Freaking the mundanes

[Delireus]

I love going to the McDonalds in Plantersville for TRF, its only about 5 minutes from the gates and right in the middle of town. Since it's such a huge faire, the workers there are so use to garbed out people in there, no one ever notices. I also love the gas station right outside of the gates, there's usually a little sword tent set up right by it. Either going to the faire or going home, you can be sure you'll see other garbed patrons! It makes you feel less vulnerable you know?

Once, on the way home from TRF, I had gone with my friends family and I was the only one to dress up. They wanted to stop at a Chinese restaurant on the way home, this place was really fancy. There was some sort of chinese party or wedding going on too, and here I walk in in my pirate garb. I was so embarrassed, I swear a hush fell over the entire restaurant. Then another time on the way home my friends, who were also in garb, stopped at a truck stop. I was a fairy and some trucker goes "looks like we got a walkin tree in here!" Bleh.

After the Oklahoma faire this season, we were driving around Muskogee looking for a place to eat and I saw people in garb walking into a restaurant and I yelled out the window "yeah renfest!" I hope they heard

Oh i just remembered, after Kansas city faire last year, my friends and I went to Wendy's, and I was the only one in full garb, though 2 other friends had tails on over jeans and a t-shirt. Anyways, I had a huge headache and my feet hurt, so I guess I wasn't in the best mood. There were these kids about our age and a guy said to me "I like your corset" and I apparently snapped back "it's a bodice". I feel really bad about that, I didnt mean to sound so mean, but my friends tell me it came off as such on the plus side, my friends now know the difference between a bodice and a corset!

[Dinobabe]

Hubby and I went to Colonial Williamsburg a couple of weeks ago.  I went into the tailors and started asking the guy all kinds of questions.  He could tell I was better informed than the average tourist and we got into a great conversation.  As we were talking other people came into the shop.  During a lull one woman asked about corsets.  Big mistake!!  The guy didn't even skip a beat and started speaking to her in french!  She just about lost her eyeballs!!  I then said how about a 'pair of stays'.  He smiled and explained to the woman he didn't mean to make fun he just wanted to point out the historical differences.  I really had to hold in the laughter.  It turned out to be a wonderful teaching experience for both of us.

[DonaCatalina]

Okay- this wasn't me but I can take credit since its my poor indoctrinated daughter.

She was in Canada watching a movie (I'm not sure which) with friends who are not interested in Faires or the Renaissance. In the middle of the movie she blurts out "Look that painting in the background is Isabel de Valois so they really filmed this in such and such museum". They all looked at her as of she had grown a new head. Of course afterwards they had to go look up the museum and see if the painting was really there, which it was.

[Merlin the Elder]

I went to my 40th high school reunion this weekend. Because I'm always looking to find people interested in Ren faires, or to convert some mundanes, I made my name tag out simply as "Merlin." It ended up generating some queries, and I even found at least one couple that would like to join us at Scarby next year.  Don't know that I actually freaked anyone out, but they all know I'm a wizard now!

[squiregaby]

So...I finished paying off my drabbit yesterday....
I decided that I'd take him to the library with me....I freaked at least one person out.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

This post is a twist on this thread:  Freaking the Rennie

The first Sunday of Bristol, Steve & I went with 2 friends that we introduced to faire last year, and they are now addicted!  I wore my new Moresca outfit that I bought in Scarborough.  It was my Christmas/birthday/anniversary present from my husband.

Alan (one of our friends) takes hundreds of pictures at whatever faire we go to (they've been to 4 faires already this year, like I said, they're addicted!).  In one of the pictures, Richard, Carol, Steve, & I are standing together.  Alan told us to get closer together so we all would fit in the picture.  I turned a bit sideways & kind of leaned back on Steve.  Just a tiny bit.

Well, Richard said he showed the faire pictures to some friends and one of them said, "She looks like a tramp in that picture." 

Richard replied, "I think the proper term is "wench.""

Boy, did that freak ME out when Richard relayed that conversation to me.

So this is a case of a Mundane freaking the Rennie.

[DonaCatalina]

This post is a twist on this thread:  Freaking the Rennie

The first Sunday of Bristol, Steve & I went with 2 friends that we introduced to faire last year, and they are now addicted!  I wore my new Moresca outfit that I bought in Scarborough.  It was my Christmas/birthday/anniversary present from my husband.

Alan (one of our friends) takes hundreds of pictures at whatever faire we go to (they've been to 4 faires already this year, like I said, they're addicted!).  In one of the pictures, Richard, Carol, Steve, & I are standing together.  Alan told us to get closer together so we all would fit in the picture.  I turned a bit sideways & kind of leaned back on Steve.  Just a tiny bit.
Well, Richard said he showed the faire pictures to some friends and one of them said, "She looks like a tramp in that picture." 

Richard replied, "I think the proper term is "wench.""

Boy, did that freak ME out when Richard relayed that conversation to me.
So this is a case of a Mundane freaking the Rennie.

Sheesh. what a thing to say.

[Shandi]

I don't know if this counts..the KISS concert in Dec. I got fully dressed up in my take on Gene Simmons, I had the full makeup, bat winged jacket, corset under it and a studded full length skirt with my platform boots. We went to my hubby's sisters to let them see me and her husband about fell over! he said to her in a not so quite voice "Oh my GOD look at her Boobs"! I smiled went over to him and said in my sexy voice, what did you not know I'm a woman Jimmy? the look on his face was priceless!!( I'm a 40D I've always been a big woman and but I'm always in jeans and t-shirts.) I offered to take his wife shopping for a corset.
Meanwhile hubbys mother came from the back of the house and screamed! She was totally freaked.
I've only been dressing like Gene since I was 12, she's seen a 100 pictures!
It's alot of fun going into public places dressed as Gene. I LOVE the attention!
It's alot of fun for me going in my ren fair/sca garb too especially my viking set up with all the jewlery.

