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Moving up from basic garb?

Started by theChuck, May 27, 2008, 10:59:17 PM

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theChuck

Time and again I've seen people talk about how your first garb is throwaway, and you make your way up the ladder to the better garb. I'm curious as to how long everyone had their first garb before they stepped up, and in what capacity they moved up. I can understand going from cheap shoes to something like Minnetonka or Sandlar. For other garb, though, does it just mean stepping up to a more elaborate scheme with multiple layers and such? Did you go with handmade stuff, or did you buy from a vendor who does his or her own work?

Just curious to see how everyone progressed in their garb..
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Margaret

Well, my *very first* costume item for faire was a reworked prom dress.  Yep - I went that route.  Tossed that out after one season.

Then, I began making my own stuff.  The first thing I made was a Irish dress and a skirt to go with it.  The skirt I still wear about 7 years later, the overdress I had to toss out because the grommets ripped out of it.

Mistress Margaret Baynham
The Sweete Ladye
IWG #1656 MCL
wench.org (IWG forums)
ibrsc.org (IBRSC forums)

DonaCatalina

My very first Faire dress was a tank top style bodice with attached skirt made out of plaid homespun.
Back in the dark ages there weren't many vendors selling ready made garb.

That dress is now a giant pillow for laying in front of the fireplace.

I made a series of increasingly elaborate dresses over the years, about one a year. As I learned from my mistakes on the previous dresses, I found new ones to make.
My black & white Florentine was retired after closing weekend of Scarborough. It was originally made in 1997, with some tweaking since then. It was the sixth Court dress that I had attempted.

Some people are happy with ready-to-wear, and it fits them well. I personally prefer to make my own and get almost exactly what I want in style and fit.
Aurum peccamenes multifariam texit
Marquesa de Trives
Portrait Goddess

Var Greyshadow

My first garb was a halter top and velvety miniskirt and Minnetonka boots.  This evolved into something approximating the Amazons on "Xena".  I added suede pieces to the skirt and made suede and chainmail shoulder pieces.  Bought bracers, a headpiece, pouches, etc.  The eveolution of this garb lasted from 2000 to 2003.

In 2003, I transitioned to the Ranger garb I have now.  I'm no seamstress, so I began buying things.  A shirt and pants, and a bit later, a short leather doublet.  Many of the accessories from the Amazon carried over.  Upgraded to Sandlar boots in 2006 (I think) and got a custom leather tunic from Ravenswood Leather last year.  For Scarby (when I'm going for a bit more period), I added a longbow and Robin Hood hat (Ranger and huntswoman cross over pretty well).  This garb is pretty well set now, though I'll add accessories as I find neat things.
"All that is gold does not glitter; Not all those who wander are lost..." ~J.R.R. Tolkien "The Fellowship of the Ring"

sealion

I think "moving up" probably means something a little different for each of us. To me moving up means learning to make my own garb so that things actually fit properly and learning about historically accurate styles, fabrics, and construction techniques.
Cindy/Ciana Leonardi di Firenze/Captain Cin

silverstah

Quote from: sealion on May 28, 2008, 08:13:20 AM
I think "moving up" probably means something a little different for each of us. To me moving up means learning to make my own garb so that things actually fit properly and learning about historically accurate styles, fabrics, and construction techniques.

*waves hands*

Me, too! :)

My current focus is on peasant to middle class Italian clothing - I don't do nobles.  Every time I try to wear something fancy, I just feel silly and uncomfortable.  I like wearing stuff I can just toss in the washing machine, and stuff I don't mind sitting on the dirty ground in. ;)

My first Renaissance costume was a panne velvet 'medieval' style dress with a zipper.  It actually wasn't that bad - my mom helped me out, and we followed the pattern to a T.  Unfortunately, the patterns available in 1992 were... unfortunate. ;)

I think "moving up" means finding your OWN style - pirate, peasant, noble - and putting together outfits that are distinctly you.  It doesn't matter if they're store-bought or homemade - but it definitely is important to make it your own.  The folks I see who look totally comfortable in their garb, those are the ones who I know have "it".  Whatever "it" is. :)
Catarina Caravello - Mistress of the Bobbins
\"Arrrgh.  Feed Dogs.  Arrrgh.\"  -The Pirate, sewing

Margaret

Oh definately "moving up" is definately a journey of information, knowledge and choice.

"Moving up" is finding out how a bodice or corset really ought to fit, it is finding better quality vendors or imporving your own sewing skills.  It's what happens in a hobby.
Mistress Margaret Baynham
The Sweete Ladye
IWG #1656 MCL
wench.org (IWG forums)
ibrsc.org (IBRSC forums)

Lady Ann of Draycott

#7
"Moving up" for me was going from garb I had purchased on ebay to garb I purchased from Moresca.

