During the Middle Ages, nothing could be greater than being granted a Knighthood. It meant you were a chivalrous protector of your kingdom’s values and a valiant vanguard of virtue! Aside from the fancy title and adhering to the duty of being a noble knight, you’d also be expected to engage in battles to decide the fate of the kingdom, which means wearing a shiny suit of armor, or at the very least some chainmail.
Unfortunately, it’s getting harder and harder to find a good armor smith these days, and finding a king or queen to grant you knighthood is even harder. The good news is that through the power of costumes, you can become a knight in your own right! You can protect your home from invading brigands and slay (imaginary) dragons like some kind of mighty paladin out of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. If that sounds like a dream come true, then you’re going to want one of our many knight costumes. This costume guide should help you select the right outfit for you, so you can live up to your potential as a newly knighted warrior!
Medieval Costumes
It’s time to get Medieval on your behind… with Medieval costumes, that is! The Medieval times were the heyday of the noble knight. We’ve immortalized their image in stories like King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. We’ve brought them to life with movies like The First Knight and we even see Pippin attain the title of Knight of Gondor in Lord of the Rings. It might be difficult to know where to begin when choosing your knight costume, so let’s start with some of our Medieval costumes for adults.
Knight’s Costume
Look at this dashing golden and gallant man at arms! Nothing proves your valor better than a set of golden armor! This particular knight’s costume comes with a full set of golden armor. Since it’s made out of latex, it certainly won’t slow you down during any intense sword duels and it even has lions etched into the front, which was a popular symbol in heraldry and implied courage and nobility. It was also notably the symbol of the Lannisters in Game of Thrones, just in case you’re looking to do a little bit of cosplay from your favorite television series.
Medieval Knight Costume
If you want something with the iconic look from the Middle Ages, then perhaps you want a costume that’s a little bit less flashy than golden armor. This Medieval knight costume gives you a look that’s one part stalwart protector of the kingdom and one part deadly adversary on the battlefield. The faux chainmail looks almost like the real thing, without forcing you to lug around 10,000 rings of chain on your body at all times. This Medieval knight costume employs the symbol of the dragon, which is now quite iconic. However, back in the Renaissance, it was used by the Order of the Dragon, whose primary purpose was to fight against the Ottoman Empire. Of course, you can always just claim that it’s an emblem of your superior dragon-slaying skills!
Warrior Costume
Remember the tale of Sir Percival and the Black Knight, of famous Arthurian legend? This warrior costume is the kind of look we imagine him to be wearing. The intimidating look captures a ferocity not seen in normal knight costumes, since it uses molded latex helmet to hide your identity during battle… or during costume parties. The latex pieces have a detailed paint job that makes each piece look like it was forged out of iron by some kind of legendary blacksmith. It’s not the kind of outfit for a gallant paladin, but more so the outfit for a dark knight who walks the path of destruction (you know, the lawful evil type of knight).
Knight in Shining Armor Costume
Nothing personifies the ideal image of a knight like the “knight in shining armor” image. The idea of a brave and handsome knight wearing a polished set of armor, racing to the rescue on his mighty steed has always been a part of the grandiose mythos surrounding the heroic feats of knights. This knight in shining armor costume fully encapsulates that valiant look, with a complete set of silvery faux armor. It’s made out of molded plastic, much lighter than a full suit of steel armor. Each piece comes with a silvery paint job and a molded lion emblem on the chest. If you want to save the day, this is definitely the perfect costume for you.
Crusader Knight Costume
The Crusades were a time filled with war. The church of the time wanted to reclaim the Holy Land for themselves and engaged in a huge military campaign to attempt this lofty goal. This age bred some deft swordsman and created a new order of knights loyal to the cause. Unfortunately, it’s a time in history that’s rife with battles, but the outfits do inspire some very strong imagery. This crusader knight costume helps recreate the look of a knight ready to head off to battle. It comes with the red cross on the front, which was similar to the symbol used by the Crusaders of the time.
King Arthur Costume
The Crusades were a time filled with war. The church of the time wanted to reclaim the Holy Land for themselves and engaged in a huge military campaign to attempt this lofty goal. This age bred some deft swordsman and created a new order of knights loyal to the cause. Unfortunately, it’s a time in history that’s rife with battles, but the outfits do inspire some very strong imagery. This crusader knight costume helps recreate the look of a knight ready to head off to battle. It comes with the red cross on the front, which was similar to the symbol used by the Crusaders of the time.
Medieval Men’s Clothing
The men and women of Medieval times certainly had a different style sense back, even the knights. They certainly weren’t walking around in jeans and a t-shirt like we do today, and the concept of a zip-up hoodie might just confuse them. We’ve wrangled up a few Medieval men’s clothing items to help you put some shine on your knight outfit.
Men’s Renaissance Shirt
Obviously, knights didn’t wear their armor all the time. Can you imagine trying to eat at the dinner table or trying to take a nap while wearing a complete suit of armor? They also needed to wear clothing underneath the armor. They wore something called a gambeson, which looked a bit like this men’s Renaissance shirt, except hit had a layer of padding. Since our knight costumes are made out of much lighter materials than metal, this particular shirt should work quite well as something to wear under your knight armor.