[LadyFae]

I have to ask, what the heck is it about Ren garb that make mundanes think you are Mormon?  My husband was telling our neighbors about me going to Fest and one of them says, "Oh that explains it.  I saw you in some goofy, long dress thing and was wondering if you were Mormon or something."  WTH?  I was wearing my yellow noble gown (as seen in my avitar) and how is that "Mormon?"  But I hear that a lot, "They're Mormon or something."  That or Amish.  Really, people?  Really?

[Drudonn]

I have to ask, what the heck is it about Ren garb that make mundanes think you are Mormon?  My husband was telling our neighbors about me going to Fest and one of them says, "Oh that explains it.  I saw you in some goofy, long dress thing and was wondering if you were Mormon or something."  WTH?  I was wearing my yellow noble gown (as seen in my avitar) and how is that "Mormon?"  But I hear that a lot, "They're Mormon or something."  That or Amish.  Really, people?  Really?

Oh, you know, the Mormons in their corseted prairie gowns on the Oregon Trail, lead by Richard the Lionheart and Queen Elizabeth I. Makes total sense 

[LadyFae]

I have to ask, what the heck is it about Ren garb that make mundanes think you are Mormon?  My husband was telling our neighbors about me going to Fest and one of them says, "Oh that explains it.  I saw you in some goofy, long dress thing and was wondering if you were Mormon or something."  WTH?  I was wearing my yellow noble gown (as seen in my avitar) and how is that "Mormon?"  But I hear that a lot, "They're Mormon or something."  That or Amish.  Really, people?  Really?

Oh, you know, the Mormons in their corseted prairie gowns on the Oregon Trail, lead by Richard the Lionheart and Queen Elizabeth I. Makes total sense 

Oh yeah!  Duh, silly me!  Gee, I should really brush up on my history, huh?  LOL!

[Amyj]

I figure this might count as freaking the 'Danes....My high school mascot was the Pirate...so for the happy hour the night before our reunion, I wore full Pyrate garb...in my HS colors (and my sweetie in his - He was the Buccaneers)!!!  Honestly, I think only about half of my classmates were freaked out...guess I haven't changed TOO much since high school! 

[Rowan MacD]

I have to ask, what the heck is it about Ren garb that make mundanes think you are Mormon?  My husband was telling our neighbors about me going to Fest and one of them says, "Oh that explains it.  I saw you in some goofy, long dress thing and was wondering if you were Mormon or something."  WTH?  I was wearing my yellow noble gown (as seen in my avitar) and how is that "Mormon?"  But I hear that a lot, "They're Mormon or something."  That or Amish.  Really, people?  Really?

Oh, you know, the Mormons in their corseted prairie gowns on the Oregon Trail, lead by Richard the Lionheart and Queen Elizabeth I. Makes total sense 

I sprayed coffee on my screen, thanks bunches.  LMAO


   

[Nighthawk]

OK. so this last summer, my living history group, the Renaissance Scots, were in Billings, Montana for the Yellowstone Highland Games. We stayed in some hotel or other, and went down for the breakfast buffet before Saturday's festivities. This happened to be the same weekend as the anniversary of Custer's Last Stand, and there was a reenactment going on at the Little Big Horn battle field that day. I walked in and some guy asked me "Are you guys with the Custer reenactment?" I of course said "Yes we are! It's a little known fact that Custer hired a contingent of Scottish Highlanders as his bodyguards. Do you have any idea how many Indians were crushed with cabers during that battle?" He looked and me and said "Really?" Our clan chief, who has a dry wit, walked right up behind me and said "No. He's bullsh**ing you." And walked away. Curtis didn't even know what the conversation was all about... He just wanted to ruin my fun.

I have to ask, what the heck is it about Ren garb that make mundanes think you are Mormon?  My husband was telling our neighbors about me going to Fest and one of them says, "Oh that explains it.  I saw you in some goofy, long dress thing and was wondering if you were Mormon or something."  WTH?  I was wearing my yellow noble gown (as seen in my avitar) and how is that "Mormon?"  But I hear that a lot, "They're Mormon or something."  That or Amish.  Really, people?  Really?

I was out in kilt and an Iron Maiden t shirt a couple days ago and some guy asked me if I was Swedish.  And then some other guy asked me if I was going to a Halloween party. I said "No. Why?" He said "Well, you're wearing a costume!" A $600 kilt... If he saw a Middle Easter man wearing a turban, would he interpret that as a Halloween costume? I actually said to him that I don't regard my cultural garb as costume, and he got all red in the face and apologized. I don't get the thought process of most people, either. What part of my clothing in that instance said costume? I was wearing black work boots and an Iron Maiden tour shirt with my kilt!

[Nighthawk]

It's not exactly faire related, but I definately startled a mundane this morning...

Last night I henna'd my hand.  At Starbucks this morning, when I was checking out I reached for my change w/the henna'd hand, palm up.  The guy at the register jumped and yelled "hello!" when he noticed the henna.  No further comments or questions from him, though, just a slightly quizical look.  Definately the strangest reaction to henna I've seen.  I honestly have no idea what was going through his mind. *shrug*

I'll tell you what- henna tattoos are sexy.