You can use real couture wool, which is quite expensive, or use a "wool lookalike" fabric, usually a wool/acrylic blend. If you want to make a certifiably authentic outfit for a peasant, laborer, merchant, or even lesser nobility, wool is the best choice. It was made into gowns, doublets, hose, sleeves, hats, capes, coats, veils, stockings, tunics, jerkins.the list goes on and on. Wool was used to weave fine, sheer veiling, heavy coat-weight fabrics, patterned brocades, and even satin and velvet. The quality and variety of the wool textiles worn by the people of the 16th century was, surprisingly enough, equal to or even better than the wool fabrics we have today. The wardrobe of an Elizabethan peasant or a merchant's wife was composed largely of wool garments. Wool was a very popular fabric in Elizabethan times in fact, much of the economy revolved around the wool trade. Here are some fabrics suitable for the costume of the period: For attending renaissance fairs and SCA camping events, standards are much laxer than those for, say, paid re-enactors or someone entering a garment in a competiton. How closely you follow the recommendations below depends on how authentic you want your dress to be. It does add time onto a project, but the perfectly-fitted end result is worth the effort. Whenever I set out to make a dress from a pattern, either my own pattern or someone else's, I always make at least the bodice out of a fabric like twill, poplin or cheap muslin, try it on, note what needs changing, alter the pattern accordingly, and then cut out the velvet or brocade (with much greater peace of mind, I might add). There's nothing worse than realizing you just wasted 8 yards of velvet on a gown that doesn't fit anything like it should. Commercially made patterns never quite fit, and some patterns' directions can be confusing. patterned cotton found on the fabric store bargain racks. If you're a novice sewer or making a pattern you've never tried before, try making the pattern up in a cheaper fabric first, such as the $1.88/yd. You can wear all of the correct underpinnings, use a wonderfully period pattern, and sew it so that it fits like a dream, but if you're using the wrong type of fabric or a blatantly non-period patterned brocade, it can greatly diminish your gown's "Wow" factor. When recreating a gown or making something to wear to a renaissance faire, your choice of fabric can make your gown fabulous-or a flop. While it would be wonderful if there existed somewhere a 16th century shop selling completely authentic fabrics, unfortunately most of us have to content ourselves with the local fabric store. "What fabric should I use?" is a common question asked by people who haven't had much experience with historical costuming.
"What Fabric Should I Use?" A guide to buying fabric for 16th century costume by Drea Leed
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