Being in garb/character on the WAY to/from faire?

[Lady Amy of York]

I dress in all my garb, wheter it be  wench, pirate, or  noble  before i leave  home, seeing  how i have  alot of  garb and  acessories  and it takes awhile  to get all laced up  and  cinched in, and  everything on,  and  the  privies    at my home  faire   are  small, cramped, dirty, and  smelly.

I  have even learned how  to climb into  the back seat of  my  minivan  wearing  my hoop skirt..not  the most easiest task  in the  world  mind  you.

I have  been known  to stop  at  the  McDonald's or  Taco  bell along  the  way  and  use   their  bathrooms.   I have  received some  strange  looks  as people  see  this   crazy lady  who desperately has  to use  the bathroom  dashing  across  the parking lot  with  a noble  gown  and hoop  skirt  on .  

The best was one  time  when i was dressed in wench wear, and  the  bodice i had on  should  i say... um.. was really doing a good job  displaying  my ample  cleavage.  We  stopped  at a McDonald's  and  a group of  young guys  were sitting   there on  their  motorcycles .  When i stepped out of  the  car, I thought there faces  were  going to drop.  My  husband told me  to get back in the  car !  ROFL !!

[Lady Rebecca]

For me, it depends on how far away the faire is. If the faire is within one hour (which is almost never), then I'll wear my petticoat, underskirt, and chemise, with my hair up in my snood. Otherwise, I just wear the chemise and snood and a pair of jeans, and change into the rest in a gas station bathroom close to the site. Then in the parking lot, I add the bodice, overskirt, hoop, and gauntlets. I cannot imagine fitting in my Corrola with hoops on, and wearing a bodice in the car makes me nauseous.

[LadyShadow]

I will put on smaller simpler things at home.  Make-up underpinnings and what not.  And when I arrive at faire change in the parking lot.  In which I do my best not to flash all those who are walking bye.  *Not always successful*  Hubby does the same thing.  As far as kids, we try and have them dressed before leaving the house.  And then at the end of the day before heading home we try and remove/change what we can before the drive home.  Again trying our best  not to flash everyone.

[Blue66669]

Sometimes I come in my skivvies (as anyone at TRF can tell you, I'm NOT shy), and sometimes I come fully dressed. Just depends on how lazy I am.

[Betty Munro]

When I was in my late 20's I didn't mind getting dressed in the parking lot.  If the breeze kicked up and showed a little skin I figured it was no big deal.  I'm a little older now, and a wee one of my own, so I am a little more modest.  I still get dressed in the parking lot, but am more careful.  It is pretty easy to be modest with a full skirt and chemise.
You mentioned spandex?  If your undergarment is spandex pants, then you are already as modest as you need to be for a parking lot. 
Mundane people on the way there will know you are going to "some form of a performance".  If they want to be stupid or weird, just ignore them.

[Anna Iram]

Let's see....my very first attempt at full garb in a car. I was at TRF and it was the first time I'd worn my full gown with hoops and even a wood busk sewn into the front of my bodice. I was not the least bit bendable. I'd rented a cute little yellow sports car....well that was the most treacherous ride ever with my seat in a slight recline because of the busk and my hoops billowing about me....

So then I thought I'd just get dressed in the lot like everyone else....except it's hard enough to lace up all those little hole in my bodice at home, much less in the reflection of my car window....then I was approached by a man asking if I needed help and then wanting to know if there was a flogger inside...said with a leer, while staring at my unlaced bodice....I know this was meant to be a complement, but...um..no thankyou....so I started pre lacing at home just to make the dressing thing less of a thing....

So now I arrive in my loosely laced bodice, chemise, stockings and shoes and bloomers. Still takes a bit to get the skirts and hoop and stuff all on and just so, but after a few weeks of faire I get my routine down. Funny thing is, when I stop for gas or what not and have to leave the car, I always feel as though I'm running about indecently because of my bloomers. It's all way more than I'd normally wear, but knowing it's my 16th century undies still gives me a giggle. Scandalous! 

