Renaissance Wedding Dresses takes in Medieval Style

Gearing up for a medieval theme wedding, a lot of preparation is needed for themed weddings. From costumes of bride and groom to guests, from food to background and from music to etiquettes of people all should be able to reflect the charm and charisma of renaissance magical era. Soon to be bride expects her renaissance dress for wedding to be magnificent attire, appealing, giving the renaissance vibes and make her look outstanding. However in order to get a perfect renaissance style gown you need to put effort otherwise you will end up building castles in the air.

Wedding gowns can be found in shops who deal in bridal wears however it can be happened that such shops of your area don’t carry themed dresses. There is another option of searching for these renaissance costumes. Search for designers who offer custom designing. Custom designed renaissance gowns will have quality fabric with exact measurement, stunning and striking appearance but there is one problem, custom made dresses cost a lot. So, the best available option is to haunt them online. Internet can prove a very helpful medium for finding awesome period dresses. You will be able to find wedding dresses of famous 3Ps. - princess, peasant and pirate online.

Renaissance costumes for wedding available online are on par with the dresses of offline shops in terms of quality and are reasonably priced. You will get the same costume at much lower price. If website from where you are opting to buy dress comes with schemes like discounts and free shipping then it will be icing on the cake, make purchase amount very cost effective. To reach the classism of medieval style your wedding dress must be slim fitted, corset or griddle to support upper part of body and laced in front. Renaissance wedding gowns have embroidery, stitched with threads of gold or silver.

Just look at the few dresses available on internet; I’ll bet they can give a stiff competition to renaissance clothing of any established offline shops.

The Majestic Beauty Gown: This gown is the beautiful combination of nobel surcoat and princess of pearl dress. Surcoat is made from velvet fabric has wide neckline and large armholes with white metallic sequenced lace. Dress part is made from satin material with blue and gold trims. For buttons white pearl are used.

Hildegard Princess Dress: This dress is again made from velvet fabric. The brocade fabric on side panels and puffy upper sleeves make it appear opulent. Drawstring and loops on back are provided for comfort fit. This alluring dress is perfect for your dream wedding.

Lady of Lead Gowns: This elegant piece of cloth is made from soft velvet fabric, has long funnel type sleeves with a cut underneath of which another sleeves of narrow endings are stitched. In similar fashion the skirt part of gown has slit and golden color brocade lace peeped out of it.

Above mentioned renaissance dresses and renaissance costumes for themed wedding are my favorite, you will find a lot more on internet once you start browsing.

Sensation of Renaissance Festivals

Village fairs and festivals were important occasions in the life of the common people in Europe, when they could socialize at these public venues and also market their handicrafts and other home-made products. This was an occasion for them to dress up in gaiety in the best of their clothes, to add to the festive atmosphere.
Today’s sub-culture borrows its fashion from the styles of Renaissance costumes. The flowing lines of long full length gowns, corset-shaped jackets with drawstrings, pirate-style shirts, skirts with trimmings, frills and laces with loose tops lined with brocades and frills are favorite themes of costumes inspired by the Mediaeval clothing styles. These styles are mixed with punk styles and contemporary looks to create a new style.
This sub-culture also borrows the theme of fairs from the mediaeval period. However, unlike the fairs of the period, the contemporary sub-cultural fairs are occasions to show off the Sub-cultural costumes. People dress up in their costumes, dye their hair black, shade their nails and lips in dark shades and also a=carry accessories from the mediaeval clothing such as swords gilded and studded with semi-precious stones.
In these fairs, people who follow his sub-culture also wear the specific costumes related to the famous characters from the mediaeval history and English literature. Invitations are sent out using archaic English, mentioning the names of fictional characters from literature and special gala evens to recreate the mood of Renaissance festival. This event is very popular all over the United States and especially the state of Florida is famous for these kinds of festivals.
A festival thus, is a sub-cultural expression of the people’s desire to break free of formatted lives created by the industrialized societies. At the same time, it is an occasion for the garment industry to promote the sub-cultural costumes.

Renaissance Costumes and its Sub-Culture

Renaissance was the age when set ideals of society in Europe were broken and new ways of thinking emerged and supported. This period has given rise to inspiration for the modern world, for people who want to make a change in the traditional ideas and lifestyles. This is also reflected in the degree of freedom the Renaissance society had in its dress, the range of colours, outfits and patterns of clothing. Renaissance costumes had a variety of clothing for men and women. A Renaissance outfit included cloaks, robes, capes, tunics, shirts and trousers. Renaissance costumes could be made of velvet, silk, satin and lined with fur and brocade for the nobility. On the other hand, common people’s Renaissance clothing was made of cotton, linen, flannel and sheepskin.

