A Guide for the Manly Adventurer
by Prenditia von Poot
Clothing for the upper body is worn in three layers; the undershirt is worn first, with a doublet over it and a jerkin or gown over that. Cloaks and overcoats may be added in cold weather. Sometimes a waistcoat is worn between the shirt and doublet.
The doublet must be close fitting, with a high, narrow waist and internal quilting. Necklines are low and square to oval. The undershirt should be gathered into a band just above the neckline of the doublet. Those old doublets with the deep V-shaped slits to the waist are just no longer fashionable!
Sleeves should be close fitting with tight, buttoned cuffs. For maximum effect they should be puffed out at the shoulder and sometimes at the elbow as well. Alternatively, you should consider going for the 'slashed' look, with narrow cuts along the sleeve so that the shirt or waistcoat can be pulled out in brightly coloured puffs? Of course, another idea is to have a bright lining sewn inside the sleeve, and have that puffed out through the slashes instead.
Another good idea is to wear two sleeves (in contrasting colours, naturally). You can then leave the main sleeve hanging loose from the elbow, thus revealing the undersleeve beneath.
A vexed question in modern fashion concerns whether the ties attaching the doublet to the hose should be on the outside, or concealed on the inside. Opinion differs greatly on this, but personally I feel that decoratively tied bows and half-bows should be employed on the outside, as this looks far more decorative than the converse. You can even go as far as to have the ties tipped with shiny metal tags.
Again, this must be close fitting with a high waist. The skirts should be longer than those on the doublet. It should be lined, not padded.
Unlike doublets, it is quite acceptable for jerkins to be slit in a wide V to the waist, and they should not be laced across. The jerkin should form a round or square collar around the back of the neck. A narrow girdle may be worn to tie the jerkin across at the waist, but it looks better for it to be fastened together.
Or, for a slightly more avant garde approach, how about a double-breasted jerkin? These are rarely seen in this country, but are more popular in the southern nations. They are generally low cut, with wide lapels, and are done up at the side.
The jerkin skirt should be very full, and just below the knee and be left open in front. Striped skirts are particularly fashionable at the moment.
Although not all jerkins have sleeves, there is a wide range of sleeve designs to chose from these days should you opt to do so. They can be long and tubular, or wide and full, ending just below the elbow. Wide tubular sleeves slit at the front so as to hang loose from the shoulder are also quite acceptable. My hot tip, however, is for sleeves which are full to the elbow and then close fitting and buttoned to the wrist.
A jerkin should be less decorative than the doublet worn with it. I have noticed that some new designs incorporate slashes similar to those on doublets. I consider this to be unnecessary ostentation!
Although still not common, these can be useful fashion item, especially with a slashed jerkin. They should be brightly coloured and quilted. They are waist length, as the name implies and are worn beneath the doublet. Some waistcoats have sleeves, but this is by no means necessary.
A popular alternative to the jerkin, especially in colder weather. Gowns should be broad shouldered and loose with ample folds. They are left open down the front (although they can be tied up in cold weather), with turned back borders forming a wide collar at the back. They can be left hanging free, but a girdle or sash is quite acceptable to bind them at the waist. Sleeves can be left hanging from the shoulder or be long with a wide cuff if warmth is preferred.
Short demigowns reaching only to the knees are very popular at the moment, especially for horsemen! Longer gowns have the advantage of being much warmer, but they should not reach all the way to the ankles, as this looks very passe in modern society.
I have noticed that some people still wear cloaks over their jerkins for travelling. This is really quite inexcusable, and a nice heavy gown is much to be preferred! Although the southerners may wear those small circular and semicircular cloaks tied over one shoulder, this sort of thing looks terribly gauche in our own homelands.
Likewise, the more traditionalist magicians still wear robes in public. These things may well be acceptable as formal dress for all I know, but should be left quite firmly behind at the Guild. Unless you really want to look like a vicar!
Breeches and stockings are always to be worn in one garment, and should be very close fitting about the legs. The stockings should be plain and undecorated, although I have noticed that foreigners sometimes affect brightly coloured striped stockings.
