Archeress

Beautiful, dangerous and striking, our Archeress Collection — consisting of a dress, chemise, vest, and accessories — is a Renaissance Faire favorite.

A long time ago, we had a dream: a beautiful, feminine costume that was at the same time fearsome. We imagined a woman who was skilled and talented, independent and capable of defending herself. We imagined the archeress: stunning yet dangerous, and ready for adventure. That dream long ago became a reality, and our Archeress collection has been one of our bestselling designs for many years. It has touched the imaginations of medieval enthusiasts worldwide and is worn by people on every continent.

The Archeress Collection is different from the usual medieval archer outfit. Instead of going for something purely historical and functional, we have brought in a fantasy element that makes it truly unique. We feel that it is optimized for LARP archery, and would look great out on the battlefield, at a feast, or being worn by a lady in a noble hunt. The shapes of the dresses were inspired by the dresses of the XIV century, cut with generous gores in the skirts that flare out and fall beautifully.

One of the reasons it is such a popular Renaissance Faire archer costume is because we have combined comfort, medieval aesthetics, and modern beauty into a garment. All of the dresses drape in a flattering way and are made from quality materials and textiles. The contrasting suede corset adds an additional interesting shape to the costume as well as another texture, and all of the brass jewelry and etched accents provide another deeper level of visual interest. When combined, all of these pieces create “The Archeress”: one of our best medieval creations to date.

Put together a memorable archeress costume

It’s difficult to deny the thrill of archery. It is physically demanding and incredibly satisfying once you get good at it – and it was so popular in medieval times that it still exists as a common sport today! Our “Archeress” collection takes into account the design of medieval dresses, along with modern comfort and some of our own imaginations. If you want to stand out on the battlefield, this is the place to start.

What was medieval archer clothing?

Historically, archers were dressed similar to anyone else gearing up for battle – padded gambesons were one of the main garments you would find. However, when we designed this collection, we didn’t want to go traditional. You also have to take into account that all of these historical archery costumes were for men, not women! So, we put our designer’s minds to work and had a brainstorm about what we could create that would pay tribute to medieval times, but would also be fresh and new and never seen before. What we came up with was a renaissance female archer costume, very different from what would have been seen historically.

How can you make your archer costume medieval?

We imagine that this collection will work brilliantly for any archer who does horse archery or enter competitions. The long skirts and draping sleeves give it a distinctly medieval aesthetic, which people will notice instantly. If you need to shoot, you can tie up the sleeves. If you need to run, you can tuck the skirts into your belt. This costume allows you to go from battlefield to court with only a few adjustments.

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Fall in love with our bestselling medieval archer dress

We have a few ideas about why this dress has been so popular. It starts with the fact that we do not hold back when it comes to quality construction – we have used an absolutely massive amount of fabric to ensure that the skirt is full and that it drapes well. Many competitors hesitate to use so much fabric because of the cost, but we feel that a well-designed garment is a priority. The short sleeves make it a great option for the summer and mean that you can either wear it with the matching chemise, or any other undergarment that you prefer.

Put together a medieval female archer costume

There are a lot of factors to consider when putting together your costume! Don’t forget to build it from the ground up, first acquiring the most vital garments and then adding life to it. This is how we would build a costume:

  • Underdress/ chemise
  • Archeress dress
  • Suede corset
  • Archery bracer
  • Shoes and belt
  • Earrings, rings, and other accessories.

As you can see, you start with a base layer, which absorbs sweat and protects the archeress dress. From there, you add a suede corset, which adds another texture to the costume and gives the whole silhouette a beautiful shape. The archery bracer is added to protect you, and then the shoes and belt. Finally, you can top it all off with earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces, and other accessories that give the costume life.

Don’t forget archer accessories!

If you’ve ever fired a bow, you know about the danger of the bowstring slapping against your wrist and arm. An archery bracer is a great way to protect yourself against this, as it puts a layer of leather between you and the bowstring. It also has beautiful etching on the outside, making it look great as well. For a necklace, we have paired this collection with a tight-fitting choker necklace, as we imagined that something long would get in the way of your archery. Everything else has the same beautiful motif etched onto it – a bird – which brings it all together and creates a cohesive aesthetic.

Design a creative medieval archer cosplay

When it comes down to it, that’s what we’re doing: cosplay. We’re looking at a medieval concept and interpreting it in a creative way that we think looks great. It is easy to get hung up on history and obsessed with the little details, so we often encourage our customers to take a step back from that and consider a more creative, relaxed approach to costuming.

Learn how to make a fantasy renaissance archer costume

As you’ve discovered by now, it is all about taking small aspects that you like about a costume and combining them to create something new. You don’t need to lift your concepts directly from a history book, but it is great to be inspired by it! Embrace the medieval aesthetic and wear the parts that make you feel beautiful and happy.

Worldwide Express Shipping

We ship to Australia, Canada, the United States, the UK, and basically everywhere else you can imagine! We also have express shipping options, which means you can track it as it is sent to you.

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Model: Katarzyna “Daedra” Mikołajczak 
Photos: Katarzyna Mikołajczak Photography

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Model: Katarzyna “Daedra” Mikołajczak
Photos: Katarzyna Mikołajczak Photography