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ECOX:
Gentlemen, I  have started making an "kit". Is that the right word for it? This is what I have assembled so far without doing research into it. This was my second year going to ren faires and I want look right. I have some better boots ordered, plan on doing something about the screen printed cross, and starting to construct a new more accurate coif. I would welcome some input from all of you. I do keep myself on a budget or I would get out of control.
 Second question, I am making a torse, were they ever worn over the coif?

SirNathanQ:
Welcome to the Forum!
Are you portraying a Templar? Because you are bearing their insignia.
I personally am of the The Order of The Teutonic Knights of St.
Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem.

AKA Teutonic Knights.

First off, research is absolutely free! I know, if you impulse buy and later find out you wasted your money, you feel like a bloody idiot. Trust me. Been there.
First, what are you going for? Date, region, persona, modern uses for the kit, ect.

Sir Ulrich:
Ah another Templar, well lemme walk you through on a bit of what they do. Most templar/crusader era knights used maille, so you got it right doing the coif and maille shirt. The helmet I'm not EXACTLY sure is accurate but it depends on the century you're going for. First crusade I believe they didn't even use great helm type helms. But if you're going for the third crusade I'm pretty sure it's period. You should get your hands on either a kite of heater shield as well unless your sword is a 2 hander which it looks like from the pics. I would also suggest some simple leather gloves or mittens to go over your hands, or if you have the time and patience make some maille mittens or gloves. If you're going for the late 13th century/ 14th century templar look then you could also get some pieces of plate as well, mainly in the knee cops and possibly schynbalds (early greaves). Hope this helps you.

Sir Edward:

As others have pointed out, it looks like you're going Templar. I'm not 100% sure how they did the crosses on the surcoats most of the time, but in general, appliques AND silk-screening are both period methods. But I think an applique would have been much more common.

A torse is typically worn (with a mantle) on a Great Helm, or a Sugarloaf (which you have). The period dates work out OK. Torses started to come into appearance around the end of the 13th, and through the 14th Century. The Sugarloafs are late 13th through early 14th, and typically worn with mail and a surcoat.

One thing I'd recommend, if you haven't done it already, is to make or buy a fabric arming cap to wear under the coif. It's more historically accurate, and it keeps your hair from getting tangled in the rings. If you get riveted mail, you'll find this to be important, since the rivets tend to catch hair a lot more than butt links.

If you want to go all out with this particular look, the mail hauberks in the 13th were typically almost knee-length, and had full-length sleeves that ended in an integrated mitten. The coif was sometimes worn under the hauberk to keep the shoulder-mantle portion of it from flapping around. But not always. You can wear it either way and be correct.

As you get into the 14th, the hauberks started to be replaced with haubergeons with half-sleeves and hanging to the thigh in length. This was to accommodate early plate components, that at first were simple plates strapped over the mail, slowly evolving into complete plate armor. But the Templars were wiped out in 1307, so they never went too far into that. (Remember, 14th Century = 1300's)

For the legs, you can get away with just tights/hose and simple ankle boots. But ideally for a complete kit, some leg armor would help. You can get padded cuisses pretty cheaply (GDFB for instance), but you may need to resize them. The GDFB ones are pretty large. Mail chausses are available from places like Ice Falcon, but they cost a bit, and it's worth getting the riveted ones if you go that route, since mail on your legs gets pulled and tugged a lot more than other places on your body, so you don't want it coming apart on you.

A relatively inexpensive way to do the legs is the GDFB padded legs, and maybe some splinted greaves to wear on your shins.

It looks like you're off to a great start!

Sir William:
Welcome to the forums, Ecox...looks like you're off to a great start.  The arms and armor bug has bitten us all...let the madness begin.  ;)

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