Falconer & Falconry

(Falconer and Falcon(e)ry are actually individual costumes from completely different sources, though close together in time, but they'd also make a workable pair of themed costumes for a couple, despite their disparate historical styles.  It seems a bit unfair that the lady gets a hawk, presumably stuffed, and the gentleman does not!)

For the gentlemen, a Falconer:

FALCONER
Short tunic of brown velvet trimmed with a plastron of gold cloth and bound with gold braid, fastened round the waist with a leather belt.  Loose knickerbockers, gartered at the knee, and tied with a ribbon bow.  White stockings with calf-pieces of velvet trimmed with gold braid.  Leather shoes.  Lace neck-frill.  Soft, round hat of velvet, trimmed with eagle feathers.

Source:
Masquerade and Carnival.  New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1892.

 

For the ladies, Falconery:

FALCONERY
Short skirt of dark cloth, red, blue, or brown; green velvet skirt caught up on one side; long basqued jacket of the same; gauntlet gloves with hawk on the hand.  Cavalier hat with dropping feathers; high boots.

Source:
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

 

Nine years later the description is virtually the same, though the velvet overskirt is lost and the spelling is more conventional:

FALCONRY
Short skirt of dark cloth, red or brown; long basqued jacket of green velvet; gauntlet gloves; a hawk on the hand.  Cavalier hat with dropping feathers; high boots.

Source:
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, Sixth Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1896.

The 1896 edition of Holt may be found online at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.

Comments

[Neil W]

I suppose Falcon(e)ry is supposed to represent the "sport" of Falconry, and without the hawk then the costume sounds like you're some sort of Restoration Adventuress or Horsewoman. The Falconer, sounding from the description as though it's supposed to be medieval, is just a lackey - he trains, looks after and brings the birds to the field, but doesn't actually hunt with them. Or at least not for sport. Which may be why he doesn't get a hawk. Or possibly that source doesn't go in for stuffed birds.

[Susan de Guardiola]

Neil:
I suppose Falcon(e)ry is supposed to represent the "sport" of Falconry

Yep. As usual, a woman is symbolic while a man is an actor in his own right.