Ren Faire History Snobs

[Valiss]

I came across this website a while back and meant to share it with you guys:

The Ren Faire History Snobs
http://tribes.tribe.net/renfairehistorysnobs

Basically, it's like a faire forum, but they put a lot of emphasis on authenticity. Now some faires require you to be accurate and some play a little lose with the garb, but there is some good info in there for everyone I'd think. Note that just like any other forum there are random posts about off topic stuff, but if you are looking to find some period-accurate info, these guys seem to do some good digging.

Personally, I'm not hardcore about my garb mainly because the faires we go to aren't too strict. But I know people that work the larger faires and they have some pretty strict rules about what to wear and not wear. That said, I do try to be as accurate as possible and dont go over the top, or get too much into the local fair trends (i.e. wearing a tail). I try to make it look somewhat legit where ever possible.

Anyway, enjoy!

[bellevivre]

and I'm no longer accurate with my stuff because it's too darn HOT! but thanks for sharing- this should be a neat site!

[Master James]

Being on cast at the Virginia Renaissance Faire, we try to be as accurate as we can but also be entertaining.  This site looks very interesting.  Thanks for posting it.

[Rowan MacD]

and I'm no longer accurate with my stuff because it's too darn HOT!

Amen.  I would rather be cool than HA.  Fainting ladies may be period, but I don't like to be sick.  



  Wow, I just got seriously sidetracked in that site.  There is so much STUFF.
Thanks.

[Valiss]

Yeah I hear ya on the heat issue. A couple of faires we go to each year are during the summer and are a bit warm. But I know some faires require the accurate garb regardless of temp.  Even if I need to modify my garb a bit, I still try to error on the side of authenticity, when possbile.

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Lucky the Garb Nazi's don't visit TRF very often.  I'm quite sure they would've had seizures over the guy in SS regalia, the Star Wars Stormtroopers and the Gene Simmons impersonator, last year...




...and it goes downhill from there... 

[bellevivre]

and dont forget Ash from Army of Darkness!

[Lady Nicolette]

I'm not in favor of garb nazis, but having been a participant and playtron of the original RPF, I think there is a lot of merit in trying to come up to the bar and meet some sort of criteria...Especially when one is a participant as opposed to being a playtron or patron of the faire.  That being said, wear what makes you comfortable and happy and have fun!

[Valiss]

I'm not in favor of garb nazis, but having been a participant and playtron of the original RPF, I think there is a lot of merit in trying to come up to the bar and meet some sort of criteria...Especially when one is a participant as opposed to being a playtron or patron of the faire.
That being said, wear what makes you comfortable and happy and have fun!

My problem is when "being comfortable" at a ren faire involves someone wearing a storm troopers outfit, or even a Jack Sparrow costume as if it is part of the experience. To me, that really breaks down the illusion the fare promoters try so hard to create. It's like they aren't even trying! That said, I have seen three different types of faires: strict, average and fantasy. Strict faires (like Southern Faire in L.A.) require participants to go to workshops and have thier costumes inspected. The average faires are the smaller ones that want you to dress in period garb, but only somewhat enforce it. Fantasy faires are were things like fairys and storm troopers and harry potter belong. I dont have a problem with any of the above, I just want people to dress appropiately for whichever type they are attending.

[Lady Nicolette]

I agree, Valiss that some people stretch it pretty far.  In my day, I stood inspection many times by Phyllis Patterson herself and passed. 
Storm troopers can seem kind of silly at faire and other eras are by degrees less believable or not, depending.  I can't say that I've ever been completely H/A, however, nor had endless money to spend and am not clever with needle and thread.  But I try to be close or at least somehow passable.  In my day, we all looked askance at Faeries, which are generally accepted (I know I'll get a lot of heat for that, but it's just true) and certainly at some other garb.  Sadly, it's one of the reasons why there is little photographic evidence of the original Faires (not that the Fae weren't showing up on camera  ). So there is reason to be lenient!

In the 70's there were many who came sporting the basic glam look (especially as close to Hollywood as we were) as well as those who tried as well as they could to be in period, no matter what part of the world they were from.  During the 80's there were a lot of Goth people and throughout there have been others who aren't exactly attaining what would help the illusion.    A lot of those who can't even come close make the difference of whether many a Faire can continue or not.  It's better with the illusion, but it's better to have Faire at all, even if not everyone gets it or can even play along, whatever the reason.

[RumbaRue]

The reality of it is that the majority of people who come as guests to Ren-faires honestly don't give a friggin' hoot as to knowing what is correct and not. They come for the fun, to be entertained, get drunk, and generally have a good time.
It's even more obvious with pirates. People in correct sailor garb are hardly noticed as anything, but give a nice frock coat, cocked hat and a colorful pallet and people immediately know that person is a pirate.

[Capt Robertsgrave Thighbiter]

Some one already said it. Renaissance Faires are ENTERTAINMENT.  Not a history lesson, not a historical re-creation.
The public will pay money for entertainment. Try and charge $$ to have history lessons on the bloodline of the kings of England or the sumptuary laws of the Renaissance or the role of the Papacy during the same period. 

The history snobs or garb nazis would love nothing more then to have everything historicaly accurate, and for a living history exhibit thats fine.  Living history is not a Renn Faire.  A good example is Civil War living history events.  Never were there garb nazis like CW re-enactors.  And I give them credit , along with folks who do LH for COlonial Williamsburg and some of the pirate events we perform at.  This is thier hobby and they take it very seriously.  However,  I doubt the general public is going to pay $25 at the gate and $8 for a turkey leg to stand around and watch period sailors make rope from scratch, Civil War soldiers cast lead mini-balls over a campfire or see renaissance period serfs thresh wheat or make bread.

Faire Management can insist that employees wear what they dictate, acording to that particular Faires philosophy. However, patrons are going to wear what ever they damn well feel like wearing, and if its Johnny Depp look alike week,  Imperial Storm Troopers, Sherlock Holmes or Conan the Barbarian all attending a Arturian based Faire, I guarantee that they will all have thier entrance fees accepted.

[Queen Bonnie]

 I am completely authentic- for a lady wizard! LOL. I love fantasy and history. Guess there is room for us all.

[Noble Dreg]

...the guy in SS regalia...

Now that is a true "Garb Nazi"!

And completely sick...by no stretch of any imagination, innappropriate and distasteful.  Stunned management at TRF is THAT open.

[midnightferret]

Yep, as Capt. Thighbiter asserts, Renaissance Festivals are *Theme Parks*. Sad, but true. We are lucky they haven't completely deteriorated into Disney/Six Flags type places, but for the price of admission, people may participate in the "history" part of the Faire as much or as little as they choose. When I first started with the faires at 15, I was all into trying to be HA, but now I really like my black chemise and other less HA garb pieces. I can't help it! It's more fun and I feel prettier in my less HA garb. Hey, I'm an adult who plays dress-up. What do you want?

Some one already said it. Renaissance Faires are ENTERTAINMENT.  Not a history lesson, not a historical re-creation.
The public will pay money for entertainment. Try and charge $$ to have history lessons on the bloodline of the kings of England or the sumptuary laws of the Renaissance or the role of the Papacy during the same period. .... However, patrons are going to wear what ever they damn well feel like wearing, and if its Johnny Depp look alike week,  Imperial Storm Troopers, Sherlock Holmes or Conan the Barbarian all attending a Arturian based Faire, I guarantee that they will all have thier entrance fees accepted.