A peasant woman costume is one of the simplest medieval costumes to create. Such a costume can be made using normal, modern clothing. The most distinct feature of a medieval peasant woman costume is the bodice. This can be made simply from a tank top with a small amount of work. This costume is suitable for costume parties or Renaissance Fairs.
Things You'll Need
Floor length skirt
Long sleeve shirt
Tank top
Scissors
10 grommets
Mallet
1 yard of quarter-inch cord
Making the Costume
Step 1
Cut straight down the center of the tank top with the scissors, from the neckline to the waist. The tank top should now open like a jacket. This will be the foundation for the peasant woman bodice.
Step 2
Place five grommets, evenly spaced, on each side of the tank top opening. The grommets should be about half an inch from the cut edges of the tank top. The end grommets should be about half an inch from the neck and waist lines of the tank top.
Step 3
Use the quarter-inch cord to lace the tank top like a shoe. The tied ends should be at the waistline of the bodice.
Step 4
Use a solid color skirt for a medieval costume. There should be no patterns, designs or logos on it.
Step 5
Put on the long-sleeved shirt and the skirt. Tuck the shirt into the waist of the skirt. The shirt should also be devoid of any logos, patterns or designs.
Step 6
Put the bodice on over the shirt. Pull the cord to make sure it is sufficiently tight. Tie it like a shoe.
Placing Grommets
Step 1
Cut a small hole where the grommet will go.
Step 2
Put the top half of the grommet through the hole. Grommets come in two halves. One half has a thin tube that fits inside the wider tube of the other half. The top half is the half of the grommet with a thinner tube.
Step 3
Place the bottom half of the grommet into the top half on the other side of the fabric.
Step 4
Place the garment on a flat, hard surface.
Step 5
Hit the top half of the grommet a few times with a mallet. The grommet is in place once you can no longer pull the top and bottom half of the grommet apart.
Tip
The choice of coloration for a medieval peasant woman costume can be quite varied. Typically, the shirt should be white, tan or brown. The skirt should be a dark color, such as dark blue, dark green or brown, but yellow or peach will also work. The tank top used to make the bodice can be almost any color. The only colors that should be avoided for a peasant costume are black, purple or bright red. These colors would typically have been worn only by medieval nobles.
The skirt should be floor-length. Wear whatever shoes are most comfortable.