King in the North

Ryan’s Jon Snow costume has been a labour of love, and over the past few months, we’ve started upgrading it piece by piece. So far, we’ve completed two major elements: the leather gambeson and his iconic cloak.

The Gambeson

For those unfamiliar, a gambeson is a padded jacket historically worn under armour—and for Jon Snow, it’s a key part of his layered northern look. Ryan’s old gambeson was well-loved but falling apart, so we decided to rebuild it from scratch.

We carefully deconstructed the old piece and used it as a pattern to craft the new one. The new gambeson features quilted leather and matching quilted lining fabric for extra texture and padding. Adding all the tiny eyelets for the laces was a painstaking process, but the final result was worth it. It’s sturdy, textured, and really pulls the costume together.

The Cloak

Jon Snow’s cloak is practically a character in its own right—rugged, imposing, and quintessentially northern. We spent hours studying reference photos and searching for fabrics in Goldhawk Market to ensure we found the right textures for both the main cloak and the fur trim. (Side note: I absolutely fell in love with the fabric we chose for the cloak and kept the leftovers for a future project!)

For the fur trim, I took inspiration from behind-the-scenes tidbits about the original costume and used my IKEA fur rug as a template. The hem of both the cloak and the fur was hand-stitched—a time-consuming process, but it really elevates the finished piece. While I’m thrilled with how it turned out overall, I think the length ended up slightly shorter than I’d planned. (That’s just my perfectionist side talking, though!)

Lessons Learned (aka, Notes to Self)

• Using an old costume piece as a pattern is a game-changer.
• The right fabrics really make or break a costume, so take your time sourcing them.
• Hand-stitching fur and heavy materials is not for the faint-hearted—bring snacks and patience!

What’s Next?

With the gambeson and cloak done, Ryan’s Jon Snow costume is looking better than ever! Next up, we’re thinking of tackling the boots or maybe the sword belt. Stay tuned—there’s more to come!