Clothing

[Sir James A]

Yeah, it looks like all the braies are back in stock, since I ordered the small size too and my whole order just shipped (I'm assuming it's the whole order, since they sent me an email and said everything was in stock and ready to go). I think we got the same tunic, though mine's in blue. I ordered the chausses in both blue and black so I can pick depending on what else I'm wearing.

Yep, probably all shipped at once. Mine just arrived today, and I ordered the small braies too. I got my tunic in black, of course.

[Sir Edward]

Yeah, knee to ankle length covers a wide range of history. In the 14th things kept getting shorter, until in the 15th they had doublets that often were pointed to the hose at the waist. If you like it at mid-thigh, it's going to look 14th mostly.

The good news is that depending on what you find, it might be possible to hem it a little shorter.

[Leganoth]

i just need a teutonic outfit for when they werent in battle

[Sir Edward]

I ordered the chausses in both blue and black so I can pick depending on what else I'm wearing.

And now you can go 1 blue, 1 black for when you just can't decide!

Don't think I hadn't thought of that.

[Sir Edward]

My revival stuff got here today:



Is anyone else having fitting difficulty with the chauses? I got them in large. I don't have really wide legs, and they fit a size 12 foot. But man, it's tough to get my foot down through the ankle of it, and then they're pretty snug around the thigh. Basically, they fit, just barely.

For the braies, this is a whole new thing to me. I noticed the drawstring is super long. Long enough to wrap all the way around before tying. I'm assuming that's what you're supposed to do, and thus have a line to point the chausses to. That's what I did tonight.

The tunic sleeves seem barely long enough too. They look fine with my arms at my sides, but out in front they pull back from my wrist a little bit.

[Ian]

I had a problem with the chauses as well.  I ordered the ones that said size 10 foot (my size in everything) and it's quite a feat to get my feet in there .  I tried going up one size, but the chausses are a little baggy then.

I then ordered a pair from HE in wool and never looked back.

I believe the braies come with such a long draw string because it's just intended to be cut to size since they fit a huge variety of waists. The braies should have a little cut out area along the waistband that exposes the internal drawstring for pointing you chausses.

[Sir Wolf]

gasp a white belt!! ahhahaha

i question the slit in the tunic and the hood. i really don't think they are there in period pieces.  looks great man!! your right thought, the cuffs seem short. esp if u wash it and it shrinks?

[Sir Edward]

I'm like right between sizes. I think I'd be swimming in the larger ones, but barely make it in these.

Nope, these braies don't have a little window for pointing.

BTW, Revival is have another 20% one-day sale tomorrow, May 3.

[Ian]

When it comes to normal clothing items I've always had better luck with HE (arming clothes though, I love Revival). I highly recommend wool for chausses.  They're not really hot, and they stretch a little to give that form fitted look.  The linen doesn't really give at all, and doesn't look as authentic. Outer garments should be wool to the max extent practical as far as I understand.

Not sure why your braies don't have the pointing window... you could always cut it yourself.  I think it would be preferable to having a double wrap of drawstring.

[Sir James A]

gasp a white belt!! ahhahaha

i question the slit in the tunic and the hood. i really don't think they are there in period pieces.  looks great man!! your right thought, the cuffs seem short. esp if u wash it and it shrinks?

The tunic is supposed to be from the "The Hunting Book of Gaston Phebus", who live in the mid-14th century. You can see a split from the guy on horseback here:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E_o_0Bdm4GA/TUVtozPE2wI/AAAAAAABHrM/lcp03FoLdlw/s1600/Gaston%2BPh%25C3%25A9bus%252C%2BLivre%2Bde%2Bla%2Bchasse%252C%2Bc.%2B1410-.jpg

These guys too: http://www.frenchtoutou.com/images/celebrite/meutechassea.jpg

Most of them don't have the split in the manuscript, though.

Sir Edward, let me go check my chausses and braies. It's been a more than hectic week, and I haven't even opened them yet.

EDIT[/i] - The tunic fits me well, and the joined hosen I got fit well, too. The chausses, large, are actually a little loose. No problems getting my foot through, but I don't like the "footie pajamas" feeling, and I'll have shoes on over them anyway, so I will probably be chopping them off slightly below the ankle, and leaving enough fabric to roll up and put a lace through them to tie them at the ankle. Probably not period, but it won't be visible, and I'll be more comfortable - win win. The only thing that didn't fit was the linen shirt I got - it fits, but when I bend my arms, I feel like I'm about to hulk right through it - it cuts off my circulation.

For the braies - mine have the two extra openings on the front area, offset. If you look roughly at the top middle of your thigh (put on the chausses and pull them up - look above the points), you should see two small sewn-hole openings - pull the draw string through there. Then you can make two decent sized loops, one on each side. Point your chausses (fabric only! ) to there. Then you can pull the draw string tight. There will still be some extra string, which is fine, just tuck it into the waist band. You can leave the loops at the side pretty long. I used a small pick to pull it through the opening.

