Many of you guys, and some of you girls, like the idea of carrying a weapon that looks very intimidating in a public place. So do I.
But, choosing a weapon is a little more than just opening a catalog and pointing. First, you have to analyze your garb. Are you upper or lower class? Are you a lady of the land, or a rogue or gypsy? And are you dressed for courting, or adventuring? Questions like this can help you choose the appropriate weapon.
Rapiers at the time were very appropriate for those who had a higher income. A simple peasant would never have been able to afford one. It was not only a weapon, but also considered a man's jewelry.
Swords, on the other hand, were beginning to loose popularity, and thus a simpler man could procure a very plain, undecorated one, or had it passed on to him through his family. I carry a very simple sword that has a worn leather grip, plain hilt, and a few hints of rust. It gives the appearance of man that has not done too badly for himself, but is far from being wealthy.
Basically, if you are lower class, find something simple-looking. If you are middle/upper class you can go with something that is a little fancier, and nobility and royalty can have anything.
Almost everyone could get a dagger. But the same rule applies to these. Lower class would get something simple, middle/upper class could get something more ornate, and nobility could have anything. I got my dagger to match my sword. It has the simple hilt and leather grip. If you want your dagger to be used side-by-side with your sword (assuming you have one) as a main gauche, it's blade should be no less than 1/3 the length of your sword blade. My dagger is shorter than that because I find my sword to be too heavy for me to effectively use with only one hand. Because of this, my dagger is used as a tool or as a backup weapon.
Ladies also carried a few certain types of daggers, the Stiletto and the boddice dagger. Stilettos are beautiful weapons with their very long, thin blades. I would think they were carried hidden in the folds of a skirt or elsewhere on a lady's gown. The boddice dagger had a sheath that was sewn inside the boddice, between the breasts. Its blade was shaped somewhat like an hourglass to give a more comfortable fit.
For those of you who want something a little more rough, the axe was a weapon that everyone could get. It was generally carried by men, but a female rogue or adventurer could use it to her advantage. You could also carry a staff. Both of these were generally not carried by the upper class or by nobility, but sometimes, though extremely rarely, by a lady in a proper dress or gown.
Here are examples of the variations you can get of the sword I bought.
These are the various daggers available from Starfire Swords.
This is a common ax.
This is a rapier and a main gauche. These gained immense popularity in the renaissance, but were and are expensive.Here are the links to some of my favorite online sword catalogs.
Starfire Swords. This is where my sword and dagger came from. They also have a booth at the faire.
By The Sword. You will probably find the best prices here.
Museum Replicas Ltd. Museum quality replicas of actual pieces.
Arms of Valor.