New to making your own ren faire, medieval, or fantasy costume and not sure where to start? We’ll break down the process into three easy steps, so you can build a DIY renaissance festival outfit without the overwhelm. Whether you're sewing from Twig + Tale patterns, upcycling, or working with what you already have, this guide is for you!
There are three easy steps to consider - your “base” garments, layers, and accessories. What you use for these will depend on your character, goals, and budget, but considering them step-by-step makes the process much more manageable. We'll share ideas for each layer in two ways: pieces to look for in your wardrobe or at the op shop, and Twig + Tale sewing patterns that work beautifully for each one.
Step 1: Base Garments - Your Foundation Layer
Historically, people would wear garments like shifts, chemises, and shirts as the closest layer to their bodies - a practice which has inspired many common fantasy and historically-inspired looks today. This is why you should start with a comfortable dress, or top + bottoms combo, as your foundation. It's the first thing you'll put on, and the piece everything else builds from.
(Not sure what fabric to wear as a foundation? Our guide to the best fabrics for renaissance faire and fantasy costumes has everything you need to know!)
In your secondhand-shopping adventures, look for items which include gathered tops, laced openings, and tunic lengths for immediate historical flair. Puffy sleeves and cool cuffs make great features as well.
If you're sewing your base layer(s), Twig + Tale patterns like Breeze, Driftwood, and Scenic are all versatile options that work beautifully for both feminine and masculine costumes. Made in comfy cottons and linens, they use modern techniques to make pieces that look perfectly at home in historically-inspired looks. Or, our Willow Top works great as well, as shown in my Luna Moth Fairy look below!
This look also features the Luna Moth Wings, Leaf Hip Pouch, and even some Tie Back Boots and hidden Hedgerows I hacked - more on those in a bit!
Lengthening the Plains Dress can make for a nice kirtle-inspired look, and the Sprig Sleeves can be added to it (or a variety of other patterns!) for a lovely basis for royalty-inspired costumes.
Lisa's Plains Dress with Sprig Sleeves wasn't created as a costume - rather a beautiful everyday dress - but we think it could make an amazing basis for one!
If you haven't opted for a dress, then a skirt or pants will need consideration. Lorien's laced-up panels give a delightful fantasy-inspired look, while Meadow is a classic, versatile choice that works across a wide range of characters. Likewise, Shore, Hedgerow, and Fernway make great options for pants - consider cropping and gathering them for a pantaloon-inspired look, like below! Or you can get even more creative... for my Luna Moth Fairy above, I combined Hedgerow shorts with a skirt cut from a round tablecloth for this extra-twirly skort, for added comfort.
Two fun takes on foundations - Esther paired her Lorien Lace-Up Skirt with a Driftwood Blouse and white petticoat; while Nicole made a Breeze Shirt for her husband to wear while using his forge at the Faire
Step 2: Layers - How to Add Interest To Any Costume
Next come your layers, which really lend a put-together feel to any historically-inspired outfit. It's the best way to go from a really "basic" look, to one that looks well thought-out and high end.
This is where costumes will start to vary more, depending on the style. Many simpler costumes like peasants, hobbits, or adventurers will involve styles like vests, jackets, cloaks and corsets, many of which you may be able to find on op-shop shelves. Even a cool belt can qualify for this category! For more secondhand sourcing tips, see our guide to budget-friendly DIY ren faire costume ideas.
Katherine makes LARP a family affair, in matching garb for her wife, daughter, and Rimu doll using the Fernway Culottes, Driftwood Blouse, and Pixie Coats.
To create your own layers, our community loves the Overland Cloak, Traveller Cape, and Pathfinder Vest, as they are full of possibilities! Also, if you'd like the look of a corset with the comfort of a "soft" top, keep an eye out in the coming months for our Wildvine Top - coming in August!
Feels like hobbit-y heaven pairing my Willow Top + Meadow Skirt with the upcoming Wildvine Corset Top!
If you're going for more of a royal persona, you may prefer a little different layering and styles. There are some great tutorials and sources for making these using historic methods, and you can find lots of adaptable dresses and more in the op shop. To sew your own regal gown, perhaps you’d enjoy lengthening and flaring the Breeze Shirt; or, for a dress reminiscent of a laced medieval surcote, the upcoming Windward Dress will be just the ticket!
