Costume Regulations
A look at the standards and style of dress we expect of our members and event attendees.
Costume Standards
As of 2024, we are currently writing more in-depth costume guidance to help our members achieve a good standard of accuracy. These will be published in due course, but in the meantime we ask that members consider the following when making garments to wear to our events:
Historical costumes should be made to a good standard. This includes the use of appropriate fabric, being cut with care, sewn neatly by hand or machine, and steamed or pressed with an iron. Lumpy seams or poor finishing drastically diminish the quality of a garment.
Modern alternatives can be substituted for expensive or difficult to obtain historical fabrics. For example, synthetic taffeta may be used in-lieu of silk, but textures, colours, and patterns should be as close to historically accurate as possible. Avoid ‘slubby’ silk dupioni, and modern prints that feature historically inaccurate colours.
All layers of correct undergarments and underpinnings should be worn in order to achieve a historically accurate silhouette. This includes the wearing of a chemise, corset/stays, bumpad/bustle/crinoline, and an appropriate number of petticoats for the era being portrayed.
Dress Code
Respect that the Guild is a pre-World War I group. All costumes worn to Guild events should reflect fashions from between Ancient History and July 1914. Exceptions in very specific circumstances may be allowed by Event Organisers (e.g. some organisers may permit later 19-teens fashion to be worn).
Historybounding, and late 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s fashion is not permitted at Guild events. Exceptions in very specific circumstances may be allowed by Event Organisers (e.g. the Railway Rendezvous dress code was 'The Golden Age of Steam: 1840 - 1940).
Historical costume should be worn at all times to Guild events. Exceptions in very specific circumstances may be allowed by Event Organisers (e.g. museum study/research or shopping days, or longer weekend/residential events that have periods of casual wear ‘downtime’).
Each event has it's own individual dress code that must be followed. This will include the era and style of costume to be worn, for example, '1890-1910 day wear'. Check the relevant event page for details.