buying Ren Garb

[Hokie Bird]

I'm sure its been asked a million times, but how do you decide what clothes to buy? I know you start out with a couple things and then work on accessorizing in the future, but I just have no clue what to buy. How did you decide? Where did you buy from? Did you make your own? What made you decide on the costume you picked?

I know of some of the clothes vendors, like the ones at the Faire and a few online ones. Are there ones people recommend over others?


I've thought about renting something but I know at some point I'll buy one....if I can ever figure out what to buy, so I would rather save that money from renting to use for buying.

And its more comlicated because I'm a big guy working on being a less big guy...


any information would be greatly appreciated

thanks

Rob aka Hokie

[SwordSchoolGroupie]

pick your charachter first. do you want to be nobility, a wizard, scottsman, warrior/knight, village scum. then buy pieces accordingly. the most important being somekind of pouch for your important items (ye olde fanny pack just doesn't work) and some comfortable shoes

[Kelzar]

While I would agree with some of what Roxanne suggests, I'll outline my perspective.


Determine base level of character.
Determine rough timeperiod of character
Determine how historically accurate you wish to be
then align these with what you feel you can spend/make.

Generally speaking the higher up the food chain is your character, the more you can/will spend to fully outfit them. Also generally speaking the later the medieval/renn time period the character, the more you can/will spend to fully outfit them.

I personally like variety and go for a middle of the road approach of an armed traveler or huntsman. I can with minor modification to dress it up or down. I aim for a 900-1200 look, steel, buckles, grommets are available but not neccesarily plentiful. I try to remain "visibly" historically accurate or perhaps better stated as "historically plausible", but can appreciate velcro, snaps, magnetic closures and the like as long as they cannot be readily seen. I designed and made my warbelt using two steel rings without the use of a rivet or a buckle, it is very secure.

If you are not going the nobility route I would suggest the first items to purchase/make are:
Breeches or tights
Loose shirt
Belt and Pouch
Footwear

After that I would add things you like as you find them and you feel the help fill out your character:
Tunic/Doublet/Jerkin
Weapon/Armor/Accessory
Drinking Vessel
Jewelry Items
Headwear

Feel free to talk to me in person at the faire and I can go into greater detail of how I went about developing Kelzar.

[SwordSchoolGroupie]

I only said that because Bob has a really big sword for a knight, a walking staff for a wizard, and a white puffy shirt for nobility but he doesn't have enough clothes to make one complete outfit. I simply stress that you should know what you want and buy all the pieces for one kind of person. in other words, buy clothes first and then accessorize. course the reason he doesn't have any money for clothes is cuz he spent it all on me

[DameGoode]

The thing you should buy first and foremost and spend at least half (yes, sword scheleping males HALF) your budget on footwear. Good looking WELL MADE footwear with soles as thick as can be. I've yet to go to a faire site that dosn't chew up shoes like a five year old with Bazooka Joe. I can't tell you how many people (and different casts) I see in decent garb, and it is completely ruined by them wearing loafers, really bad sandals (with velco) or GASP! sneakers!

As Peter, will tell you, I've learned this lesson the HARD way. I've small feet and most vendors don't make boots my size. (Although there are more now than five years ago.) I refuse to buy shoes online, unless I know the company. (I'm familiar with the dream shoe sizing.)

I will tell you that Son of Sandalar are the best made footwear, I've had in about ten years. Try them on before buying, don't just think, I always take a ten. And when breaking shoes in, wear them in normal conditions. Straight roads, and if you can help it concrete. Let the shoe get used to your foot before you let the various faire grounds chew it up.

Yeah, if you think that's long, wait until I start talking about belts and cotehardies! Color: friend or foe?

[Lady Catharine]

Amen Kelzar!

Will ya be the lucky man again this weekend
with 3 or more ladies?

Hmmmm?

[Sir Trevor]

damegoode said:

I can't tell you how many people (and different casts) I see in decent garb, and it is completely ruined by them wearing loafers, really bad sandals (with velco) or GASP! sneakers!

Hmmm.
Why are my ears burning?

I'll get footwear eventually.
(funny side note, Brook just noticed Saturday that I wear sneakers with my garb )


I started with a shirt.
Found one at a price I liked.
Added pants, which are actually the psudo-sweat pants. The ones that are thin and have pockets. Found at Kmart for like under $10.
Hey, they are comfortable, and breath well, and pass as garbish.
Then I got the belt and the sword, and the mug holder.
Just added some pouches this year. Though I do actually need another one to carry everything.

I figure I have a good baseline now.
If I want, I can snaz it up with a vest to go for a little higher class.
Or a colored shirt next, to spice it up a bit.

Lets face it.
If you are male, and not a noble or in a kilt, there isn't really a lot to choose from.

[Sir Trevor]

BTW Hokie.
You do know that you are registered here and can actually log in if you wish.
If you can't remember your username, it is: hokiebird

[hokiebird]

Trevor, yeah I know I'm registered but when I'm at work I can't remember my password (I'm permanently logged in at home) and I can't check the email that I'm registered wtih while at work to get the password hehe

of course I probably shouldn't be on the board while I'm at work but hey I'm a bad person


and thanks for the replies everyone all the comments help so thanks

[Sir Trevor]

Cool.
Just checking.
I have had several members that couldn't loging because they forgot their login name. (or it was changed when the software upgrades, as there are no capital letters allowed now)