This list is not meant to be all inclusive, of course. We don't even promise that it's entirely accurate, seeing has how words have taken on different meanings at faire than they did years ago. It is merely a list of some of the more common terms used in relation to faires and Elizabethan clothing -- terms which may pop up now and then as you explore Bodices and Biggins.

Anon: Goodbye

Bat Sweat: A concoction that's somewhat of a home-brewed Gatorade. Lemonade (or other citrus juice) mixed with salt. It's used as a guard against dehydration. Also known as Dragon Piss.

BFA: Basic Faire Accent. An official sounding name given to a guideline of vowel sounds and phrases that give the impression of historical English. To most visitors, it's good enough, but it's about as accurate as Dick Van Dyke's cockney accent in Mary Poppins.

Biggins: A small muslin cap that ties under the chin and is used to keep the ears warm. Often worn under another hat.

Breeches: Baggy pants, worn to just below the knee.

Bloomers: These are not historically accurate, as ladies of the era did not wear anything under their chemises. However, faires can be dirty places, and so faire and guild regulations usually require them for health/ decency reasons.

Bodice: A rigid covering for the body made in two halves laced together. Oftentimes, it appeared as a well-fitted vest that supported the bosom, closing at the front, side or back depending on social ranking. Historically, a pair of bodies.

Bodice Tan: The unusual looking tan, or sunburn, that results from the exposed neckline created by wearing a bodice.

Bombast: Padding in garments that alter the wearer's natural shape. Predominantly used in sleeves, bumrolls, peascod doublets, and slops.

Boothie: Slang for a boothworker/ merchant.

Bumroll: Padded roll about the waist to substitute for the farthingale. (There has been contradicting evidence on the historical accuracy of wearing this item with a Spanish farthingale. Currently, at California events, it is suggested for upper class ladies.)

Busk: Piece of wood, whalebone, ivory, horn or steel slotted into front of stays to hold the torso erect. The removable types were often given as gifts of endearment by men to their women, and were often elaborately decorated or carved.

Busk Point: The lace which tied the busk in position. The resulting bow on the front of the corset inspired the tiny bow which still appears on the front-center of modern women's undergarments.

Canions: Tight pants worn over hosen and under trunk hose during the later part of the era.

Carcanet: Necklace

Chemise: The foundation for all Elizabethan clothing, although the term today is used more often for the baggy, drawstringed woman's garment. A long sleeved, shirt-like undergarment worn under all clothing. Historically, a shift or smock.

Codpiece: A padded pouch, added to slops, to protect, emphasize, and exaggerate a man's endowment. Also used at faire for the triangular flap on breeches which covers lacing, buttons, or other fly openings.

Coif: General term of head covering, often used by men instead of the similar biggins.

Corset: A modern term for the pair of bodies when worn as an undergarment. The stiffened garment that supported and shaped the torso. Principally a female fashion garment, but occasionally worn by men.

Danes: Patrons whom visit wearing only their street clothes. Derived from the "mundane" way they are dressed, not from their personalities or anything of the sort. Also used in reference to clothing, especially by playtons. For example, when a usually costumed visitor decides they aren't going to dress up, they might say, "I'll be there, but I think I'm just coming in 'danes this time."

Doublet: The "jacket" of an Elizabethan man. A close-fitting upper body garment, worn next to the shirt, and often closely fitted. Sometimes used to refer to a high necked variety of women's bodices.

E'en: Evening

Faire: See Renaissance Faire.

Faire Boogers: The disgusting nasal blockage you find after a day walking in hot, dusty, dirty and often smoky environments for a full day.

Fairesite: Place where a Faire, or similar event, is being held.

Farthingale: A hoop formed of whalebone of other material used to extend the petticoat outward, or a skirt or petticoat covering such a hoop. Historically, a veringale.

Fie: A common curse word.

Flat caps: According to guild and faire requirements, the "baseball cap" of Elizabethan England. The most common headwear seen at faire, worn by both men and women.

Flemish Painter: Slang for a photographer.

Forepart: Decorated, beaded, and quite elaborate, a stiff triangular wedge upper class women pinned or tied onto a kirtle to give the appearance of a fully decorated underskirt.

Garb: Clothing, or one's faire costume.

Garter: A ribbon that goes around the upper leg to keep stockings in place.

Gaffer: Grandfather

Girdle: A belt.

God's Blood, Teeth, etc.: Some more Elizabethan curse words.

