Sumptuary Laws

Regalia & Sumptuary Laws, or "Who Gets to Wear What?"

Historically, sumptuary laws limited expenditure, especially with the goal of limiting spending on luxury items such as jewelry or dress.

In the context of the SCA, sumptuary laws define particular items of jewelry or dress which indicate rank. Only the holder of a specific rank may wear the item(s) associated with that rank.

The Society as a whole observes certain conventions:

1. Kings and Queens wear Crowns.
2. The heirs to the Throne and the royalty of principalities wear Coronets.
3. Dukes and Duchesses wear circlets embellished with strawberry leaves.
4. Counts, Countesses, Viscounts and Viscountesses wear circlets which are crenelated.
5. Landed Barons and Baronesses wear the circlets of their Barony.
6. Court Barons and Baronesses wear circlets embellished with pearls.
7. Members of the Order of Chivalry who are Knights wear white belts and heavy gold chains. Members who are Masters at Arms wear a white baldric. Both Knights and Masters may wear spurs with rowels.
8. Members of the Order of the Laurel wear the badge of their order, often as a medallion on a necklace.
9. Members of the Order of the Pelican wear the badge of their order, often as a medallion on a necklace. They are also entitled to wear a cap of maintenance, but this practice is not common in An Tir.

Note that many kingdoms have additional Sumptuary Laws, which are generally defined in the published Laws of those Kingdoms. An Tir is very liberal with who may wear what, and the current Kingdom Laws for An Tir (PDF) make no mention of other restrictions. If you are briefly visiting another kingdom, you may abide by the customs of your home kingdom. If you move to, or make frequent or long-term visits to another kingdom, it's best to become familiar with and adopt the local laws and customs so as not to offend.

The following is customary within An Tir:

1. Members of the Order of the Pelican and of the Laurel may wear a circlet which bears the badge of their orders.
2. Members of the Order of the Iron Chain wear a black iron chain.
3. Many squires throughout the Known World wear a red belt to indicate their relationship with a member of the Order of Chivalry. In An Tir, it has become customary for the end of the red belt to be marked with the Knight or Master's badge or device. Some squires also wear silver chains in imitation of the chain of fealty.
4. Some apprentices and protégés in other kingdoms wear belts of certain colours to indicate their relationship with members of the Order of the Laurel or the Pelican. This tradition is not firmly entrenched in An Tir.
5. Any subject of An Tir may wear, bear, or display:
   1. the badge of An Tir: Chequey Or and argent, a lion's head caboshed within a border sable. (See Tell Me About Using the Kingdom Device and Badge.)
   2. the badge of An Tir: (Fieldless) A lion's head erased contourny sable (May 1998)
   3. Any subject of An Tir may also display the ensign (flag) of An Tir: (ensign) Checky Or and argent, a dexter tierce sable. (May 1998)

It is considered extremely poor manners to wear jewelry, headgear, or any other articles which might lead others to think you hold a higher rank than you actually do.

On the Subject of Circlets

A circlet is a narrow band of metal worn on the head as decoration, an indication of rank, or to hold your veil on.

The variety and splendor of the various styles of circlets worn in An Tir and throughout the Known World are such that you need to be very careful when wearing one that you do not presume to a higher rank unknowingly. Therefore it is strongly recommended that circlets (other than those mentioned above) be less than an inch wide, not vary in height in any way, and have no protuberances above the top edge of the band. Any further designs (excluding those heraldic elements which denote rank), stones, or metals is left up to the taste of the wearer, but bear in mind that fancier generally denotes higher rank.

As a general guide, those without an Award of Arms may wear a simple, undecorated metal circlet. Those with an Award of Arms may add a single stone and/or a small amount of engraving to the circlet. Those with an award which conveys a Grant of Arms may add several stones and more engraving to their circlet.

See also: An Tir Circlet Conventions