The Marches costumes

Look and Feel

The Marches draws strongly on English history from the 12th century through to the War of the Roses for costume, weaponry and armour. This nation is intended to appeal strongly to re-enactors and particularly to people who re-enact this period, partly because of the brief and style of the nation and partly because of the “low-fantasy” nature of the characters. To avoid “creep” please do not use anything from the Tudor period including later-period doublets. This is outside the scope of the Marches setting.

Feel

Gritty, solid, practical, superstitious, mud, blood, green fields, rural, iron.: Colours (with images), fabrics, etc

Influences

Wars of the Roses England, Rangers of Ithilien (Beaters), Cadfael (Monks and Landkeepers).

Materials

Wool, calico, linen, leather.

Colours

Plain flat colours, mostly the soft colours of natural dyes or unbleached cloth. The palette is autumnal and natural dull blues, greys, browns/ rusts, mustards and greens, dull reds etc. especially at the lower end of the social scale. Wealthier Marchers have deeper, brighter shades.

Similar nations

Compare it to other nations with overlaps and discuss how to differentiate

Research

Historical/cultural inspiration (and how the nation differs/adheres to it), films, books, tv, google search terms

In detail

Breakdown of each garment worn, typical layers and fabrics for each

links to patterns, shops, traders etc.

Good substitutions for each garment

Specifics

Costuming high, middle and low status character

Men/Women/children in each category?

What you can achieve at different price brackets? (thinking of doing something along the lines of the Odyssey £30 kit challenge maybe Daisy and Jude!)

Hats and outerwear

Examples, materials, patterns etc.

Bibliography

Both an online “would you like to know more!” and a guide to the amazing books you can get on amazon.

Nation specific garment

Possibly – if we can think of something suitable for each nation!