Bad Garb

[Berzerker_prime]

Order of the Pyxis is a Northshield award.

Quote:

The Order of the Pyxis
The Order of the Pyxis may be given to those who have distinguished themselves by putting forth great effort at researching, creating and maintaining a period persona and atmosphere. This order shall be a continuation of the order of the same name from the days of the Principality, and all companions of the Principality's order shall be considered companions of this.

Basically, it's the authenticity addicts, though that description does not do their knowledge and skill justice in the least. These folks embody the idea of Enchanted Ground and encourage the same in others by example and also, on many occasions, sponsoring authenticity challenges and contests. If you want to know whether or not something in period, you can pretty much count on being able to ask these folk.  

[Sir_Catherine]

Thank you for stepping up and explaining, Berzerker.  

[Not-So-Sweet Transvestite]

Roetroc

+people who don't wear wool because they are "allergic". Yes, wool itches, you aren't allergic, true wool allergies are quite rare.

Aside from SOMEONE forgetting what the "C" stands for, I have to disagree on this point particularly.

Once upon a time I was in the military, and I wore my Class A uniform (which is a wool blend pant and jacket over a cotton poly blouse) as issued. And when I got home that evening the entire length of my legs were red and inflamed, covered in hives that didn't disappear for several days. I had to wear a second pair of leggings UNDER my pants each and every time I wore Class As for the rest of my service, which by the way is REALLY hot.

They're not that uncommon, and in any case, the SCA is the middle ages how it SHOULD have been, and in my opinion the world should not have been painful and itchy.  

[Kittywitch]

Ladies, I am sorry. But this is a medieval reenacting organization. If you want to take a male persona, then take a male persona. But if you hate wearing skirts, don't pretend you're a medieval lady.
If you want to run around in tights and a bodice, then join a LARP. It's not medieval. It's not even attractive.  

[Sir_Catherine]

I attended a class called "Beyond a Reasonable Attempt" at WW this past weekend. It was good to listen to and a good poke at myself to work on my garb.

One pet-peeve of the woman teaching stood out in my mind and I thought I'd mention it here: Women with blouses or chemise that hang off the shoulders. Many times this is accompanied by a corset worn on the outside of said off-shoulder shirt. The look is not period at all, the corset is underwear on the outside and I think every pair of bare shoulders I saw were sunburned.  

[(((rasberry~kimiko)))]

Roetroc

On the allergy thing, I do agree that if you do have a strong allergy then don't go near those things. However, the number of things that do have such extreme reactions are few and wool isn't one of them. These people who claim to have an alergic reaction generally are self diagnosed or diagnosed by some 'friend' or other unqualified individual.

Actually, I have an aunt with a severe allergy to wool, diagnosed by a doctor, but also very clear and blatant, as her lungs swell up and she breaks out in hives. The danger in making generalized statements and assumptions like this is that there will always be an exception, and you run the risk of being extremely offensive to the person with the allergy. If a person claims to have an allergy, it is really best to believe them, even if you've had people be wrong about that allergy in the past.  

[(((rasberry~kimiko)))]

Kittywitch

Ladies, I am sorry. But this is a medieval reenacting organization. If you want to take a male persona, then take a male persona. But if you hate wearing skirts, don't pretend you're a medieval lady.
If you want to run around in tights and a bodice, then join a LARP. It's not medieval. It's not even attractive.

I share this pet peeve, tights and a bodice is not a reasonable attempt. I would make a note, however, that as I like to wear garb from many different areas and time periods, I haven't developed a persona. I don't wear skirts, but the male garb I wear instead is accurate. Cross-gender garb, to me, falls under the same "reasonable attempt" rules as regular garb.  

[Runa Whynd]

(((rasberry~kimiko)))

Kittywitch

Ladies, I am sorry. But this is a medieval reenacting organization. If you want to take a male persona, then take a male persona. But if you hate wearing skirts, don't pretend you're a medieval lady.
If you want to run around in tights and a bodice, then join a LARP. It's not medieval. It's not even attractive.

I share this pet peeve, tights and a bodice is not a reasonable attempt. I would make a note, however, that as I like to wear garb from many different areas and time periods, I haven't developed a persona. I don't wear skirts, but the male garb I wear instead is accurate. Cross-gender garb, to me, falls under the same "reasonable attempt" rules as regular garb.

I pretty much agree with both of you. For myself, my persona is female but sometimes I just don't want to deal with skirts, so I have a few outfits with pants. I don't wear bodices with them however. I don't wear female accessories either. The garb I wear is completely appropriate for the time and place of my persona. It's just men's garb. Basically, I decide to play guy for the day and it works well for me.  

[Berzerker_prime]

I wear a doublet and bloomers when I'm fencing and I've tried to make it all as period as I can, what with the fencing armor rules. Lots of yummy linen involved. mrgreen

That's about the only time I cross-dress, though. I've been known to set camp in a skirt. I tend to wear early-period when camping, though, just because I can't completely stand up in my tent and trying to lace up a bodice that way really sucks.  

[Seilde]

Okay, I'm gonna say it even though it may have been said before; Halloween costumes.

I can understand if its the person's first event and they just want to make an effort but don't know what to wear yet. That's cool. biggrin Buuuuut, I feel that if your at an event you probably have spoken to your local hospitaler at least a few times and maybe have gone to a populace meeting or two. This leads me to believe that loaner garb has been offered or mentioned! (Granted, loaner garb isn't always the best of garb and sometimes smells bad. I should know, when I came into possession of the loaner garb box I had to wash it all because it made the guest room smell horrible!)