Breeches are normally made of criss-cross bands of material, often embroidered in decorative patterns. However, small slashes and puffs in symmetrical arrangements are a more modern alternative.
I cannot emphasise enough that the most important aspect of hosiery is the style of the codpiece. This should be tied with ribbons, and not with buckles, as some of the less stylish have been known to do! The codpiece should always be very prominent, and it is preferable to pad it to acheive this effect. A good idea is to embroider the codpiece so as to match the style of the stockings, and some fine slashed codpieces are available these days so that an underlying flap of a different colour can be pulled through to create a most striking effect.
For extra decorative effect, how about brightly coloured garters just below the knees? Remember that the bow should always go on the outer side.
Shoes should be made of brightly coloured soft leather or velvet, if you can afford it. Cloth or even silk can also be employed. The best shape is the 'duckbill', a rounded square splayed very broadly. Although shoes are often worn tight at the ankle, it is much more fashionable these days to have them cut low over the foot and secured by a simple strap over the instep, or even left unfastened. Shoes can also be decorated by straps, or even by having small jewels sewn onto them.
It is used to be traditional to make shoes from a more durable material, but this is no longer really necessary unless you intend to do a lot of travelling or riding. Separate soles of leather or cork are easily obtained, and are much to be preferred. If you have to wear durable footwear, boots are to be preferred to shoes. At least boots can be made fairly decorative, with the tops turned over to show a decorative lining or laced or buckled down the side. Indeed, some have even considered slashing as an alternative idea, although I feel this is somewhat excessive.
A well dressed man is never seen without a good hat, even if indoors. Fortunately, a wide range of hat designs are now fashionable.
Large, side saucer-shaped hats with extensive brims twisted about are popular, as are, rather regrettably, plain domed hats with flat wide brims. Really, these latter do make you look like a country bumpkin!
Caps are small and round with vertically upturned brims. The brim can be slit into several portions, left complete, divided at the side, or cut away at the front, as you prefer. The crown can also be divided into three or four lobes if desired.
The brim may be buttoned up to the crown and trimmed with coloured laces and ribbons. Feathers make attractive hat ornaments, as do metal medallions.
The undercap should be close fitting and worn low on the back of the head. They should be made from a network of ornamental threads or embroidered material. The older sort, of plain linen, are generally preferred by lawyers and others who work for a living, and not by the truly cultured.
Those long undercaps of cloth or velvet, generally worn under bonnets, are so hideously unfashionable as to be quite unmentionable! Geriatrics will insist on wearing them, but the thought of anyone else doing so is positively laughable.
When not in public, however, simpler hats may be worn. Close fitting round caps with short upturned brims are frequently worn at home, and should ideally be made of velvet or some similar material. Many are embroidered and can look quite decorative. Nightcaps, of course, should generally be plain, but they must only ever be worn in bed!
Gloves should have short cuffs and should be a different colour from the rest of your clothing. If you weart rings, why not slash the gloves near the knuckles, so as to reveal them? Gloves should be wide enough to be put on without fastening, and should be carried in the hand or tucked into a girdle. Mittens can be worn for warmth, but otherwise are quite undesirable, as are the long soft leather gauntlets worn for travelling.
Girdles should be narrow and must always be tied up at the front. Purses should be of leather or silk and are preferrably embroidered with tassels on the drawstrings. Daggers can quite acceptably be fastened to a purse, but your shortsword should naturally be suspended on a different hanger.
Walking sticks can be of almost any length, and are often decorated with ornamental knobs. A new idea, which you may not be aware of, is to have a walking stick with cunningly concealed compartments which can carry a wide range of tools and other useful items within, such as ink pots, perfume bottles, coins, knives, files, foot rules, compasses, whetstones and the like.
Hair should be worn long to the shoulders, with a forehead fringe, although some prefer a centre parting. Gentlemen should usually be clean shaven, although a short beard or moustache is almost as acceptable.
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This page was last updated 15th February 1998 by Jamie 'Trotsky' Revell. Comments welcome.