How much is enough?

[Divash]

Here's what I have right now that qualifies as garb:

1. Dark blue linen skirt, ankle length, summerweight. Had it for years, and it's wearing out.
2. Fuchsia tunic with "silver" (ahem, metallic thread, non-period as it is, but we're calling it real silver so it'll be peri-oid) embroidery.
3. A modern cotton skirt in lilac pink, in a fairly modern cut, but at least it's modest -- ankle length. I also have the same skirt in beige and a third one in light taupe.
4. A cotton muslin under-tunic, a wee bit tight in the arms because apparently I measure badly, undyed and unbleached (off-white). It's only knee length; I was hoping for longer, but didn't communicate adequately with my seamstress.
5. A green striped qaba (first two links on this page, one of pictures/patterns and one of layout).
6. A pair of green harem pants. YES, I KNOW they're not period, but apparently my seamstress didn't get that memo. I swear, I said "straight legged, like women wore on the Arabian peninsula, not gathered ankle like a modern harem pant and not tapered leg like women wore in Persia," but apparently all she heard out of that was "like a modern harem pant," so... okay.
7. A couple dozen scarves. I like scarves. A lot.

Right now, my garb selection feels pretty small to me. I say this because I can't go to a week-long event and stay cleanly garbed the whole time, if every single day I spill something, sweat, or enter a public bathroom and my garb brushes up against... anything. It actually does make me a little ill to think of re-wearing anything, because either it's next to my body and therefore probably sweaty, or it's outside and has therefore been up against everything I've been near, including everything in those awful port-a-privies that are so small I practically have to stand on the toilet seat to shut the door. (And when I say it makes me "a little" ill, I am totally lying. It makes me quite queasy.)

And yet recently, I've spoken to someone who had exactly two chemises and two over-dresses for her first 15 years in the SCA, and she never felt like she was missing out on anything. Am I getting too involved? Am I too much of a typical American "conspicuous consumer?" Is my mindset too modern, that I think I should have a fresh clean outfit every day?  

[Out to the Black]

Actually, it sounds like you might be a little bit of a germaphobe. I having reworn things next to your skin creeps you out so much, you might think about just getting a bunch of modern undergarments like slips or tanktops and bike shorts to put between you and them.

As to how much is too much, that really depends on preference. I know people with huge wardropes of garb. I also know folks that only have one or two outfits. Whatever works for you.

I'm personally somewhere in between on amount. And as long as something doesn't look or smell dirty, I have no problem rewearing it.  

[Sir_Catherine]

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that even court ladies in the middle ages would have worn garb more than once between washings. They most likely would have played mix-and-match so as to not have the exact same outfit, but the items themselves would have seen multiple uses. It sounds like you have a good start on a wardrobe to mix-and-match with.

Myself, I have one outfit that works for running around outside or helping out and one dress for sitting feasts. I don't want more outfits, but I would like garb that is more truly period. I've also only been to one or three day events, never to a full week. For a full week I'd want two or three outfits to switch out through the event.  

[MorganOfCalafia]

I had no idea there was such thing as enough garb.  

[Divash]

Out to the Black, you say "germaphobe" like that's a bad thing. wink I have a VERY sensitive nose, as well as some immune system deficiencies, so being a germaphobe is simply good sense, for me. (Yes, I've been known to sniff the air when someone enters my vicinity and ask, "Is that silk?" One person in my whole life said, "Yes... and God, I'm sorry!" because she understood immediately what it means to have a nose that sensitive.) I do have a lot of mundane undergarments that I use, but at home I can wash them every four or five days, and I don't quite have enough yet for a week-and-a-bit of event-plus-travel-days. Even with my capri-length biker leggings, I feel weird re-wearing trousers, though a skirt I would re-wear if it just didn't scrub up against things.

Sir_Catherine, it's true, court ladies in the middle ages would re-wear things. I suspect it's because fabric was so expensive. If you had to grow the plants, harvest them, extract the useful fibers, spin, dye, weave, cut, and sew... you'd re-wear stuff, too. Even the extremely wealthy might have had a maximum of a dozen outfits for all seasons and occasions, combined. I'm fastidious because I can be. Also, because putting on fresh clothing is something I do every day in order to differentiate every day from mourning, when I do re-wear things, as is the custom of my people (in and out of persona).

MorganOfCalafia, funny you should say that. I asked around a bunch of friends, and the universal answer was "One more piece than you currently have. When you get just that one more magical piece, you'll have enough."  

[Sir_Catherine]

Thank you for confirming my thoughts on what is period. I think you answered your own question now about whether or not your mindset is a modern one. wink I wont say it's a bad mindset to have; certainly if you can arrange enough garb to change daily no one would think twice of it except to be impressed. It is a modern behavior though and one many of us modify when we play in period.  

[Out to the Black]

just pointing out that it would complicate the whole rewearing unwashed items idea. In your case, it seems like you might need a few more peices. And remember, underdresses are period and usually very easy to make. You could make a bunch of those to wear under things instead of modern undergarments. Just switch out whats on top. I know they don't really work with pants though.  

[Runa Whynd]

You know, I have the opposite problem with sense of smell. My nose doesn't work very well, and never has but I have a great sense of taste. So "Nya!" to those people that keep trying to tell me they're practically the same sense.

Anyway, I like a moderate amount of garb. I want some variety but I also want it take up minimum space so that's how I work it out. And, like OttB, I'm not opposed to wearing an item more than once between washings.  

[MorganOfCalafia]

Divash

MorganOfCalafia, funny you should say that. I asked around a bunch of friends, and the universal answer was "One more piece than you currently have. When you get just that one more magical piece, you'll have enough."

I like that response. Unfortunately, I still don't have a whole lot of garb. I kept growing out of it so I'd always have just enough for our longest event  

[Divash]

I asked more folks, and they said that the best idea is to have one full outfit for every day of the longest event you intend to attend without having to do laundry in the middle -- because even if you don't mind re-wearing something, chances are good that at least once, you'll spill an entire bowl of stew all down your front and you won't want to keep wearing that all day. Since that's Pennsic, I'm clearly going to need about 15 outfits. If I need more than that, I don't have a problem going to a laundromat.

*sigh* This is going to be expensive.  

[MorganOfCalafia]

try swap meets. We got a crap tons of fabric for 1-5$ a yard and a lot of it was pretty epic  

[Divash]

I can get all the fabric I want, but since I can't sew, it's not going to help me in the least.  

[MorganOfCalafia]

Ooooh. I'm currently working on learning to sew  

[Sir_Catherine]

Having only the ability to sew broad lines and no room to practice (seriously, no room, trust me) I too am hampered from simply making my own garb. Cloth I'm willing to buy, but then being unable to do anything with it negates the practicality of spending the money.  

[Divash]

Sir_Catherine, that's exactly the thing that hampers me. Except the part about being able to sew broad lines. Right now, I've sewn:

* three pillow cases that are visibly misshapen somehow (probably because I can't sew a straight line);
* one modern salwar kameez which is supposed to fit me, but instead is too small for Kate Moss (you know, before she gained that five pounds that everyone raves about because it's making her look so healthy and normal)
* one modern kaftan which is supposed to fit me, but instead is for someone at least a foot taller and about two feet broader at the shoulder, chest, and waist than myself.

Actually, the kaftan isn't quite as bad as I'd feared it would be. What I really need is a pattern or two that are (1) made for me, (2) with a full inch of seam allowance, (3) made out of something durable so I can use it over and over again instead of that flimsy brown tissue paper, and (4) period. I might actually be able to come out with some usable clothing, given all that. But as I haven't got it, well, there you are.