If a new person hasn't talked to anyone and just sort of came out to the event then that's okay too. Just next time leave the Walmart princess costume at home. There are plenty of people who can help you make garb. biggrin

I see this one person wearing a walmart costume to every event. I wonder if anyone has said anything to her.  

[Divash]

Alan the Great

...I feel that if your at an event you probably have spoken to your local hospitaler at least a few times and maybe have gone to a populace meeting or two. This leads me to believe that loaner garb has been offered or mentioned!

Not always true. I attended four events while in college -- three of the same one, and one extra -- without ever knowing that there was such a thing as a hospitaller/chatelaine/welcomer. Three years. Also, no one thought to tell me that in addition to this one event (which was the only one held in my local area), there were actual meetings. I honestly thought it was a once-a-year thing that you could do, and that there was no one out there to help me, because of the way I was introduced to the SCA. My college roommate said, "You want to go to this thing with me? It's a yearly event, very cool." That was it.

It's entirely possible that the person you're seeing in a store-bought princess costume is just the same way, and has no idea that there's more information, help, and garb out there for her to access. She might think, as I did, that it wasn't worth putting in the time and effort to find or make truly historic garb, just for something that only happens once a year. Try being the first person to approach her and offer her a better introduction to our hobby.  

[Seilde]

Divash

Not always true. I attended four events while in college -- three of the same one, and one extra -- without ever knowing that there was such a thing as a hospitaller/chatelaine/welcomer. Three years. Also, no one thought to tell me that in addition to this one event (which was the only one held in my local area), there were actual meetings. I honestly thought it was a once-a-year thing that you could do, and that there was no one out there to help me, because of the way I was introduced to the SCA. My college roommate said, "You want to go to this thing with me? It's a yearly event, very cool." That was it.

It's entirely possible that the person you're seeing in a store-bought princess costume is just the same way, and has no idea that there's more information, help, and garb out there for her to access. She might think, as I did, that it wasn't worth putting in the time and effort to find or make truly historic garb, just for something that only happens once a year. Try being the first person to approach her and offer her a better introduction to our hobby.

I know, see?

myself

If a new person hasn't talked to anyone and just sort of came out to the event then that's okay too. Just next time leave the Walmart princess costume at home. There are plenty of people who can help you make garb.

blaugh  

[Frau Behr]

hey guys sorry for not posting ive been kinda busy  

[Naito_Mitsukai]

Divash

Alan the Great

...I feel that if your at an event you probably have spoken to your local hospitaler at least a few times and maybe have gone to a populace meeting or two. This leads me to believe that loaner garb has been offered or mentioned!

Don't forget - you only have what's available to you in the gold key!
My shire's gold key is ... pretty sad. It had a few period pieces, and few 'period-esqu' pieces ... but mostly 'Here put this on so you don't COMPELTELY stand out in your jeans & T-shirt!' pieces.

We also have NO Tunics (sad, yes, we've been trying to fix this - but it unfortunately falls to the bottom of our list every year - as we only have one BIG event a year, and most people attending are either SCA-ers with their own garb, or friends of SCA-ers who've been loaned garb).
And I doubt *ANY* of the garb in gold key would actually fit me.

So you have to be careful with that too.

(Speaking of which, I should prod the shiremembers again to go through it... We'd talked about getting rid of the really bad pieces, but never got that far ...)

 

[Divash]

Naito_Mitsukai

My shire's gold key is ... pretty sad. It had a few period pieces, and few 'period-esqu' pieces ... but mostly 'Here put this on so you don't COMPELTELY stand out in your jeans & T-shirt!' pieces.

We also have NO Tunics (sad, yes, we've been trying to fix this - but it unfortunately falls to the bottom of our list every year - as we only have one BIG event a year, and most people attending are either SCA-ers with their own garb, or friends of SCA-ers who've been loaned garb).
And I doubt *ANY* of the garb in gold key would actually fit me.

(Speaking of which, I should prod the shiremembers again to go through it... We'd talked about getting rid of the really bad pieces, but never got that far ...)

Before getting rid of the bad pieces, perhaps good pieces could be added first. After all, most bad pieces can work, when paired with other things. Here are a few things that might help, if implemented.

* Suggest a one-dollar increase in admission for your shire's events (per person, new or not), that money to go towards the purchase of either garb or fabric for garb-makers.

* Ask that anyone who's able make a donation of a single garment to the Gold Key each year.

* Call for a garb drive, where everyone weeds out their garb selection of things that don't fit right, don't work, don't fit their current persona's life, or that they're simply tired of and want to replace.

* Hold a Gold Key benefit auction. Local crafters can make and donate pieces to be auctioned off at each event, with the money going directly to the Gold Key to purchase fabric. Follow up with a mass meeting and sewing bee of the local sewing guild (you do have one, don't you?). If new folks are welcomed, they'll find it easy to be handed a piece that's already been patterned and cut out, and told "Here, sew these two pieces together along this line." A lot can get done that way.

* Your local hospitaller/chatelaine may have other ideas; for instance, hiring a deputy hospitaller to repair worn pieces in the group's collection and/or make a few more simple pieces in hard-to-fit sizes.