King’s Crown
The ultimate accessory for anyone living in the Middle Ages is a crown. It meant that you were a regent worthy of the people’s adulation and respect. The greatest knight-king of them all was King Arthur, so if you plan on being like him, then you’d better have a crown to go along with your knight armor. This metal king’s crown has a faux gold sheen and plenty of faux gemstones attached to it, making you look like the leader of your kingdom when you wear it. If you really want to push the king look, be sure to check out our accessories in our king and queen section.
Knight Costumes for Women
It’s true. Female knights and warriors weren’t very common back in the Middle ages, but some exceptional women broke the conventions of the time and led their people into battle. In more recent times, we’ve seen portrayals of brave female knights like Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones. We’ve also seen the rise of Wonder Woman, perhaps the most iconic superhero to star on the silver screen. There’s absolutely no reason for you to shy away from becoming a skilled female warrior at the Renaissance fair with one of our knight costumes for women!
Women’s Knight Costume
Let’s get this fact out of the way right from the beginning. This women’s knight costume isn’t exactly historically accurate. Although we do have plenty of historically accurate costumes in our Renaissance costumes section, this one combines some classic looks from Middle age armor styles with a modern appearance that makes for a cute option to wear to a costume party. It’s for women who don’t want to sacrifice their modern style to wear a Medieval style costume.
Women’s Joan of Arc Costume
One of the most famous women warriors was none other than Joan of Arc! She led the French army during the Hundred Years’ War when she was but a teenager! When most of us were that age, we were just trying to get through math class in high school. Well, now you can look like the military leader with this women’s Joan of Arc costume. It comes with faux armor and plenty of details that might have you feeling fit to lead an army… or cut straight through your old math homework with your sword. (Take that, math!)
Knight Costumes for Kids
Most kids dream of being a knight at some point in their lives! And why wouldn’t they? In fairytales, knights get to slay fierce dragons and they get to save the village from imminent doom. They were sort of like the Medieval equivalent of a superhero. If your child is itching to protect the realm with sword and shield in hand, then he’s going to need his own suit of armor to wear. Knight costumes for kids are great for pretend and for costume parties, so some of these great outfits can be worn for various occasions.
Boys’ Knight Costume
Turn your little squire into a full-fledged knight with this boys’ knight costume. It’s one of our many exclusive costumes and comes with plenty of features that will have your kid ready to battle against the forces of evil during your next trip to the Renaissance festival. It has a black armor with a tree emblem on the front, along with faux chainmail pieces around the arms and head. If you want your child to get that classic knight style, then this is your costume!
Toddler Knight Costume
It’s never too early to begin teaching your little one about chivalry! This toddler-sized costume makes sure that even if your child is too young to learn swordplay, he can at least begin the rest of his knight’s training. The toddler knight costume comes with faux chainmail armor and a bright red cape that will make him look like quite the superhero from the Middle Ages! Just imagine your little one wearing this during the next trip to the Renaissance festival.
Kids’ Knight Costume
When you’re trying to assemble your own round table of knights, you’re going to need the help of your most stalwart supporter! Your child will be the perfect addition, provided you make sure to equip him with this kids’ knight costume. This look has a classic style that will have your child looking like a hero from the tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
Girls’ Knight Costume
It’s time to teach your little girl the art of swordplay and the virtues of chivalry! This girls’ knight costume is great for any young girl who wants to protect her kingdom from brigands and even dragons. Be sure to equip your little one with a shield and sword, and show her your best dragon slaying techniques. Then she’ll be ready for any sort of creature that threatens your neighborhood.
Knights’ Weapons
Knights were often expected to be versed in the art of war. As such, many of them had an extensive knowledge in the use of weapons. After all, if they wanted to have the skills to protect the kingdom, then they needed to be able to do battle with anyone who might threaten their lands. We have plenty of toy weapons that pair well with our knight costumes, so let’s just run through a few types of weapons used by knights.
Knight Sword
Perhaps the most well-known weapon used by knights is the sword! Simple, yet quite elegant, the sword became a symbol of a knight’s oath and his loyalty to the king. It would not have been uncommon to see a knight carrying a weapon such as this toy knight sword with him during any sort of skirmish.
Battle Axe
Although axes may not have been a common weapon for knights (unlike Vikings, who loved axes), some certainly did use them. We can’t imagine anyone on the battlefield happy to see you charging at them with this battle axe in your hands. Pair it up with one of our toy shields and you can be sure that you’ll have a deadly and rugged look!
Knight Shield
On a battlefield full of enemies that want to harm you, a knight shield could be your best friend. Shields helped knights ward off blows from just about any kind of attack, but were especially effective against maces. It could even be used offensively if required! Now, our toy shield might not actually protect you from any dangerous foes, but it might help you look fully armored for your next big brawl on the battlefield.
Hammer
Knights weren’t running around in suits of armor for nothing! That armor protected them from swords and plenty of other weapons, rendering normal combat useless. That’s why many knights relied on the crude, yet effective hammer. Around since the days of cave men, this basic tool proved quite effective when fighting against other knights and it even evolved into the mace, which was a combat-oriented version of the basic hammer.
