Looking to help a family member who wants to dress up...

[Finnian]

(I hope this is the right board for this >>)

For a few years my stepfather has expressed interest in dressing up for faire, as he usually attends at least one day a year. I really pay no mind when he says stuff like that, since he has a habit of that whole "Ohhh I want one" sort of thing, and then never does anything with it. So finally this year, he has started drawing out ideas, and having me go online to help him look at things. Now, our faire starts is just about a week here, so I told him since he's trying to be cheap, to keep it fairly simple for now. Like a good shirt/tunic, pants, and shoes.

I want to help him make or pull something together since he really seems into the idea, but I've never really attended faire in HA type of clothing, I'm usually a fantasy sort of person. I figured if he got a generic peasant looking shirt, some pants and boots or shoes, that would be pretty easy on short notice, and he could always add on later. He seems to like the knight tunics and capes and armour of course, and I could see a tunic and cape on short notice, but not making armour. He thinks he might be able to make leather gauntlets or bracers or something along those lines though.

Do you guys and gals have any suggestions on things that may be good for a first-timer? I know a lot of garb that is sold is pretty pricey, but right now I think he's trying to keep cost down a bit. I just really never have worked with pulling together a "human" costume, let alone on short notice.

[LadyShadow]

I know at TRF you can get a peasant shirt and just plain type pants for cheap.  And they are good quality as well.  If someone is able to sew, Simplicity and McCalls have peasant shirts that are easy and quick to make.  And then just use a pajama pants pattern for the pants.

Best of luck though.

[Anna Iram]

I don't know if they can ship in a week, but here's a page full of tunics and such. If he wants to eventually go with the armor/maille thing, or an archer,  I'd say start with a tunic and a simple pair of breeches and boots. He can always modify from there.

http://www.by-the-sword.com/acatalog/Tunics.html

[Squire Mickey]

A kilt is a good way to look very period on the cheap (it is also cooler for us down here in FL). Try http://stores.channeladvisor.com/Stillwater-Kilts/SWK%20Thrifty-Kilts/ These are cheaper than pants...

For Shirts try http://www.medievalcollectibles.com/p-5443-medieval-shirt.aspx

An AWESOME looking Surcoat if he wants to go night for under $60 http://www.medievalcollectibles.com/p-946-lionheart-tunic.aspx

A more traditional peasant/viking tunic http://www.medievalcollectibles.com/p-867-viking-tunic.aspx

If he wants to go pants, heres a whole page of them http://www.medievalcollectibles.com/c-159-pants-breeches-and-hosen.aspx

Boots are tough. you can spend upwards of $500 on them. Best to go sandlles until you can decide what you want. A bad pair of boots can ruin your day at fair!

[will paisley]

VERY quick pants/breeches: go to Wal-Mart and look in the scrubs/nurses uniforms section (usually near women's pajamas).  Find some plain black pants with a drawstring. Cost is around $10-$12.

If he's really interested, I'd see about buying a hat at faire as soon as you walk in the gate. A hat turns clothing into garb quicker than any other single item.

[Finnian]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! I'll surf through all the links and show him so he can get some more ideas. I told him to talk to some of his friends who might have garb also, since they usually seem to lend some stuff out also, which would be good so he can find things he likes and probably buy some stuff at the faire.

[Dinobabe]

Lending is a great way to start.

A kilt is EASY to make and cheap.  Store bought sandals and a quick shirt (McCall's/Simplicity type pattern).  

Always start cheap and decide if it is actually something you want to do before spending the money.  Fun doesn't have to be HA.

Check this thread out.  The pictures have disappeared but I will try to post them later.
http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=6474.0

P.S. Make a muffin cap for a hat.  No pattern needed for that one!

[shadowcat546]

Hmmm...I have some thoughts, and some items.  Measurements, plz.  I can go lookiing in the boxes.  Most of my shirts are of natural fabrics, and most cost between $10.00- $15.00 apiece. (natural fabrics lay smoothly, keep cool in heat).  I have shirts, pants, some shoes, and a few hats.
--Shannon, southeast Michigan,  shadowcat5462002, yahoo email.
oops. uh, so as to not break the rules, I will shorten my link to my site. Webshots, the online photo album, seek: shadowcat546 (michigan)

[Sir Samuel]

I have found many items of fairly respectable prices on Ebay. You can look there and get some ideas as well.

[Finnian]

Well guys I have an update!

So before faire started he put together a white shirt, black pants, leather boots, and a walking stick. He had a temporary plain belt. He was going to look into hats, but never really did as far as I know. When we finally WENT to faire he didn't even bother to wear his outfit he put together, he went mundane, complaining it was "too cold" (this is south Florida we're in, daytime is RARELY cold). He ended up buying some daggers, and a Templar tunic. Of course he wore the tunic over his dress clothes...for some reason. lol I don't really know why he bothered to spend all the money on the first costume, only to buy a totally unrelated garb piece and never wear the first costume at all. Lol. Well, his money. He has yet to return to faire at all, and we have only two more weekends left. I will see what happens from here!

I showed him all the links and sites people shared, and surfed ebay and etsy, and he saw a TON of things he likes, but he seems to like almost EVERYTHING, and don't really seem to have a sense for things that go together at all, so this could be interesting. My mum's gunna kill him. XD