a guide to medieval revivalism

me at 8 years old at my first ren faire

last fall, i dragged some friends to the renaissance faire in tuxedo, NY. we drove three hours to upstate new york for a day of jousting, feasting, and perusing mini marketplaces full of medieval goods. it wasn’t my first time there, but it was theirs, and i absolutely loved sharing one of my favorite places with them. to my delight, they seemed to enjoy themselves. my boyfriend, louis, enjoyed trying a turkey leg and taking in the scenery of the forest around us, my friend Divina and I dressed in costume, sporting corsets over our peasant dresses, a flower crown in my hair, and my friend Doug revealed his secret talent of archery while we shot bow-and-arrows. we watched musical performances and played games and even threw tomatoes (yes, real tomatoes) at a faux-heckler. at the end of the day, we all gathered near a clearing in the forest to watch a jousting performance. as we walked back to my car, though my feet ached, my heart felt ever so full. though each of us have different special interests, the faire had a little something for each of us. during the drive home, i got to thinking about the medieval and renaissance eras. what is it that draws so many people back to this time?

pics from when we went to the NY ren faire (Divina and i)

there’s not much to do in my suburban new jersey town, and sadly, the nearest dragon slayers are about 55 miles away.  i’ve been begging my friends to go to Medieval Times for about a year now. some of them actually want to go, but we all think it’s kinda expensive and a decently long drive away, not to mention most of us don’t live in the same town, or even state. and so i wonder, how can my friends and i encapsulate that feeling without breaking the bank? how can a ren faire enthusiast such as myself channel that energy the other 364 days of the year that i’m not there? the answer is simple; by tapping into the “y2k medieval” niche.

during the late 90s and early 2000s, a medieval revival emerged into society. from the runways to the silver screen, people began to channel the beauty and elegance of 14th-18th century aesthetics while also re-adapting the renaissance era’s appreciation for art and literature.

one of the most prominent elements of this “medieval y2k” niche is film. obviously, there are classic childhood favorites like The Princess Bride and Ella Enchanted, and of course, the crown jewel that is the Shrek franchise. my personal favorite, Shrek the Third, does this quite well. one of the things that makes the franchise so entertaining to watch is the way that the filmmakers incorporate the spirit of the early 2000s.

the future king Arthur, AKA “artie”, goes to Worcestershire (yes, like the sauce) Academy, and has a crush on one of his classmates, Guinevere, AKA “Gwen”. Gwen and her friend Tiffany are dressed in medieval garb, yet speak in valley girl accents, blow bubble gum, and make pop culture references relevant to the movie release time. Artie himself is voiced by none other than y2k “it-boy” Justin Timberlake, who ironically, is subtly referenced in the first Shrek movie through a poster in Fiona’s tower, “Sir Justin” (see below). 

diva supreme Gwen

Sir Justin (Pinterest)

of course, there are also more refined films such as Heath Ledger’s “A Knight’s Tale”. another one of his works, 10 Things I Hate About You (which also happens to be one of my favorite movies of all time), features a side character who channels the medieval and renaissance times, Kat’s best friend, Mandella. Mandella is obsessed with Shakespeare, frequently quoting him while also dressing of that time period. she is delighted when she is asked to prom by her love interest, Michael, who knows the way to her heart is to ask her to prom in a Shakespeare costume. Mandella is also an excellent example of how to incorporate medieval and renaissance styles into your everyday wardrobe. she uses things like unique crochet garments, lace-up boots, and ornate jewelry to emulate the times of her dear Bill Shakespeare while still dressing for the current time period, which in her case, was 1999. and yes, i will count 1999 as y2k. it’s close enough!

left: Mandella and Kat, right: Mandella, © 1999 - Touchstone Pictures

like mandella, many people like to incorporate medieval motifs into their personal style. one might say that the “whimsygoth” subgenre of fashion has blossomed from said motifs. whimsygoth styles have been trending on depop and pinterest for years now. one of the best things about this style is that it is very thriftable. not only can it be found on depop, but you can also find it in your local thrift stores. look out for things like crushed velvet and corduroy fabrics, jewel tones like deep purple and turquoise, neutral browns and forest greens, peasant maxi skirts, and celestial motifs such as moons, suns, and stars. if you want to really immerse yourself, hit up your nearest costume store for some more on-the-nose styles. 

speaking of costumes, costume is integral to this genre. a great way to invite some medieval vibes into your life is through costuming. whether it’s by dressing up for Halloween, throwing a themed party, or going to your local renaissance faire or Medieval Times, dressing in costume is a great way to have fun and play with different personas. whether it’s a peasant or a princess, a fairy or a knight, channel your inner Brittany Broski a-la-Royal Court and just be silly.

for me, this passion started with dressing up for ren faire. the first time i dressed up for the renaissance faire i was 8 years old. i wore a peasant blouse from Kohl’s and bought a flower crown at a vendor stand. a year later, i arrived at the faire decked out in full renaissance garb. was my costume the most historically accurate? not quite. was i sweating my little butt off in a long-sleeved dark purple crushed velvet dress in the late August sun? you bet. but i didn’t care one bit. i was so entranced by the atmosphere around me, i just knew it was a special place. 

me at the NY ren faire, ages 8, 9, 16, and 20

there is something comforting about wandering around the forest, feeling like you are in a different time. is it corny at times? sure. but one really cool thing about the ren faire is that it brings people together. it's a gathering of people who drove to the middle of nowhere to dress up like peasants and knights and fairies and elves and sell their homemade goods and pay to throw tomatoes at a guy who’s berating you and shoot bows and arrows and eat turkey legs. it’s a sense of community, something we severely lack in today’s society. America has become a very individualistic place, it’s all about isolation and selfishness. in earlier civilizations, people stuck together, and i think that’s something that we could learn from. humans are social creatures. we need companionship and camaraderie to thrive. how do you make friends? by sharing common interests.

if more people loosened up, let themselves indulge in the silly and whimsical sides of life, and most importantly, stopped caring about being perceived as nerdy or uncool, i bet there would be many more friendships in the world. people are seriously missing out. i highly encourage you all to tap into your inner child, your inner nerd, whatever, and let some more whimsy into your life. but you don’t always need to shell out $200 to buy a costume and go to the ren faire to emulate these vibes. all you need is a closet, some media inspiration, and a lack of shame.

p.s.: an easy way to catch this vibe is to listen to some good music. check out this playlist on our spotify if you want to set the mood and feel like you’re in a y2k medieval movie.