Shopping @ MDRF

[Lady Kett]

We're coming in for Rendezvous and I'd like to make a beeline for some immediately-needed-shopping. Any recommendations for the following items? Even a quick "enter and turn left" set of directions would help me from wandering aimlessly after the morning tailgate!

Pouches (absolute #1 immediate need!)
Womens clothing for a short chemise/shirt and pants suitable for pirating
Hats hats and hats!

Thanks much for any and all opinions, and while I am geographically challenged, I can tell my right from my left the vast majority of the time!

18 days till we leave, WHEEEE!

[analise]

Pouches: Leather or canvas? Though my first thought is the Holy Cow, they have some amazing leather pouches there. They are, however, all the way down the hill at the back of the faire so if you wanted something immediately on your way in, you'd probably want to stop at The Sandscrafter (no website listed on the MDRF site for me to link to) who are several booths just past the gate on your right.

Women's clothing: Proooobably Bullseye (also no site for me to link to) who are behind the White Hart Tavern. I seem to recall stripey pants/skirts and they definitely have short chemises.

Hats: Well, there are leather ones at the Holy Cow but if you want selection, you'll want to visit the Tall Toad, also way down the hill at the back of faire (Mary Dale's Way, also called the Boardwalk).

[will paisley]

Pouches: Leather or canvas? Though my first thought is the Holy Cow, they have some amazing leather pouches there. They are, however, all the way down the hill at the back of the faire so if you wanted something immediately on your way in, you'd probably want to stop at The Sandscrafter (no website listed on the MDRF site for me to link to) who are several booths just past the gate on your right.

Note: Sandscrafter has some very serviceable pouches, and are the most inexpensive at faire, BUT the dye bleeds onto whatever you're wearing with the slightest bit of moisture.  It will wash out, but the straps on my black pouch I bought in 2002 are STILL staining my white shirt.

[Serenity]

Pouches: In addition to Holy Cow and Sandlar, there are Potomac Leather (just to the left of the White Hart Tavern) and Miles Tonne (on the right of O'Shuck's).

Chemises: Where to begin?  Unicorn Clothing is probably closest to the entrance.  Again, near O'Shucks.  There is also Queen of Hearts II (left of the White Hart)

Pants: Wrap pants at Queen of Hearts II and Purple Unicorn. Unicorn clothing has pants too.

Hats: Tall Toad!!  Unless you want leather, then Holy Cow.

Check out the website www.rennfest.com and it tells you where all these shops are located and there is a map. 

[Master James]

Note: Sandscrafter has some very serviceable pouches, and are the most inexpensive at faire, BUT the dye bleeds onto whatever you're wearing with the slightest bit of moisture.  It will wash out, but the straps on my black pouch I bought in 2002 are STILL staining my white shirt.

Will not sure when you purchases your pouches from Sandcaster but my wife and I have purchased a number of pouches from them over the last 2 years and have never had an issue with bleeding in the rain.  I have both the belt pouches and the belt haning pouches and neither of them have given me any problems when wet.

[Lady Kett]

Thank you thank you!

Distance from gate is not really the issue, and I'm more than happy to have a list of several places to check out, I just will absolutely need some pouches of some sort right off as I only have one smallish one to tide me over to get into the Faire and know I need more (or at least more room!). Just need pointed in the right direction to efficiently get that taken care of pronto!

I'm also bringing some not-quite-full garb sets so will need to buy a few pieces to be garbed all weekend. So multiple places to check are great, and any other comments on offerings, quality or price etc are appreciated. Otherwise at least Monday will be mundanes. Sniff.

And dangit, I just want a cool hat or 5. I will probably receive a flogging somewhere for this, but I just do not like my home faire's hat vendors and am twitching for new options.

And please, more thoughts and opinions would be most welcome!

[analise]

I absolutely love the hats at Holy Cow (though I don't own one, they're kinda spendy! being leather...) if you're looking for the piratical/rogueish/cavalier look, go with them.

Otherwise, go Tall Toad. I have two of their hats (a 'muffin hat' style, with a feather pin to make it more snazzy and one of their cavalier hats that Scotsman will agree is pretty awesome. )

I also consistently go drool over the pouches at Holy Cow, though I haven't bought any of them yet. I have a few pouches I'd already had before I ever started going to faire (they're technically Star Wars-ian but shhhh!) and a small leather purse with a beaded flap that hangs off my belt that has pretty much become my 'go to' pouch as it can hold my camera, keys, cash, cards, and lip gloss.

And if you're looking for basic chemises/pants, I'd say go Bullseye or Unicorn Clothing. Oh! And check out Ages Gone (the drinking/blowing horn booth, right next to the bridge to nowhere (I don't remember its proper name) and the Museum of Unnatural History. I don't think a lot of people realize they have some garb in there and it's pretty good stuff. Uh, and I may be biased because I have friends who work there and tend to spend a lot of time hanging out in said booth.

Oh, and make SURE you go by Lloyd Studios (bone, antler, ivory carver near the Dragon Inn, right around the corner from the joust field). Even if you don't buy anything because, well he has stuff like this.

[Joyce "Delfinia DuSwallow" Howard]

Lady Kett, I def. think Tall Toad is worth looking at,I have several of their hats and they are very nice.Also check out
http://www.dragonwings.net/  I just love their hats also. Good Luck!

[analise]

I always just think of Dragonwings as the feather and hairstick place, LOL.

[LadyRavenwolves]

As a family of 6 Rennies - we pretty much only have Sanscrafter Pouches.  I haven't had an issue with the color.  But I usually wear brown.  I still use my first two wolf pouches as my main garb and have gotten a lot of compliments on them.  They still look terrific.  Also as I joke with the guys at the Sanscrafter booth - Holy Cow has "holy cow prices" as in not so cheap. 

Tall Toad hats survive the rain - you wouldn't think so with the fabric and feathers but we have two that we bought the second year and they went through a downpour - and survived beautifully.  They were a Cavalier and one of the smaller fedora style. 

[Lady Neysa]

I agree that Bullseye is a great place to go for lots of short chemises and skirts. Don't know about the pirate pants though.  Bullseye is easily recognizable-they always have lots of gorgeous wenchy outfits on display hanging outside their shop.

[will paisley]

Note: Sandscrafter has some very serviceable pouches, and are the most inexpensive at faire, BUT the dye bleeds onto whatever you're wearing with the slightest bit of moisture.  It will wash out, but the straps on my black pouch I bought in 2002 are STILL staining my white shirt.

Will not sure when you purchases your pouches from Sandcaster but my wife and I have purchased a number of pouches from them over the last 2 years and have never had an issue with bleeding in the rain.  I have both the belt pouches and the belt haning pouches and neither of them have given me any problems when wet.

Mine was purchased in 2002.  It was a black, suede, over-the-shoulder pouch with long drawstrings.  When I told the guy about it, he said it was vegetable dye and "it does that".  Though I haven't noticed much trouble with the pouch itself (but then again, it rarely gets wet and my pants are also black), the drawstrings/shoulder straps leave a long black stripe on my white shirt every time I wear it. 

[Tixi]

There's going to be a new vendor at MDRF that sells little bags/pouches - They have an Etsy store and their bags are *darling* - I'm so excited they will be here in MD!!

http://www.somethingelsestudio.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5872781