Faire Ladies, Faire Lords

Quality, American-Made Renaissance Costumes

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Bodices are back!

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Bodices are back in stock online, yay! You know the ones, the cotton twill square necked bodices featured in so much of my promotional images? These bodices are based on renaissance Tudor and Elizabethan styles I’ve been obsessed with since 2004. Hey that’s 20 years, we should have a party!

drawing by Cristof Weiditz, girl with an ermine apron square neck bodiceRenaissance art is such a wonderful resource for design, and its only gotten better since I started out. Back then, I had to order books from a paper catalog – it was all so niche and hard to find. Since then; Project Gutenberg has been busily scanning and uploading every single document, manuscript, book, catalog, etc. on the planet and made it free to the public. What a time to be alive and nerdy.

Any way, back to the bodices. I’m updating the listing NOW with more stock in those classy (and classic) garments. Black, blue, hunter green, and now burgundy. I’ll keep adding more all summer long. YOU CANNOT BUY THESE FROM ME AT A SHOW. THIS IS ONLINE ONLY. Bodices are Back, baby!

I am cautiously optimistic that I’ve got a stitcher properly trained to do things ‘my way’ aka the Right Way on this style. I’m still cutting, setting grommets, fussing with patterns and all – but what a relief to have some help with the actual stitches. Another YAY!

Share this with your friends, your guild mates, your cosplay people please? And as always if you need help or just want to get in touch, I’m on Facebook and you can email me here.

The Green Linen Project

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Hello everyone! I have news, good news! I’ve begun the Green Linen Project. Huzzah!

Finally, I’m fundraising to create a linen fabric in Hunter Green color. For so many years, clients and customers (and me, too) have wanted to see Hunter Green color used in my ready to wear line. And there has been none available from my supplier despite asking and asking and asking. Never would happen. Sure I could pay retail for it, but nobody wants to pay that much for ready to wear costume. We all agree on this.

So, lets make our own! 500 yards of it! I have the source to buy undyed fabric, and have sourced a dye house in Los Angeles, CA. This just needs funding. I need your help to make this happen.
All donations will be rewarded by your choice of either garment, yardage, or website credit. Please choose one (or more) and note with your donation. I’ll send you confirmation and details via email. There will be shipping charges.
  • yardage, at $12/yd
  • Linen shirt, $90
  • Linen skirt $120
  • gift certificate for use on my website
Note: Garments will be made up when the dyed fabric is received – so this could take a while depending how quickly the campaign goes, how long to process the fabric, etc. I intend to have this finished before the end of the year.
The fabric will be 55% linen/45% rayon, approx 4.5oz, softened. Its considered midweight and works well for draped, casual looks and the more tailored styles I feature in my line. While it holds a crisp edge when pressed, it also has an easy drape and a loose, slightly rustic weave. I call it Bachelor Friendly because it is incredibly easy to care for, not to mention delightful to wear. Toss in the wash, hang to dry. Done.
Please share this blog, repost the GoFundMe campaign, and support our search for good linen fabric.martina vending at renfaire
best regards,
Martina

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I am a costume designer for renaissance faire and historical costumes. My shop name is Faire Ladies Faire Lords . I make the clothing in my shop at faire from linen and linen blends. The good stuff.

Linen Chemise Appreciation

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linen chemise with pink lace and ribbon detailEvery once in a while, I feel like highlighting one of my designs so you readers can find it and have some of The Good Stuff. Right now, that’s the Linen Chemise. I debuted this design in 2019 at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire and it sold out FAST.

I’m stocking the website for summer and just listed a batch of the Long Chemise and the Short Chemise too. Its in stock now and ready to ship. I’ll be filling in more inventory in the next few weeks so if you need to backorder don’t be shy.

My personal favorite is still the ivory with blue trim and ribbon. But I know not everyone dresses like I do so I have colors available too. Lilac with cream lace/ribbon, ivory with pink lace/ribbon and always the ivory with cream lace/ribbon.

I think we can all agree that at faire, a linen chemise is a mandatory for comfort in the heat, and the most comfortable  undergarment for your ladies renfaire outfit. Bonus: I designed these to emulate period patterns for a great historical look and for maximum comfort too.