In contrast, our industrialised societies have much less freedom in forms of dress, colours and styles. As traditional societies become industrialised, the wide range of clothes gradually becomes less in use in such industrialised societies. However, as opposed to the Renaissance society, dress is not class-bound in modern society. Hence, some people in modern times are trying to combine the freedom in the wide range of dresses from the Renaissance period with the freedom from class in modern society. Of course, it means that only those can wear a certain dress who have the money to afford it. Hence, a complete freedom from class is not possible in this attempt.

Pirate clothing is an important of this experiment described above. It has become fashionable with the notion that an outlaw of history can be perceived as a person trying to redefine his or her society. This dress projects this image by using the fashions from the pirate clothing of history, but in a modern setting by men who are not really living in contradiction to the law, but live outside the mainstream culture. The most popular dress from the Pirates’ costume is the shirt.

These are usually long and loose-sleeved with frills and brocades and available in dark and white shades. Accessories with pirates’ costume often include a carved, embossed and engraved sword. It gives a mediaeval look to the Pirate clothing ensemble, eventhough it is no longer required to carry a sword in the modern world.

The renaissance sub-culture of clothing and accessories underline the fact that a historical aspect of culture can be re-defined in a different environment to make a completely different and even opposite statement.

A Brief Description on Renaissance Era

1490s is the time when costumes began to acquire a Renaissance look of extravagance in Europe. Even within this framework, different parts of Europe followed different styles. England followed a more mediaeval look in Renaissance dresses than other parts of Europe. Flowing lines, puffed long sleeves, head-dresses, velvet and silk lined with brocade and laces became the norm in aristocratic Renaissance clothes. On the other hand, common people largely stuck to the mediaeval clothing made of wool, coarse cotton, flannel, linen and sheepskin.

In our contemporary times, people following Renaissance sub-culture use these styles and mix them with styles from Victorian era, punk culture and our modern fashions to create a dressing fashion which doesn’t have any boundaries. Dark colours, black and white and some bold colours such as red and maroon, deep blue and purple are used in these clothes. Flowing gowns from the Renaissance style are popular I modern Renaissance sub-culture, though with much less gathers. Laces, trimmings, frills and embroidery are also popular. These are mixed with punk style disjoined clothing and modern sleek lines in outfits.

Pirate shirts formed a unique feature in the Renaissance period. These were characterized by loose and long sleeves, frills and laces lining the edges and neckline, ends hanging till the waist or thighs. These shirts used black, white, brown or grey shades and were made of cotton, linen or flannel. These features have been utilized by the modern Renaissance sub-culture and have been combined with features from other styles, such as splashes of red, blue or yellow and brocade linings. Uneven, zigzag edges, stripes, asymmetrical look are some other features used to mix the traditional Renaissance dress with the punk style. Tunics, coats, cloaks and headgear complete the Renaissance ensemble of modern time. Accessories may include swords.

These swords are often carved and studded with gems and are made in the style of scabbards carried by the warriors and kings in the past. Renaissance sub-culture also recreates the world woven by the English literature, by drawing from the figures described in English literary work.

Mixing these styles creates a fashion of dress without boundaries. People who wear the dresses of this sub-culture give the impression that they can draw from the inspiration of Renaissance spirit and at the same time walk in tune with today’s society. They can experiment and don’t stay within the boundaries of the social norms as prescribes by tradition.

Renaissance Costumes Use in Traditional Society

Renaissance was called the period when set notions of traditional society in Europe were broken and new ways of thinking a new world was imagined, argued and propounded. This period evokes sentiment and inspiration for the people of today, who want to bring in a change in the traditional ways of thought, behavior and actions. This is also reflected in the degree of freedom the Renaissance society had in the way it dressed, the range of colours and styles and patterns of clothing. Renaissance period in mediaeval Europe had many diverse kinds of clothing for men and women. A mediaeval ensemble included cloaks, robes, capes, tunics, shirts and trousers. Renaissance dresses could be made of rich fabric such as velvet, silk, satin and lined with fur and brocade for the aristocratic men. On the other hand, common men’s mediaeval clothing could be made of cotton, linen, flannel and sheepskin.

