Relive the Past in a Renaissance Peasant Dress

When people think of the Renaissance period, oftentimes they think of royalty: large, flowing dresses, luxurious purple velvet, crown jewels. These are all great costume ideas, but we have one that perhaps you overlooked: a Renaissance peasant. Historically, there were many more peasants than there were members of royal families, but unfortunately, they’re often unnoticed. A Renaissance peasant dress may not have the glamor or romance of upper class royalty, but with a few tweaks and an accessory here and there, you can have a Renaissance peasant dress that is just as lovely as the Queen’s!

The common image people have of a Renaissance peasant is someone who is filthy, ignorant, and downtrodden. While they certainly did not have much money, they were far from the dirty, crass individuals people always imagine. Many had housing and furniture, ate well, and often enjoyed ale and wine. With this new image in mind, you can now begin to use your imagination to put together a fantastic Renaissance peasant dress and outfit that will not only evoke the look of the Renaissance era but also be stylish and beautiful!

One of the things to remember when putting together a Renaissance peasant dress is that since you aren’t in the noble class, you don’t have to adhere to strict rules of conduct. You’re free to wear things that might be considered “scandalous” to royalty and do things that a noble queen wouldn’t dare do. Be sure to have some fun!

With all these ideas in mind, now you can get to work. Since peasants often worked in fields, look for dresses that allow you to move easily. Our Amah Peasant dress is one of our most researched dresses. Made from comfortable, flowing cotton, this Renaissance peasant dress is flattering and functional. Couple it with a brown chemise and you almost have a full outfit ready to go! If you are thinking of wearing something a little more ornate, take a look at our Country Maid Set. This outfit comes with almost everything you need – a lovely bodice, a full skirt, and a muslin underdress. An outfit like this will stand out from the crowd as being a little something more than a simple Renaissance peasant dress.