Every costume starts with a medieval shirt, and this is the range to pick it from. Choose a lace-up shirt in a cotton and linen blend, a loose round-neck cotton shirt with frilled cuffs, or a hooded shirt, for LARP, pirate costume or the renaissance faire. All are one size. Prices are in US dollars.
A medieval shirt is the layer nobody plans a costume around and everybody ends up wearing all day. It goes against the skin, under a tunic, a gambeson or armor, and on a warm day it is the whole top half of the outfit. This range covers lace-up, round-neck and hooded shirts in cotton and in cotton and linen blends, for LARP, cosplay and the renaissance faire.
Three medieval shirt styles
- Lace-up shirts: a collarless neckline with double lace-up ties, buttoned cuffs and side slits, in a lightweight cotton and linen blend. Choose a plain weave like the rust cotton and linen shirt, or a textured one such as the textured black shirt or the textured blue shirt.
- Round-neck shirts: textured cotton with a loose fit, an adjustable tie neck and frilled cuffs. Tie the neck close or wear it loose off the shoulder. See the black round-neck shirt and the white round-neck shirt.
- Hooded shirts: the lace-up shirt with a hood built in, such as the white hooded shirt, for when you want a hood without a separate mantle.
Pirate shirt, renaissance shirt or LARP shirt
The same shirt changes job with what you put over it. With a sash and a vest, a lace-up shirt is a pirate shirt, and it goes with the pirate outfit sets. Under a tunic it is the base of a rogue, ranger or noble build. At the faire, a round-neck shirt with its frilled cuffs is the poet-style renaissance shirt, worn on its own with pants and a belt. The cuts are worn by men and women, so a mens medieval shirt and a womens one are the same garment here.
What goes over a medieval shirt
A shirt and a tunic do different jobs. The shirt is the light base. The tunic is longer and heavier, and it carries most of the character. The woven medieval tunics, the viking tunics and the two-tone viking shirts are all in the medieval and viking tunics collection. If your character fights, add padding from the LARP gambesons and LARP leather armor on top, cinch it with one of the belts and sashes, and finish with one of the cloaks and robes or the hoods and mantles.
Sizing
All Chows Emporium products are one size. Measurements are listed on each product page. If you have a question about measurements before you buy, message us and we will help.
For a full costume with the shirt already matched to the rest of the kit, see the LARP outfit sets.
Frequently asked questions
What is a medieval shirt called?
Most players just call it a shirt. Historically the loose linen undergarment was sometimes called a chemise or a smock. In a LARP kit it is the base layer worn under a tunic or armour.
What is the difference between a shirt and a tunic?
A shirt is the light base layer, usually cotton or linen, worn against the skin. A tunic is longer and heavier, worn over the shirt, and it carries most of the character. Most kits use both. The tunics are in the LARP tunics collection.
Are these shirts made from linen?
Most are a cotton and linen blend, in plain and textured weaves. Viking shirts come in a wool mix. The material for each shirt is listed on its product page.
Do any shirts come with a hood?
Yes. Several medieval shirts have a hood built into the shirt itself, so you get the hood without a separate mantle. The product title says when a hood is included.
Can women wear these shirts?
Yes. The cuts are worn by anyone. All Chows Emporium products are one size, with measurements on each product page so you can check the fit before buying.
What do you wear a medieval shirt with?
A shirt goes under a tunic, a gambeson, or armour, with a belt or sash at the waist and a cloak or hood on top. On a warm day it works on its own with trousers and a belt.