Haidate — Thigh Guards

Thigh protection, worn under the skirt panels of the cuirass. The haidate looks like a divided apron and works like one — it covers the gap that opens up the moment a wearer sits, mounts, or takes a long stride.

It is the component most often skipped, and skipping it is usually a mistake. A suit without thigh armor looks correct standing still and comes apart visually the moment the wearer moves, because the skirt panels swing and reveal cloth where there should be plate.

Construction varies by class: small laced scales for the higher tiers, riveted plates or plates-on-chainmail for working armor. All are built on a cloth base that ties at the waist, and all can be matched to a suit's lacing colour and backing fabric.

Sized by waist measurement and thigh length. If you intend to wear the armor seated — for ceremony, photography, or any formal presentation — treat this as required rather than optional.