Medieval Gift Guide ⚔️
this one's for you, fantasy freaks
My friends! Welcome back to Fantasy Camp™. You came here for the Medieval Gift Guide so let’s not tarry.
A few notes:
These are real, uncommon objects that exist in the world
This is not sponsored in any way (read as: I am peasant)
You need not buy anything to be happier or more fulfilled. You have most everything you need within yourself
I have 381 tabs open
Without further ado, here are some dazzling medieval-inspired gifts for you and your loved ones.
Chainmail Balaclava — $140
Chainmail is in. Zendaya dressed as Versace Joan of Arc. Chappell Roan appropriated larpers. And lest we forget, Frodo was made belle of the ball for his Mithril coat.
I gasped when I discovered this hand-crocheted, stainless steel Molten Balaclava. It’s made-to-order by artist, Rivers McCall, who refers to their delicate work as ‘wearable art’.
Imagine draping this over top of a knit wool balaclava or beanie. YAAAAS. Or styling it with silver rings and a puffer jacket? It’s simply too good.
There are so many chainmail accessories to choose from. Fingerless gloves, coin purses (new and old), corsets, and even luxurious chairs (in this economy??). Fashion and culture writer, Viv Chen, recently wrote about her “piece de resistance: a chainmail belt.”
Accessorize accessorize accessorize, people. Bonus: you might survive a stabbing.
Wiggly Candelabrum — $268
I just learned that candelabrum is the singular form of candelabra. I’m ecstatic.
During the Middle Ages, candelabra were used to light cathedrals and castles. They were most often made of wrought iron and bronze. Some were gilded, encrusted with jewels (🥵 ), and even adorned with miniature sculptures.
This one pictured below is simple, beautiful, and wiggly. And it’s a good excuse to flex your candelabra knowledge on people over candle-lit dinner, beginning with the singular/plural situation (which the maker was apparently not privy to).
Blackletter Fonts — $12-$22
If you have a designer in your life, buy them fantastical fonts. They may try to correct you, calling them ‘typefaces’. And they may be correct.
Let’s beat them to the punch: A typeface is a collection of fonts. A font is a specific style within a typeface. For example, Helvetica is a typeface that encompasses a family of fonts like Helvetica Light, Helvetica Regular, Helvetica Italic, Helvetica Black, etc.
Below, I’ve linked out to three of my very favorite blackletter, gothic-style typefaces from Creative Market. I use them for fun, for packaging design, merch, and even to brand Fantasy Camp™. It’s so easy to share as a gift — you just email or text the downloaded folder to your larping lover.
Antoine Medieval: These ornate letters are pulled from the 16th Century illuminated manuscript, Tristan of the Round Table, by Antoine Verard. I cannot imagine the labor of love it was to create the originals. What a gift it is to use them so freely today 🥹
Candelabra: This is one of my all-time favorites. If it looks familiar, that’s because it’s the Fantasy Camp™ logo. This should’ve been called ‘Candelabrum’, right?
Woodcut Dropcaps (not to be confused with ‘Raindrop Drop-top’): This one is incredible. The letters come from Giovanni Boccaccio’s De Claris Mulieribus Whitch (Latin for Concerning Famous Women). It’s a collection of biographies of historical and mythological women written in 1361. I can’t look away!
Spiked Soldered Pendants — $135+
Laura Benson is an enchanting artist. And she’s one of us! Here she is on Substack.
On Laura’s website, she writes this tribute about her spiked relics: “For thousands of years, humans around the world have imbued meaning into objects and held them in their hands, pockets, around their necks, etc. These tokens have meant protection, a reminder of prayer, a symbol of health, love, peace, anything we desired to maintain.”
Woah. I’m a superfan. They are sold out right now, but she has a form for commissions and I’m sure she’ll add more soon.
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