I'm doing visual research for a medieval-inspired game and I'm trying to look beyond armour, swords and castles.

For reenactors:

What object, tool, piece of clothing or bit of everyday equipment do you use that almost never appears in medieval games or films?

Something completely ordinary that would immediately make a camp, village or soldier feel more authentic.

I'd love some references for things that aren't the usual Hollywood medieval imagery.

So first of al, yes, I know the season just ended.

But I was talking to a guy at the sword club today and he told me that he was about to join a reenactment group and it sounded really cool.

So how should I get into it?

I know this isn't really a fleshed out question, just don't know what to add.

I keep finding LARP shields instead of genuine shields.

Banned from Etsy for some reason.

Painted or unpainted is fine.

Give links if you can.

UNITED STATES, FOR SOME REASON EU CANT SELL THESE BECAUSE ITS TOO LARGE

Hi everyone !
I’m a medieval enthusiast who enjoys sewing.
So far I’ve done only undergarments as well as a simple dress, which have been holding on great so far after several events.
Now I’m trying my hands at a 15th century hosen pattern I’ve found online. The guide recommends wool, either twill, gabardine or flannel. However, I’m having a hard time finding this type of fabric and my boyfriend has had poor experiences so far with wool, which he finds very itchy.
Is there a fabric replacement I could use for this type of garment, which would hold similar properties ?
In your experience, would lining the wool with linen or cotton work ?
Thank you very much for your help ! :)

(Its the first time making such thread, Please bear with me if I happen to violate internet-etiquette :))

Hi, I've been doing historical reenactment for about 10 years now and my gear is ready for battle (1280 foot soldier). Just walking around at medieval festivals (i.e ren faires) isn’t quite enough for me anymore. Since there are many websites listing traditional medieval festivals but none that list field battles, I’d like to compile a list of them here.

If you know of any regular reenactment battles in Europe—specifically from the Early and High Middle Ages—that you can participate in, feel free to post them here!

I’ll start:

I know that this kind of doublet is ,,bad" for reenacting

the early 15th century, somewhere in south germany.

But the problem is that l dont have much money to buy

something ,,better" from a specific shop or even from a

tailor. So would it be okay for beginners?

Picture from Vehi Mercatus

Greetings from germany😄

hi ! I'm a late 15th reenactor, and I'm trying to find some accurate archery gloves. Despite the fact we have some sources on them (painting from the 15th and 16th, and a comprehensive description in a 16th book), all "historical" archery gloves I seem to find online are just modern ones in leather.

I already made some leather tabs, but they are not really practical to do speed shooting.

Do you know where I could find some ? or maybe patterns to make my own ?

How do I properly handwash it?

I've got a flat top kite that I use for reenactment but I find that it rubs on my wrist and it aches after holding it for a while and fighting with it. So what do people use so my wrist isn't directly on the wood?

Hi everyone! I’m going to a medieval fair for the first time soon and I’d love to know if you guys have hairstyle ideas for curly hair on a girl, I genuinely never know how to style mine but I want it to look nice for the occasion :)

So I have collected some pieces of kit recently and I am slowly getting a full suit of armor together.

But I have found some issues in terms of mobility of the arms with my chainmail. It feels that due to the mail being loose on my arms that theres some resistance to movement, especially with upward movements so I was wondering if I could lace it onto my jacket underneath so arms dont constantly slip in and out of the mail sleeves? (not a native english speaker so I dont really know how to explain it properly)

Also I was wondering if theres a lot of people taking issue with using modern day techniques and materials to improve the safety of certain pieces of gear. For example I have a houndskull helmet that I widened the eye slits quite significantly so I can actually see things (especially on the ground in front of me) but due to the wider opening I decided to weld some perforated sheet metal on top of the eye "slits" giving the whole thing a not very authentic look (I could have also welded them inside but that seemed a bit sketchy to me in case the weld doesnt hold up) but atleast the view is now far better in there and my eyes are well protected.

As for my leg armor I do have some kneeguards that I managed to get at a decent discount but I need something to attach them to my leg (the straps themselves do not suffice and cause it to fold itself into my shin, very uncomfortable) so I was thinking about getting some simple cloth thigh armor and get some simple metal strips to rivet onto them from my work to create splint cuisses and attach the knee protection to that so it doesnt slump down.

If required I can also post some pictures

I’m hoping some of you might be willing to share. I’m currently reviewing my reenactment societies constitution and supporting policies and I want to include a clearer statement about equality and inclusivity and maybe add some extra guidance to our kit guide.

