Medieval Canvas Trousers

The True Adventurer’s Garb: Medieval Canvas Trousers

Some of the best clothes for LARPing and Cosplaying are those that are both incredibly versatile and unique. These canvas trousers are a fantastic example of this kind of clothing. They suit all kinds of historical characters and can be combined with other garments and accessories to make up a variety of iconic outfits.

For a few ideas, you could use these trousers in an explorer’s outfit, whether we’re talking about a swashbuckling pirate or a wealthy travelling merchant searching for exotic treasures. Or perhaps you’re a peasant wearing his Sunday best. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

So, let’s talk about specifics. These trousers are made with cotton canvas, which makes them perfect for warmer days. You’ll be grateful for the cooling material if you’re spending the day at a faire or convention, as it can get very hot in some costumes.

You have the option of three colours, which are black, brown, or a deep red. These colours all go nicely with almost anything else. The trousers themselves don’t have pockets, so you’ll want to wear a belt with pouches to keep your essentials at hand, which was what many people did during medieval times.

The style is an interesting one, featuring loose trouser legs to keep you cool. They come to a tighter cuffed hem at the ankle, which is both an artistic and practical design choice. The trousers themselves are fastened with five large, patterned buttons.

Exploration in Medieval Times

When we think of exploration in history, there’s a lot of emphasis put on the Age of Discovery. This was a period of time right after the middle ages gave way to the Renaissance, when explorers scoured the seas for the “New World.”

Famously, this was when the Americas and Australia were first discovered, right? Well, no. First of all, the indigenous people already living on these continents found them first, as it’s very difficult to live somewhere without first discovering your own landmass. Okay, so was this when Europeans first sailed across the seas to reach these continents?

Maybe not. While there was certainly a lot of exploration and discovery during the “Age of Discovery”, people hadn’t spent the previous thousand years just sitting around, content with their lot in life. That’s just not the human way.

Arguably, some of the most successful early explorers of Medieval Europe would have been the Vikings, or the Norse. While the Vikings are most famous for their military conquests, raids, and invasions alike, they also used their seafaring skills for more peaceful pursuits.

The Vikings, as it turned out, were rather consummate explorers with a penchant for colonising places, whether they were occupied or not. Erik the Red famously settled Greenland, but there was an even more impressive feat in store for our Viking explorers.

At around 1000 CE, centuries before the main European excursion across the Atlantic Ocean to America, a Norseman called Leif Eriksson landed on the North American shores and established a settlement.

While this settlement didn’t result in an early successful European colony in America, it’s impressive to consider that his crew managed to survive the trip and even put up roots. Who knows what could have been, or what happened to these people?

Even after the Viking influence waned, exploration in the middle ages continued. Trade routes became more extensive, as wealth in medieval Europe grew. Travelling merchants, crusaders, and hopeful colonisers spread throughout the known world, bringing riches, disease, culture, and war all at once.

Not quite what you’re after? Then you should check out these pants!

Tech Specs

The technical specifications for the medieval canvas trousers are as follows:

•         Materials: Cotton canvas.
•         Colours: Bordeaux (red), black, or brown.
•         Care Instructions: Handwashing recommended. Do not dry in the dryer. Do not bleach. May be ironed on a low setting.

The medieval canvas trousers are available in sizes ranging from Small to XX-Large. Because of the handmade nature of this product, these measurements are approximate:

•         Small: 38.6 inches or 98 cm waist. 40 inches or 101.6 cm side seam. 14.1 inches or 35.8 cm ankle opening circumference.
•         Medium: 39.6 inches or 100.6 cm waist. 40.9 inches or 103.9 cm side seam. 14.6 inches or 37.1 cm ankle opening circumference.
•         Large: 40.5 inches or 102.9 cm waist. 41.7 inches or 105.9 cm side seam. 15.7 inches or 39.9 cm ankle opening circumference.
•         X-Large: 41.7 inches or 105.9 cm waist. 42.9 inches or 109 cm side seam. 16.7 inches or 42.4 cm ankle opening circumference.
•         XX-Large: 42.9 inches or 109 cm waist. 43.9 inches or 111.5 cm side seam. 17.7 inches or 45 cm ankle opening circumference.