In comparison, modern industrialised societies have much less choices open to them in forms of dress, colours and styles. As traditional societies industrialise, the diversity in clothes gradually disappears from such industrialised societies. However, as opposed to the Renaissance society, dressing styles are not class-bound in our own society. Hence, some people in our times are attempting to combine the freedom of choice in the diversity of dresses from the Renaissance period with the freedom from class in our own times. Of course, it means that only those can wear a certain dress who can afford it. Hence, a complete freedom from class is not possible in this experiment.

Still, in our own times, these Renaissance style dresses inspired by the mediaeval era have become fashionable amongst the men of class and taste. Unlike contemporary clothing for men, these dresses come in a wide range of colours, including some bright colours such as red and maroon and have frills, gather and brocade embroidery. White, black and grey are other colours in vogue in these dresses. Contemporary synthetic fabrics such as rayon are also used along with the traditional fabrics for these dresses.

Women’s dress inspired by the Renaissance Europe uses long gown as the most popular basic design, but with much less gathers than in the original mediaeval ladies’ gown. Renaissance-inspired costume thus makes the dress bold, unique and attention-catching in contemporary world.

Thus, while styles and patterns are taken from the Renaissance period, the usage of renaissance costumes and medieval clothing are completely modern in idea, practice and value system.

Wear Unique Designable Renaissance Costumes

Renaissance costumes from medieval European times are becoming popular for both men and women of young age. Some designer companies focus exclusively on Renaissance costumes, pirates’ shirts and swords knives, scabbards and other weapons from mediaeval European times. Renaissance clothing has become a fashion now. The flowing lines of women’s Renaissance-style clothing make them look graceful, while loose pirate shirts with gathers for men give them an aura of authority and nobility. To complement the Renaissance clothing outfit, medieval weapons and especially mediaeval swords are designed with carved metal handles to make the entire ensemble look arresting.

These clothes provide for bright coloured as well as pastel shades for women. Burgundy red is a very popular colour for women. Men’s pirate shirts may come in maroon, brown, white, black or grey. These shirts have loose ends hanging out of the belts. Cloaks, capes and robes with embroidery, fur and brocade complete the ensemble for men as well as women. Mediaeval sword handle may be gilded and embossed with many colours, with carving and gem set into the handle.

These swords may be big or small and single-edged or double-edged. Some swords also have a small compass set into the handle of the sword. This is to give a look of the navigator to the onlooker. There are different kinds of swords available. These include the pirate swords, Samurai swords, military swords and even wooden swords modelled on mediaeval lines. Some swords are named after famous kings and warriors from ancient period. These include King Arthur sword, Viking swords and Celtic swords.

Along with the swords also come shields, which have intricate design and embossments done on them. These may be made of leather or metal. Eventhough weapons are not needed in public today, mediaeval swords and other mediaeval weapons along with Renaissance clothing give a look of regalia to the wearer.

Medieval Costumes Fashion in Modern Style

Renaissance costumes has become a fashion statement in this modern world. Dresses for men and women are being inspired by the Renaissance dresses from Europe. Mediaeval costumes provide an elegant and graceful look to the wearer. Portraits of aristocratic men and ladies from Europe have provided the inspiration for the design of these costumes meant for modern men and women.

Renaissance dresses for women include long gowns covering the feet, but without the flow of gathers. These modern Renaissance-style gowns are figure-hugging. Cotton, linen and laces are used to enhance the visual appeal. Cuts and shapes follow the trends popular in the mediaeval costumes as we see in the paintings of those eras.

An important dress for women is inspired by the mediaeval chemise. Chemise was a long and lose cotton or linen tunic worn in mediaeval times by the ladies under all their dresses. Its chief function was to provide an elegant fall to the outer garment and to absorb perspiration. Modern dress inspired by the chemise can be worn as the main dress in a stylish mediaeval fashion. It comes in white, black, patterned fabric or even in bright colours such as burgundy red. Sleeves are long and may be detached in some costumes.

Cloaks, robes and capes are other pieces of dresses inspired by the mediaeval costumes. They provide a regal look to the wearer and may be made from cotton, silk, satin, velvet and synthetic fabric.

Pirate clothing is very popular for men interested in these costumes. Men’s clothing has a full ensemble in the form of pirate shirts, capes, cloaks, coats, tunics and vests. Dresses for men in the form of coats and tunics may be in bold colours such as maroon, blue or black and may be embroidered with brocade. Caps may have gems, brocade and feathers adorning them. Swords and daggers complete the clothing accessories for men’s costumes.