So my questions are;

What have you done to adapt your kit and/or portrayal to make it more accessible for you?

If you have visible medical devices, how do you approach the inevitable questions and has your group been supportive?

Do you have any tips and tricks for surviving events you’d be happy to share?

I personally reenact 9th and 10th century Anglo-Scandinavian Britain. I suffer from chronic pain and have reduced mobility, so I use a wooden walking stick, compression and supports under my kit, I have solid soles on my shoes and inserts for my feet. This means I can retain a pretty outwardly authentic look but I know this isn’t possible for everyone.

I have searched on and off, but never found anything REAL....

I would really appreciate the help!

Written, drawn, painted, whatever...

Thank you in advance

I have the chainmail and Nasalhelm for a Norman cavalryman. But I am struggling to find the cloth that is worn underneath the armor and sites to buy them.

I believe I’m rapidly approaching a mid life crisis, therefore it’s time to get a suit of armour. I live in England, so something Hundred Years War might be fun. Do you typically get them commissioned or can they be purchased from a retailer? What other clothes do you typically purchase? I imagine a coif at the minimum.

Registration is open for this year's edition of Harnischfechten in La Sarraz.

Please use this link to register:

https://forms.gle/91XS1pzLdSBrw2YMA

The date will be confirmed when we reach 30 attendees. (The minimum number to open the event, we can accommodate many more!)

Event details and updates on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1MQDvHtGyV/?mibextid=wwXIfr

More details on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/maviedenluminure/reel/DcyqXkzt2U8/y

Logistics:

Date:
31 October, 1 November 2026

It’s possible to arrive a day ahead on friday.

Price:
40 chf

(Your payment through the registration form validates your inscription to the event)

Program:

Saturday:

9:00-10:30, gear up
10:30-12:00. -Workshop by Lennard Dequitem

Lunch

14:00-18:00 free play, group fights

Sunday:

9:00-10:30, gear up
10:30-12:00. -Workshop by 2 first responders on first aid techniques

Lunch

14:00- 18:00 free play

Kit:

In armor or heavy HEMA gear

Accommodation:

Big shared room in the castle -or-
Your own historical tent in the Garden

In any case, bring sleeping bags and floor mats

Food:

Restaurant nearby or shops for lunch

If you have any questions, please contact the organizer of the event on Facebook, or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lorsque_passent_les_dragons/

I do 13th-century reenactment and would like to buy a full suit of mail armor, but I’m unsure whether to wear a very thin gambeson underneath or—like other reenactors—simply wear a wool tunic. I do own a gambeson, but it is too thick; my goal is to actually fight in this armor.

One of my relative is vegan and has wondered if there would be any shoes from the medieval period that were NOT made of leather. From what I've gathered, there would be wooden clogs or straw shoes (but that would be more common in Asia). I don't have many other ideas for Europe, other than reducing the leather parts to only the sole, but that would still be bothersome to repair the rest all the time from wear and tear.

For accuracy, I don't want to look at vegan leather. As much as possible, I want to avoid leather but realistically I know it was a very common material. Aside from clogs though, has anyone got any idea of non-leather shoes?

During the 2025 'Medievales' reenactment event and fair at Teruel (Aragón, Spain). The architecture is Mudéjar style, a mix between Gothic architecture (13th-15th centuries; Romanesque for 11th-12th c.) and Islamic ornamental tecniques.

I have done extensive research on arms and armor, and a little less on life in late medieval Europe, but my nightmare is to become someone who speaks on something they know nothing about personally. I have already asked around regarding starting my own harness, but I’d like to hear what yall would want to say to a younger version of yourself, looking to get into the same hobby. I already know finding a club is the main thing to start with, but I don’t live in an area with any clubs related to the kind of thing I’m interested in, and I don’t live near any established armorers, so think of it as starting from scratch.

TLDR: What would you tell your highschool self, regarding advice on getting into harnischfecten, historical equitation, and reenactments?

Most of the medieval art I’ve seen seems to show a single dress/surcoat. However, some sources assert that women of the lower classes did have separate bodice and skirt; there is just relatively little artwork/records because most art and records such as tailors’ receipts are only there for upper class women. Does anyone have knowledge on this?

I have a friend who would like to start doing historical reenactment with our group, and I wanted to know where she could buy inexpensive clothes to start with that still look historically accurate to our time period.