Period Costumes

C Colonial Costume Patterns E Elizabethan Costumes G Gone with the Wind Costumes M Macbeth Costumes Medieval Costume Medieval Costume Patterns Medieval Costume Pictures P Pirate Costume Pictures

P cont. Pirate Costumes Plus Size Renaissance Costumes R Renaissance Costume Renaissance Festival Costumes Romeo and Juliet Costumes S Sound of Music Costumes V Victorian Costumes W Womens Pirate Costumes

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The idea of period costumes encompasses a wide range of possibilities, from the classic Elizabethan costumes with their ornate jewels and flowing skirts, to the medieval style exemplified by chain mail, armor and classic "wench" wear.

But your quest for the perfect period costume does not need to end in the far past. Any period of history can be the inspiration for period costumes, whether it's the 1920's flapper style or the Valley girl of the 1980s.

Period Costume Inspiration

Beyond using this site to look for ideas for your period costume, search the Internet and your public library for images of what people wore in the time period you are interested in. For more current times you may be able to buy authentic clothing at your local secondhand store or on eBay, while for times more distant you can buy reproductions or costumes inspired by those bygone times.

Historical Attitude

Part of the fun of dressing up in period garb, whether for Halloween or a costume party, is acting the part of a long-ago maiden, knight or pirate. Look for information on historic slang and current events that people from your time period might have been interested in to make your costume all the more authentic.

Memorize a common phrase of greeting from the time period you are representing, if nothing else, and you'll be sure to charm other people at the party. It doesn't take a lot of effort to find out basic historical information, but it will impress people that you went the extra mile to make yourself a character rather than just putting on a costume.