Let’s face it. I’m rather lazy when it comes to research. Though the library ha a fair amount of books on historical costuming, I don’t have the wherewithal to actually look it up. But I have delved into the expansive Internet and found more than a few sources to assist in garb construction and styles. It’s mostly Tudor/Elizabethan, but a little earlier period as well.

Wikipedia’s History of Western Fashion links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Western_fashion
It only goes as far back as 1300, but it’s a great source of images and basic run-downs of fashions in period.

The Zen of Spiral Lacing:
http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/lacing/lacing.html
Just one more way to add authenticity to later period garb is Spiral lacing, as opposed to the crisscross method (like on a pair of shoes) that didn’t turn up until the Victorian era.

The Renaissance Tailor:
http://www.vertetsable.com/
The “Demonstrations” section is great for sewing techniques and information on specific pieces of garb. The “research” section also has some good book titles to look out for.

14th century Men’s and women’s clothing:
http://vieuxchamps.com/persona/wgarb2.php
http://vieuxchamps.com/persona/mgarb.php
Mostly images from period sources, it’s a good place for ideas.

Mode Historique:
http://www.modehistorique.com/
A fair amount of dress diaries, not just for Tudor/ Renaissance periods but 17th-early 20th century stuff as well. Also, it has a lot of good information on (sorry guys) making a corset.

Sempstress:
http://www.sempstress.org/
Dress diaries of a gal who regularly works at Renaissance festivals, which means her garb is well-researched, good in all weather conditions, and stinkin’ gorgeous. Her dress diaries take you through her process for making and fitting the garb (mostly through draping on a dress form) and also gives some good ideas for getting garb from untraditional sources.

The Elizabethan Costume Page
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/
Lots of links to various garb-making sites — a lot of them don’t work, but the ones that do are pretty good. Also has a custom smock pattern generator which gives good instructions for making an underdress or shirt (just make it shorter). Also has a pretty good custom corset pattern generator.

The Tudor Costume page
http://freespace.virgin.net/f.lea/index.htm
The lady who runs this site plays at Kentwell Hall, which is a *very* stringent Tudor Reenactment in the U.K. Good instructions for making an underdress/shirt, and other basic garb pieces (she seems to do mostly lower to middle class stuff).