone with some form of wealth.
It has just enough detail to add some life to your character while still being quite simple.
If you want a simple outfit to wear to a Renaissance Fair that does everything it needs to, then this is the choice for you.
17. Fantasy Rogue Costume
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Men and women might want to make things a little more interesting on their next trip to the Renaissance Fair.
This particular outfit comes with a hood, some armor pieces, and a few belt pieces.
You could mix it with some of the other items on this list to create an interesting rogue-type character.
If you’re a fan of fantasy, then this kit has everything you need to make a roguish thief or swashbuckler at the Renaissance Fair.
You can also use it to complete a knight outfit.
You might dress as a world-weary knight, for example.
Either way, this kit allows you to use your imagination to create a particularly interesting outfit for the Renaissance Fair.
18. Scottish Kilt Shirt
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It’s not uncommon to see some men wearing kilts to a Renaissance Fair.
Men who have Scottish heritage or who just love Scottish culture tend to use going to a Renaissance Fair as an excuse to dress up in a kilt.
Kilts are also totally acceptable at a Renaissance Fair since the period includes them as well.
If you’re planning to wear a kilt to the Renaissance Fair, then you need the right shirt to go with it.
This particular shirt uses a Jacobite cut.
It has slightly tightened sleeves to add some definition to it.
When choosing which color to wear, you’ll want to ensure that it matches your kilt.
19. Robin Hood Costume
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Nothing quite says Renaissance Fair without a famous archer running around.
If you want to take on the character of Robin Hood at your local Renaissance Fair, then this outfit can get you started.
It has a unique cut and green color to it that will make you stand out from the crowd.
Renaissance Fairs don’t just celebrate certain periods, but they also celebrate famed heroes and legends.
Wearing this Robin Hood costume can allow you to have a good deal of fun.
You should just be ready to hold your own in any archery competitions that the fair hosts.
20. Men’s Pirate Costume
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If you want to dress as a pirate at the Renaissance Fair, then this costume is perfect.
It allows you to become a striking pirate.
It has everything you could need for your pirate costume minus certain accessories.
If you want to strike terror in the hearts of those at the fair, then this costume is for you.
Conclusion
Renaissance Fairs can be a lot of fun since you get to dress up in both authentic and fantastical clothes.
Whether you want to be a peasant, noble, pirate, or something else entirely, the list above can help you choose what to wear to a Renaissance Fair.