As an early "road test", Production Manager Lynnette created this Windward Dress fit for a queen! Her Leaf Hip Pouch makes a festive way to keep important items safely at hand for the day as well.
Step 3: Accessories - Bringing Your Fantasy Character to Life
This is where you really get to have some fun, and truly bring a costume to life! Baubles, trinkets, wings, bags, hats, scarves, props, jewellery... truly, the only limit is what you can dream up.
As far as baubles, trinkets, and jewelry, rummaging through collections at antique stores, op shops, or even at the event can give you a lot of inspiration to work from, as can big collections of beads. You can even get creative with recyclables like glass jars and more.
We've got so many options in the Twig + Tale collection which can blend seamlessly into many characters as well! For instance, we've seen...
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delightful, yet practical Skirt Hikes to keep long layers out of the dirt (or show off fun underskirts!)
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gorgeous fairies and daring dragons from our Wings Collection, for children and adults alike
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lots of Sunny Hat hacks - from added sepals + petals to create flower caps, a lengthened point for a witch, even added circle brims for pirates
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Pixie Hats are perfect as-is for gnomes, elves... and yes, pixies!
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there's always something to carry during events, so keep the essentials at hand with a Leaf Hip Pouch or Satchel, personalised for your character
Bonus Tips - Ways to Make Your Costume More Cohesive
By this point, we’re sure this fantasy formula has helped you dream up some really fun ideas for creating a costume that brings your character to life. However, if you’re still wondering how to really pull a ren faire look together, or for any other event, here are some additional tips that can make any costume feel more cohesive.
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Choose a colour scheme. This doesn’t have to mean the same exact colour throughout - rather using different shades of the same colour, along with a complementary colour, can add some wonderful visual interest.
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Repeat elements throughout your costume. If you’ve added a trim around the neckline of a shirt, consider adding it to accessories like a Leaf Hip Pouch or Epoch Tie-On Pocket. If you’ve used a bold printed fabric, try to repeat some of its colours elsewhere in embroidery. These decisions help your costume look intentional, rather than haphazard.
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Need a quick way to make disparate fabrics work better together? Pull out some fabric dye! A really lightly-concentrated dye like brown or gray can help tone different colours into a palette that looks really nice together. (For many natural fibers, you can even use tea or coffee!)
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Most important of all, just have fun! You are what really brings your costume to life, so let yourself enjoy it, and create something that is comfortable for you.
Whatever your fantasy, we hope this has been a helpful guide to building a look from scratch, to create something uniquely you. We'd love to see what you create - come share them with us! You can find us in our Twig + Tale Chat group on Facebook, on Instagram, or in our free T+T Treehouse community!
Want to keep building your perfect fantasy costume? Here's where to go next:
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Head back to our complete T+T fantasy costume guide for a comprehensive look
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Before you start sewing, read our practical tips on comfort, fit and what to wear to a renaissance faire
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Not sure what fabric to use? Check out our guide to the best fabrics for renaissance faire and fantasy costumes
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Working on a budget? Don't miss our guide to budget-friendly DIY ren faire costume ideas
- Want to try some of the patterns you see here? Come check our our Renaissance Faire Sewing Collection for a curated look.
FAQs about making a renaissance faire costume
What are the basic components of a ren faire costume?
Most fantasy and historically-inspired costumes are built from three layers: a base garment (like a shirt, chemise, or dress), a middle layer (vest, corset, jacket, or cloak), and accessories to finish the look.
Do I need a sewing machine to make a ren faire costume?
Not necessarily! Many base garments and accessories can be found secondhand and styled together without any sewing. That said, having basic sewing skills opens up a lot more creative possibilities, and Twig + Tale patterns are designed to be approachable for makers at all levels.
What's the easiest DIY renaissance costume to make?
A simple chemise or tunic paired with a gathered skirt or pants, belted at the waist, is one of the most versatile and beginner-friendly starting points - and it forms the basis for dozens of different characters.
Which Twig + Tale patterns are best for a first fantasy costume? Breeze, Driftwood, and Willow are popular starting points in our community, that are comfortable, versatile, and very much at home in a historically-inspired look.
~Featuring photos by Kari Chaberek, Erica Wright, Lisa Melia, Esther Wise, Nicole Schmiedeke, Katherine Catchpole, Lynnette Hulse, Stephanie Unertl, Jaylee Seay, Zoe Craggs, Sarah White, and Ash Brower~
