Costuming for a quasi-historical novel offers different challenges (and opportunities) for an author than a narrative set in a contemporary era. If I describe a guy with a silver beard, wearing Birkenstocks, jeans and a freshly-laundered tie-dye Grateful Dead t-shirt, I figure most people can infer a fair bit about that character. I can’t rely upon that same device in Northern Arcadia. Of course, I can still use clothing as a way to evoke a sense of touch, whether it’s the prickle of wool or the pinch of a starched and buttoned collar. And if my descriptions are sufficiently vivid, detailed and consistent, the costumes should help readers transport themselves back in time.

Pierre is a noble in the Eastern Dominion, a global political power roughly akin to England, Spain, or the Dutch in the 17th century. Keeping that in mind, I went out looking for inspiration.