The latest batch I made for faire are super cute, and one of the reasons that it can be work outside of faire. You may find yourself wearing it after hours by itself for lounging or as a nightgown. I do. Some of my clients tell me that with the right skirt and a boho belt, its fun to wear almost anyplace. Try it, summer is coming!

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ps. Yes you can totally wash these in the machine! Just hang them dry for best results. Enjoy!

Faire Season is Upon Us!

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Like the title says, Faire season is upon us! Out here on the west coast, The Renaissance Pleasure Faire is about what, 5 weeks away? Build starts in about 2 weeks. Here online its time for sneak peeks and teasers. This year like every year, is a mix of new styles and everyone’s ‘favorites for a reason’. I think we can all agree there is never too much of a good thing.

Favorites for a Reason

First up, those amazing linen shirts are back in offwhite, stone, black 100% linen, and red. PLUS there is a selection of them loaded on the website already. Because showing up to faire already looking fine is awesome. Mens doublets, YES. I’ve changed sewing teams and I am really pleased with the quality of these doublet vests. Likewise the buttonfly Venetian Breeches are back too – I made a few tweaks to the pattern and I’m sure everyone will be thrilled.

a child's renfaire dress on a hanger

Ladies, this year is about more bodices, more gowns! I’ve got a small selection of bodices already online, and more coming. If you haven’t seen the plaid Irish Dress online yet,check this out!  Also, plans for closed front gown are underway, in a bold blue and the infamous Goose Turd Green. March is going to be busy for sewing! I’ve got new colors of Bloomers one of which is a black 100% linen, and a stash just for the website.

Bringing forgotten styles back to the booth:

martina in the studio Styles from years past that come and go, and are back in the booth inventory! Flat caps! Because you’ve been asking me to bring this back and I finally was able to make time and get them cut in LINEN. I’ve even got childrens sizes. Which leads me to CHILDREN’S RENFAIRE COSTUMES. Its been a while since I had a large selection, so I brought a few pieces back to the booth inventory last year. Things went well. This year I’m doing much more. These are not on my website – yet. Little Irish dresses, skirts, pants and shirts, biggins and hats!

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And so, if you have questions about the faire or any of the items in my online shop, please reach out and get in touch. I’m here to help, so use this link and shoot me an email. I can also be found on Facebook. I’m slogging it out in the studio cut cut cutting. Though, I will respond to you within 1 business day usually. Better yet, drop in to say HI at the booth this coming April and May. I will post updates about my precise location after stakeout/build weekend.

 

Happy Holiday over the knee Socks!

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December is when all the elves get to grab some happy holiday over the knee socks. I wanted to share this year, it tickles me so. Also, this is a shameless plug.Striped socks being put into a mailing envelope.

[Read more…] about Happy Holiday over the knee Socks!

The December List

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drafting tools and a patternHello! I’d like to remind about the December List. You may have heard about it for special orders at Faire Ladies, Faire Lords shop this faire season. Every year it seems I’ve got more special orders incoming. I can’t help it, I really enjoy the work and knowing that my customers are getting something they want specifically makes me happy. What I’m doing is corralling all the work into a set block of time to keep me from derailing my studio production schedule. And, one of those blocks of time is the December List.

Every fall, I take orders for a limited time of things to make for my customers. The list closes on December 1, or earlier if its already full. So, you’d like to have a special something made – for instance this ruffled collar and cuff shirt. You know I don’t carry that in my regular inventory. You need this item before Southern Faire in the spring? Now is the time! Do not wait, place an order online and/or email me to get on the list. Easy Peasy!

There is a deposit/payment of course. I do the work starting in December (hence the name) and generally finish by the first of the year. Sometimes longer if its a complex item or group of items.

Please share this information with your guild mates and friends? If you wait, you will be without. I don’t want that, you don’t want that. Lets not let that happen. 🙂

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Something to also think about: good quality socks for faire. And socks that fit a wide calf. I cannot sell them at faire, but you can order them from my website. Meanwhile, you can find me in my booth at the Northern California Renaissance Faire, here via email, on Facebook, and more blog posts too.