2005-03-22 - 10:12 a.m.

Okay, it is relatively early in the morning and I am as bright and coherent as this damned cold will allow me to be today. If I am going to post anything it will be now or never.

And to think that this was my vacation week. I hate to be sick during my time off. Sigh.

Oh, well. No helping it.

At any rate, we have posted pics of the kitchen construction project on my Community Webshots page. We will be adding pics as the project evolves. It will be cool to see how it changes from the old kitchen to the new kick-ass one.

Stay tuned.

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Last time I posted musings on fencing and newbies. Today it will be musings on costuming and the SCA.

One of the things that I like about the SCA is that we can all play it as we like, and take it as serious or not as we see fit.

Contrary to popular belief, the SCA is not a living history group. By that I mean that you are not recreating a specific time from history, but there is a lot more flexibility in regards of time and place.

It is not uncommon to see an elegant lady attired in the latest 16th Century fashion drinking mead with a 12th Century Mongol.

Only in the SCA.

The other thing is that people do have the time to "mature" into bigger and better things. Once you get into this, and you start doing research, it is amazing what you can learn and what you can do. I have seen work out there that I dare to describe as museum quality work.

That good.

Issues arise sometimes when people ask you questions such as "Can I use (insert material here) for (insert piece of garb here)?"

My response is, you can use anything you want for any piece of garb you care for. The question is, would this material and color have been used for your costume in period?

If I know the answer, be prepared to hear a lengthy explanation on said artifact as well as a number of tips on how to do it better. If I don't, I will probably point you to someone else who knows, and possibly to some sources that you might find useful.

Trouble is, sometimes people ask the question expecting for you to say what they want to hear. Which by the way it may not be the same thing that you have to say.

This mortifies me no end, as I do not want to be perceived as a "garb nazi." However, if you ask me a question on my area of research, it is very likely that I will be inclined to tell you as much as I can.

For instance, the other day someone (an enthusiastic newcomer that is showing a healthy interest in late period costuming) asked me about corsets. She said that she had found a merchant that had assured her that his corsets were "SCA quality" and that his market was SCA.

My response was that she should be careful as not every merchant who sells to the SCA necessarily carries period stuff. (And don't let me start with the boob-sling corsets, and leather S&M numbers, and the civil war styles, or the Victoria's Secret adaptations. I would have to gauge out my inner eye with a spoon.)
I also offered to help her pick or make a corset if she was interested.

She had earlier asked me about a cotton pirate shirt with purple stripes and gold trim. I told her that it was pretty cool, looked good on her, and for an attempt at period garb was fine. However, since she had asked "Does this work?" I added that it was not necessarily a period piece, but it would do very well for events and for Pennsic.

When we were all going to the car, I overheard her lord say "This is like Belphoebe saying that this is not period."

I know that he was joking and trying to make me twitch --which he did-- but it got me thinking about whether or not I have a tendency to be overbearing with this.

I hope not.

For one thing, I am not the kind of person that will walk out to someone and say "Milady, your boob-slinging corset is not period. And please pick up your girls. They are hitting your knees and you're scaring the horses."

In the first place, those are your boobs, not mine, and if you like to have them in a sling, more power to you.

But if you ask me "Does this corset work?" I will probably tell you that as period garb goes, there are options that work better and will offer my help if you want it.

(And I promise not to mention the fact that a couple of guys down the road have just tripped on your boobs.)

But if you don't want me to tell you what I think, then do us both a favor and do not ask me that question.

But I am hoping you do and I can't wait to see your new and improved garb.

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