Are you looking to create your own homemade Plague Doctor costume? With a little bit of creativity and some basic supplies, you can easily transform yourself into this iconic figure from history.
Plague Doctor Costume
The Plague Doctor was a type of medical professional who treated people suffering from the plague during outbreaks of the disease in Europe during the Middle Ages. Plague Doctors were typically depicted as wearing long, dark robes and masks that covered their entire heads, with only a small beaked opening for them to see through.
| Plague Doctor Mask
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The most important part of any plague doctor costume is most certainly the distinctive mask.
You can get away with wearing pretty much anything but as soon as you have the mask your fancy dress is instantly recognisable. |
| Tailcoat
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The second most important thing when putting this fancy dress together is the tailcoat you will need.
Ideally you should chose a long dark colored tailcoat. |
| Pants
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The plague doctors also wore simple, black trousers as part of their protective attire. These trousers were a common type of garment worn by men during the 14th and 17th centuries, and were often made of a durable and sturdy fabric such as wool or linen. |
| Gloves
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Thick, leather gloves were an important component of a plague doctor’s costume, as they were used to protect the doctor’s hands from germs and disease while tending to their patients. |
| Cloak
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Many plague doctors also wore hooded cloaks as part of their protective gear in addition to their mask, gloves, and trousers. A cloak is a kind of long, flowing garment that can be secured at the neck and is draped over the shoulders. In order to further shield themselves from their patients, plague doctors donned hooded cloaks, which covered their heads and upper bodies. |
| Walking Stick
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Plague doctors often carried around walking sticks as a practical and useful tool while tending to their patients. These sticks were used to help the doctors pull themselves up or away from patients who were in a manic or agitated state, as some individuals suffering from the plague became delirious and violent due to the high fever and other symptoms of the disease. |
| Flat Brim Hat
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Plague doctor hats were an important part of the protective attire worn by plague doctors during the 14th and 17th centuries. These hats were wide-brimmed and pointed, and were designed to cover the head and face of the doctor. Plague doctor hats were made of a durable and waterproof material such as waxed canvas or oilcloth, and were often adorned with a long, beaked mask that covered the nose and mouth of the doctor. |
| Boots
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Plague doctor boots were a type of footwear worn by plague doctors during the 14th and 17th centuries as part of their protective attire. These boots were designed to cover the feet and lower legs of the doctor, and were made of a durable and waterproof material such as waxed leather or oilcloth. |
Plague Doctor Overview
The Plague Doctor was a type of medical professional who treated people suffering from the plague during outbreaks of the disease in Europe during the Middle Ages. Plague Doctors were so called because they were specifically trained to treat the plague, which was a highly contagious and deadly disease. Plague Doctors were typically associated with the “Black Death,” a pandemic of the plague that swept across Europe in the 14th century and is estimated to have killed 75-200 million people.
Plague Doctors were typically depicted as wearing long, dark robes and masks that covered their entire heads, with only a small beaked opening for them to see through. The robes and masks were coated in a wax or resin substance to help protect the doctors from being infected by the disease. Plague Doctors also carried a variety of medical instruments with them, such as pouches of herbs and spices believed to have disinfectant properties, and long staffs with a spoon or blade on the end for bleeding their patients.
The image of the Plague Doctor has become iconic and is often associated with death and the horror of the plague. However, these medical professionals played a vital role in caring for the sick and trying to contain the spread of the disease during a time when little was known about how to treat it.
Check out more cool costume ideas here.
