The Renaissance Faire is a peculiar event that sprouted from a high school history project in Southern California during the early 1960’s. It has grown into a sub-culture that spans across the United States, Canada and Europe. Some events are solid historically based events, others are hysterical spectacles of flesh and fantasy, clinging to a thread of Renaissance history…
One of the most overlooked but easy to acquire parts of your Renaissance historical impression are shoes. This has not always been the case, but, as of late you, can fit your outfit with some really historically correct footwear. First, you must decide who you are going to portray. Are you nobility? The middling class? A lowly peasant? Once you have figured that out, the rest is fairly easy, and really not that expensive.
My first pair of Elizabethan reenactment shoes were the old "karate/kung fu" style canvas slippers. Back in the early 1990s there were not a lot of options, and these worked, and still do. I will give you this, they are really comfortable when you are carrying the Queen around on your shoulder all day long, but they don't provide a lot of support...so you might want to think about slip in orthotics. Black would be the color of choice, and again, they will work in a pinch. You can find these quickly at Amazon.
Let's talk about Ren Boots. If you have them, I can't stop you from wearing them, nor would I try. You think they look cool...ok, that's fine. Folks portraying peasants seem to gravitate towards this fantasy item. I will tell you that these were not worn, in their current incarnation, at all. Having a row of shiny "conchos" up the side of your footwear would likely make you a target for robbery, which would include the complimentary knife or sword inserted point first into your belly. After that, historically speaking, someone else would be sporting, or selling, a discounted pair of boots, minus those big metal or horn disks that serve as buttons...those would be extra. Do yourself a favor. If you have them, remove those big buttons and the leather laces. The boots will look more historically accurate and the pirates down in Sailor Town won't be tempted to shank you, unless it's the redhead, she can rob me any day of the week…
This includes any
type of ghillies that lace up. These fit more with Roman Britain and are
roughly 1200 years too late. I see many of these ghillie shoes and boots
billed as "highland" wear. I assume that means Scot, or
Scottish. I'm not buying this. The heathen barbarians of the North
obviously cannot figure out how a man should dress or how a woman should
dress...but traipsing around in 1200-year-old styles seems to be stretching it.
Peasant and lower-class shoes...you might or might not
have a pair. Many period images of the peasantry show them unshod.
Then again, many images show them in shoes...and boots So, what should you wear as a
peasant? Anything but a Rennie boot...
You could get away with the canvas kung fu shoes. That would suffice and they are the right price. You could also go with leather Medieval turn-shoes. Medieval you ask? I thought we were portraying the Renaissance. Many peasants in Europe were still wearing Medieval styles well into the 1500s and beyond. I've written a fairly detailed article with multiple illustrations on this topic. Perhaps another option for you would be a reproduction of a known and extant common shoe excavated off the Mary Rose which sank in the mid-16th century and there is a very good quality reproduction available. Another suggestion would be what are known as mules. Essentially, this is a slipper and many pieces of period artwork showing this shoe type on the feet of the poor. Lastly, you could wear wooden shoes, just like the little Dutch boy. They had them, and it is perfectly correct.
Middle class and nobility...you have money and your choice of footwear should reflect this. Try and acquire something made of genuine leather. I hate to break it to you, but unless your shoes are covered for a majority of the day, like under a gown, you're not going to really get away with canvas shoes as a noble. There are options, and you are going to spend in the neighborhood of a buck-fifty ($150.00), but remember, these shoes, if properly taken care of, will last for years. One pair can even serve for two separate impression. For example, my slashed shoes fit right into an impression of nobility and a middle-class impression should I wish to go slumming. Both classes would have been able to afford this type of footwear, and I purchased them from Bohemond for $110.00.