I bought several different outfits on ebay, pirate garb and tudor court gowns.  None of the bodices fit me very well some of them were extremely uncomfortable!  :'(  Last year at TRF I was wearing the pirate garb and by 1:00 pm the bodice I was wearing was killing me.  Several people recommended Moresca so I went in there and tried on one of their pirate bodices.  When they laced it up I was so surprised at how comfortable it was!  ;D  At that point I basically just handed them my credit card and told them to just throw away the old one!  Since then I have bought three other bodices from Moresca and I love them because they are so well made and they are so comfortable!

So, my "moving up" was paying more for garb that was better made and more comfortable.  I pretty much live by the saying "you get what you pay for"...  ;)

Collector of Wine and Roses
Clan McLotofus Elder
Landshark No. 96

Athena

It's about fit for me as well, and quality of fabric. My first garb was pretty much thrown together. Khaki pants, a white peasant top, and red silk scarf to wrap around my head for a pirate-y look, and some rayon broomstick skirts for a peasant look. I had some rayon peasant tops as well but found out heat and synthetic fabrics don't mix well!

I've acquired better quality garb since then, and while my look is not H/A, I stick to quality, natural fabrics. I've also started sewing and am going for a more middle class look.
A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. ~ Chinese Proverb

TKM

my first garb was just made of pieces taken from my old costume when i went dressed as Link from the legend of zelda one halloween. i wore that for a season and a day, and then i made some simple pieces from some scrap material around my house and some good rennie-looking clothes i found at the goodwill. i gradually started replacing each of those pieces one at a time with good, high-quality faire garb i bought from vendors as i saved up the money to buy them. a few of my things are still hand-crafted though, such as my leather pouch and my doublet (which was converted from an old sleevless leather jacket)

analise

My first garb was a light blue skirt, white blouse/chemise, and a bodice all from the same vendor at MDRF. I wore it with a pair of slip-on sandals.

Then I decided maybe I should get an overskirt. Oooh, and another (more flexible, it had more places to lace it to fit and it was reversible) bodice. And maybe another overskirt in a different color, just for kicks. And a different blouse. Let's not forget the moccasins! Suddenly with a few pieces of garb, I can completely change my look.

Then, last year saw me get a pair of faerie wings, two new (shiny) skirts, a pretty lacy "pirate" blouse from Wolfstone, another new (even "nicer") bodice (also reversible), a shimmery blouse for faerie garb, a $4 skirt from goodwill, stripy socks, a different pair of moccasins...oh, and another overskirt.

I really like my garb being "modular" so I can make up new-looking stuff on the fly. Heh.

beeboy

Im still on my basic garb sort of.  I mean, I've moved on to a 2nd more comfortable shirt, but that's about it.  And belt accessories.

But considering I go to the faire in Florida, where its hot ALL the time, I'm pretty happy with my thin balloon pants and sleeveless faire shirt

CountessofPhoenix

I agree with all that has been said. As a character evolves so does the garb. My husband started out with a monk's robe because he is a large man and patterns don't fit him. It was the easiest I could come up with. Then he wanted to be a barbarian so we went the fur route. Not so good in Texas unless we are having a blue northern, Then we went to cotton shirt and a fur trimmed vest worked much better. My garb has gone from English court dress out of cheap fabric to more of an Italian style. More flattering for larger women I think. Several of my outfits just didn't look the way I wanted them to. Sometimes it's hard to face the fact that grandmothers can't always be the sexy little things they once were. So my garb has to change. I think that's the fun part though.
Countess of Phoenix
Descendant of Celtic Nobility
Designer Extraordinaire
We are only limited by what we can dream

gem

I'm not sure I'd argue that your first garb should be disposable, but I will say that I'll recommend repurposed mundane clothes over cheap (disposable) costume pieces for beginners any day.  Granted, that's a lot easier for women, generally.  But if you think you're going to want to go in garb, I'd say start with basic pieces--shirt, breeches--and wear those until you know what you like/want.

My early garb included a pretty rust rayon peasant skirt, a striped gauze peasant blouse from Dress Barn (rust/olive/gold), and this awesome crocheted suede vest from Macedonia.  Sure--mundane pieces, all, but they worked well together and gave the fair *feel.*  Even six or seven years and gads and GADS of garb (H/A and otherwise) later, I look at those pictures totally without shame.

Moving up for me meant finding that piece I COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT (my flaming orange chemise), and realizing that I couldn't wander around in just that.  ;D A bodice followed--a cheap (tho' not inexpensive) one, mind you.  And by the following season, I knew I needed an upgrade.

...And so it goes. :)

Master James

Well if you want to go all the way back to something I wore to cons and not faire that would be a wizards robe that my wife made and I still have.  If however you are talking strictly about faire, then we've made new garb every year and I have repurposed my first doublet as my pirates doublet.  Its red and goes well with the rest of the garb.  We started as middle class about 5 years ago because we didn't want to be too presumptive by dressing as nobles and going to faire.  Well then we joined cast 2 years ago and since we are nobles there, that is how we now go although we do have peasant, celtic, pirate and our middle class garb that we still wear depending on the occaision and weather when visiting other faires.
Why can't reality be more like faire?
Clan M'Crack
RenVet
Royal Order of Landsharks #59
FoMDRF
RFC #51