Hope that helps. I'll get some pics tomorrow, if you need them.

[SirNathanQ]

Ah, Leganoth, joining the Ritterbrudern I see? To not look out of place when at Mass, you will need the standard legwear, shoes and undergarments of the desired period. Remember though, keep the fancy shmancy bits to a minimum. Your main garment will be a cappa-clausa, which is basically a very long robe with relatively form-fitting sleeves. It should be simple, white with a black cross upon it. Tie it in the center with a belt or a sash, add a pouch, a pternoster, and some accessories, and you're good to go. Also remember to wear your mantle (large hooded cloak), with or without armour.

[Leganoth]

Ah, Leganoth, joining the Ritterbrudern I see? To not look out of place when at Mass, you will need the standard legwear, shoes and undergarments of the desired period. Remember though, keep the fancy shmancy bits to a minimum. Your main garment will be a cappa-clausa, which is basically a very long robe with relatively form-fitting sleeves. It should be simple, white with a black cross upon it. Tie it in the center with a belt or a sash, add a pouch, a pternoster, and some accessories, and you're good to go. Also remember to wear your mantle (large hooded cloak), with or without armour.

Exactly what im trying to make actually nathan, have any pictures or recommendations i should get?

[Sir Edward]

When it comes to normal clothing items I've always had better luck with HE (arming clothes though, I love Revival). I highly recommend wool for chausses.  They're not really hot, and they stretch a little to give that form fitted look.  The linen doesn't really give at all, and doesn't look as authentic. Outer garments should be wool to the max extent practical as far as I understand.

Not sure why your braies don't have the pointing window... you could always cut it yourself.  I think it would be preferable to having a double wrap of drawstring.

Yeah, this was a sale-inspired purchase. I went with all linen on this since we tend to have a lot of very hot renfaire days, but I guess you're right that wool wouldn't be too bad on chausses etc.

The chausses do work, just barely, even though Revival's site says I should have an extra half inch in most places, and several inches around the thigh (I bought large, wear a size 12). Their sizing has always been slightly inaccurate (sometimes wildly so, but Nicole got defensive with me when I tried to bring it up at WMAW). I've always had to exchange something from my orders to get a different size, even if I was only ordering one thing.

I'm thinking I might exchange the tunic and get the Large. I'm wearing a Large in most of their other clothes (and usually a Medium for arming clothes). I got the Medium tunic since it says it'll take up to a 44" chest. I measure at 41", but wear a 44 jacket. Not only are the sleeves slightly short, but it's a little narrow in the shoulders, and we had to make sure to not let it gather at the belt or else my braies would have shown in the photo. Wearing it all day at faire, it'll definitely pull up a little. I'm worried that I'll be swimming in a large, but I feel this tunic is meant to be loose, and I'm also worried that I'll never wear it if I think it's going to be small on me all day.

Ah, fun with ordering things without trying them on first.

[Ian]

For the braies - mine have the two extra openings on the front area, offset. If you look roughly at the top middle of your thigh (put on the chausses and pull them up - look above the points), you should see two small sewn-hole openings - pull the draw string through there. Then you can make two decent sized loops, one on each side. Point your chausses (fabric only! ) to there. Then you can pull the draw string tight. There will still be some extra string, which is fine, just tuck it into the waist band. You can leave the loops at the side pretty long. I used a small pick to pull it through the opening.

This is how mine are as well.

With the tunic, I have the Gaston Phebus tunic in burgundy (medium) and the sleeves are a tad short on it as well.  The white linen undershirt would sometimes peak out from the sleeve cuffs because they were slightly longer.  If I went up a size though, I'd get lost in the tunic.

If you're going to get a coif to wear under your hood, I really recommend HE here.  For some reason Revival went with a modern string with plastic tips to tie off the coifs.  HE uses a ribbon of linen which looks much better and more accurate.

With regard to wool in the summer, it breathes just fine.  The wool HE uses is very fine and not itchy on my legs at all (I know some people's skin and wool don't mix well).  And for upper garments, if you sweat in to them, they will keep you cooler once wet.  They also dry very quickly because they're wool.  Linen and cotton take forever to dry.  It's routinely in the upper 90's and high 90% humidity here (Florida) during the summer, and the helicopter I teach in is like a greenhouse in the cockpit when you get a bird with crappy AC, and I fly with wool socks every single day, it keeps my feet cooler, dryer, and more comfortable than cotton socks.  So I applied that to my medieval clothes and it works!

[Sir Brian]

That’s a bummer you are not completely happy with your linen soft kit Sir Edward. 

I ordered the large in the Gaston Phebus tunic and it fits me perfectly even after a couple of washings. I’m having a griffin embroidered onto it now while I’m doing multiple washes of the chausses and braies to accelerate softening them up. If anyone wants to do the same, ensure you use a little white vinegar to help break down the linen fibers and keep the colors vibrant. They have noticeably softened after several washings and after several more I’ll be ready to dye the braies black.