Good Morrow: A greeting. Could also be Good Den, or Good Day.

Grammercy: Thank you.

Guild: Term used at Southern California faires to refer to the reenactment groups that perform at faire. Originally created by an individual faire to suit their needs, nowadays they are private groups that offer their services to faire to play a certain facet of Elizabethan life - be it a court group, peasants, merchants, archers, or even mythological creatures.

Hawker: A salesperson, or a person on the street who entices customers to venture into their booth.

Hosen: Period term for long stockings or "tights."

Jerkin: For lower classes: a vest like garment, covering the shirt. For upper classes: a sleeveless vest, oftentimes worn over and contrasting a doublet.

Kirtle: Term sometimes used for an undergown (combined underskirt and bodice), it also applies to the A-cut underskirt of upper class ladies. These skirts, worn over a farthingale, are often quite elaborate... however sometimes they are merely the foundation a decorative forepart is attached to.

Muffin Cap: A small cap of circular fabric gathered into a band.

Mayhap: Maybe.

Overskirt: For lower classes: the topmost of the skirts that a woman would wear. It would be the heavier, more decorated, and newest of her skirts. Often worn tucked up while working or wandering in the muck of the streets. For upper classes: Oftentimes a split skirt worn open to display the heavily decorated forepart of their kirtle.

Partlet: Worn over a upper class shift, it was a short "dickie" worn to fill the gap between bodice top and neck. Young, unmarried women often wore theirs closed at the neck and wide open at the top of the bodice, resulting in a peculiar triangle of visible skin and cleavage.

Participant: someone who works at the faire, generally as cast, performer, merchant or support personnel.

Patron: someone who pays to get into the faire.

Petticoat: An underskirt

Piccadilles: The tabbed edge to the edge of doublets, jerkins, or bodices.

Playton: someone who pays to enter the faire, but dresses in period clothing, often plays a character, and interacts with the public.

Pommander: A metal case, usually round, filled with a mixture of aromatic substances or perfume.

Poppet: A doll or young child

Privy: bathroom, or more literally, outhouse.

Privy Monster: A horrible creature that haunts the depths of the privy.

Rapier: A light, long and narrow sword used for thrusting instead of cutting.

Renaissance Faire: Generic term used for any of several themed events falling under the general era of "once upon a time." Anything from early Medieval to Colonial tends to be lumped into this category, and most are an odd mix of these eras -- where Musketeers, princesses with pointy hats, Hobbits, Eye-patch-wearing hook-handed Pirates, faeries, Monty Python grail seekers and Goths are accepted. Some even have the occasional Enterprise Away Team, Klingon drunkards, or Stormtrooper Unit visiting for some reason. Most events are, thankfully, more focused than this -- choosing to pick a particular era (i.e. - the reign of Queen Elizabeth), and having all entertainment, actors, merchandise and food be a nice blend of historical reenactment and tongue-in-cheek humor about the era. In general, a chance to leave the ordinary behind, become anything from a brave knight, a member of court, or a lusty barmaid, speak with a silly accent, and get wrapped up in the colorful sights, unrefined sounds, exotic smells and tastes -- in an era more colorful and entertaining than any history book can portray. For more information, explore the rest of Bodices and Biggins!

Rennie: Similar to playton, however can also be used to anyone who is involved, one way or another, with faires.

Ruff: A large circular collar of stiffened frills worn by men and women of the upper classes.

Shire: The made up "village" where the event is supposed to take place.

Sleeves: In period, these were considered a separate piece of clothing. Most bodices or doublets, unless worn by the very poor, would have sleeves. These were often removable so that several looks could be obtained with a single base garment.

Slops: Another generic term used for pants. Sometimes used when describing the padded, thigh length pants worn by upper class men, to differentiate from breeches.

Stomacher: A shaped piece that covered the bodice front lacing. Also, the frontspiece of a bodice, often quite elaborate, that was laced on to give multiple looks to a single piece of clothing.

Surcoate: a robe-like outer garment worn by men and women for extra warmth.

Traveler: A polite term used when referring to a non-garbed person at faire. Trunk Hose: Very full, slashed, very short pants worn by men. In later years, would be paired with tight canions.

Underskirt: One of at least two skirts any respectable woman would wear. It would be the older, more worn skirt.

Venetians: Similar to slops or breeches, however these pants were narrow at the knee and very full at the top.

Wench: A young woman. Note that there is nothing derogatory about this term.