I can't remember exactly when I made this costume, I'd say it was 2013-2014ish. I made it to go to the Renaissance Festival.
Back when I first made it, it was a garment that was at the top of my skill level. While from a far it looks great, and is richly detailed. But looking back on the construction, I basically got it done blind folded. I primarily worked from patterns but constructed it in the best when that I could understand, I didn't necessarily closely follow the directions. I did extensive research on Renaissance gowns, mainly taking inspiration from movie Everafter with Drew Barrymore. While I wasn't able to find fabrics to exactly match the costumes that Danielle De Barbarac or the other characters wore, I decided to go with my own design. I searched far and wide for the jacquard ribbon that I used on the V-front and down the split of the skirt. The other fabrics I sourced from the local fabric store.
The inside of the dress is rough to say the least! No lining! No seam finishing! Raw, unraveling, bits of threads everywhere! I plan to embark on a whole video series on finishing the insides of my old costumes. I think I may take the gold outer skirt off of the bodice and rearrange the pleats at the back of the skirt to a more flattering configuration. The stays I didn't make, but ended up recovering them with a white quilting cotton fashion fabric to give them an undated appearance. The stays are boned, but not fully with 1/2 inch flat steel bones. When taking these pictures, I decided to try out historically accurate spiral lacing, but because they were laced in such a way, I couldn't get my arms up my back well enough to tighten them as they needed to be. I've also decided I detest spiral lacing because of this. My husband wasn't home at the time to have him tighten them any further on me. I prefer the "rabbit ear" method of lacing of which I don't have to rely on anyone to help me. It had also been years since I had put on a corset or stays and didn't want to lace them super tight. Also being a one woman camera crew is difficult enough!
The headdress is of my own invention, made up of 16 gauge wire, ribbons and beads. Its hair pined into by and then the edges of the headdress is covered with my natural hair. To further add detail to the hairstyle, weaving ribbons into the braids would further add to the complicated allure of the hairstyle. Or perhaps looking into some hair taping techniques would be fun! I purchased the tiara at the Ren Fest, not something I made.
I ended up going to the Ren Fest with a few friends from work and had a blast!
If you want to see this costume in action, here's a link to my video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNtPoAHFwWg
The Tavern Wench costume is the simplest in construction. The gathered peasant top is modern made. The skirt is a simple 4 panel, gathered skirt, set on a waistband. The vest was the most complicated to make at the time. This was back in the day in which I never gave a second thought to making a mock up beforehand. I had had the forethought to try to enlarge the front, a very crude way of pattern grading. But I didn't, at the time know how to grade up the peplum, I ended up having to sewing in a piece into the back to make it fit correctly. The vest is boned with feather light plastic boning in all the seaming. This costume is something I could probably remake into something better. 