[Finnian]

When I was in my late 20's I didn't mind getting dressed in the parking lot.  If the breeze kicked up and showed a little skin I figured it was no big deal.  I'm a little older now, and a wee one of my own, so I am a little more modest.  I still get dressed in the parking lot, but am more careful.  It is pretty easy to be modest with a full skirt and chemise.
You mentioned spandex?  If your undergarment is spandex pants, then you are already as modest as you need to be for a parking lot. 
Mundane people on the way there will know you are going to "some form of a performance".  If they want to be stupid or weird, just ignore them.

The spandex underarmour is what my padding is sewn to though! So...it's a bit odd to move/sit/bend in still. XD The only thing left after that layer is the fur, since the padding is built in. ^^

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Going to faire, usually at least a 2-3 hour drive, I wear chemise (with bra underneath), bloomers, socks & boots.  Which definitely looks weird arriving at the rest areas on the interstates.

In the parking lot, I remove the bra, very modest, no one can see anything, put on the bodice which Steve laces, and put on skirts and hoops if I am wearing hoops with the garb.  Then hat, accessories and belt.

After the faire, everything comes off.  Socks & boots first, then bloomers, as they're under the skirt, and no one can see them.  Shorts or capris put on while skirt is still on.  Take off skirt, slide arms inside the chemise, put on bra.  Then, depending on how full the parking lot still is, either sit down on the front seat, rip off the chemise and pull on tee shirt - which I can do in less than 20 seconds.  If there are people around, while the chemise is still on, I can get the tee shirt over my head, then work my arms into it and then remove the chemise.  But that takes longer.

[Ambrosine]

Well my days of being a fairy were always interesting. I have always worn my garb driving since the garments were actually quit comfortable. I have had many looks at gas stations when I'm dressed in just a leotard with ripped pieces of tulle and leaves sewn on for a skirt. But with that maybe they thought I was just in a ballet? But I guess that would not explain the pointy ears. I've always been the type to get a kick out of others reactions for the way I look. I use to go to the movies with friends in high school dressed up in our prom dresses just cuz we wanted to wear them again! I'm the mom who is totally ok with my kids wearing their halloween costumes year round untill they grow out of them and out and about! It's just plain fun!

I have to say now that I am a mom and not the same body type anymore for a fairy, my corsets are a little uncomfortable to drive in but i'm always in leggings or a plain circle skirt ( still not up for the hoops). The only things I wait to put on are my belts, tail, pouches and tankards. Thats a little to much to have around my waste while driving. And its a little flattening to the tail 

[bran_gray]

As this is my first time going in garb this year I will probably end up putting on most of my gear beforehand and adding whatever won't allow me to sit comfortably in the parking lot.

Which will probably be belt/extras and my cuirass/pauldrons.

[Lady L]

We have changed at gas stations (Sioux Falls SD faire and Wisc. faire)
We have partly changed in parking lots at away faires.
We usually change in the back of my shop at MNRF.

[Tammy]

Both the faires I've gone to are about 2 hours away. I dress at home, rather I'm a wench or faery. Of course the wings go on in the parking lot.
We always have to stop for either gas or a bathroom break. I enjoy the looks I get, it's all part of the fun!!

This coming October, I'll have the same problems you are mentioning!! I can't wait!!

*it's funny how ya think you have an original idea...then you realize others have already done it!*

[Auryn]

Milord and I usually get about 70% dressed at home and do the rest in the parking lot.
But then again none of our garb is as complex as Finnians and I don't wear big hoop skirts.

We wear a lot of weapons so those usually stay in the trunk until we get on site.
I will generally wear my full outfit- leather corset, leather bracers, pants, boots etc right out of the apartment- I love the look I get from my neighbors and the people at walgreens.

If I were you,  I would wear everything- including full makeup- except the legs and then maybe like some yoga pants to drive there. I would try to park near some trees and tie a sheet between the trees so you can  put on the legs.

Finnian, let me know what route your gonna take to faire so I can follow you and watch when you stop at the gas station hehehe.

[Rin]

I am all over the place when it comes to where I put on my garb. I've been known to change in the parking lot just so I don't have to carry my large amount of garb around. I've also dressed at home, but can only do that when I'm not the one driving because my garb gets in the way. I would say that the majority of the time I get changed in one of my friend's shops back room. It's nice for me because they let me keep all my stuff in back and often someone helps me get everything on.

[MacMuircheartaigh]

 Motorcycle+Kilt=Indecent Exposure citation