Need help moving forward with my barbarian garb

[TKM]

Hey everyone... I had been meaning to get a good barbarian outfit together for the longest time, and recently when I ran into some spare material, I got started right away. I made a few basic pieces, but I don't know where to go from here. I already know what I want to do as far as gloves, but in the way of leggings, boots, and anything else I could be missing without realizing it, I want some help from other people experienced with the fantasy barbarian dress. Is there anything I need to do or should make sure not to do? Any flaws with the plans I already have? And what resources can I turn to in accomplishing this?

of course, just ignore everything black I'm wearing... it's just the fur that's part of the outfit



and this roughly outlines the only other plans I have right now. Would it be too awkward to be bare-chested under the baldric straps, or is that typically all good in the name of barbarism?

[shadowcat546]

uh, not to be a bummer, but a metal ring on bare skin gets hot when sun shines on it, and freezing cold when it's windy/cold, or cold.

watch barbarian movies.  Beast Master, Conan the Barbarian movies, including Red Sonja, and the Conan cartoon (1997), Caveman (Ringo, the beatle) Tarzan movies (Johnny Weismuller),  Barbarians 1987 (twins Peter and David Paul, Richard Lynch), The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982, Lee Horsely)
Kull the Conquerer,  barbarian queen, The Rock--was in that scorpian king movie...
?gladiator movies, ? viking movies.  THe IMDb is your friend.  (Internet movie database

good luck.  ==Shannon

[Auryn]

Shadowcat gave some great suggestions, to that I would add 13 th warrior.
I am assuming by the inclusion of fur that you plan to be a barbarian from a cold climate- if that is the case bare chested is definitely a no go. Following that line you would need some furry boots. As far as weapons: ax, broadswords and large hammer.
Some kind of helm, metal or leather.

I think we can give you better suggestions if you tell us more about the character.

[TKM]

yeah, i was kinda thinking about this while watching Gladiator last night, in the opening scene against the Germanic barbarians.

I will probably just go with appropriate brown leather or cloth pants and shirt under that fur. I wanted to have a more feral, wild barbarian look. But you're right, I'm developing the character at the same time I'm plotting the garb, and he will certainly be from a colder climate, like Germanic/Scandinavian area etc.

I was expecting leather boots or moccasins, but seeing as I'm using that fur to line my gloves, i'll probably use it on the boots too. I hadn't thought of a helm, I was going to go without, but now a leather helm seems a little appealing.. and yeah the weapon was no issue. I was going to go two-handed bastard style with this character.

since i'm going with a shirt, i don't know if the rings will look the same... i might just go with a normal one-shoulder sling-like baldric for my weapon. The one thing I've been trying to solve though is, that fur shoulder piece is just lying on my shoulders at the moment. In that illustration, I depicted some leather straps across the front to hold it in place, but I don't know how secure it would stay when I'm fighting. Any ideas for that?

Also, any other suggestions, of course. This has been very helpful so far, thanks everyone. And when I get around to writing a whole profile for the character, I'll share it.

[Auryn]

Well the shoulder fur will definitely have to be strapped on. You could do an across the neck strap or one strap under each armpit - kinda like backpack straps.

You could still do the rings even with the shirt underneath.
Stay away from anything black, They don't have much that could be used for black dye in the colder climates.

[TKM]

i wasn't planning on any black, but seeing as how i'm really just going totally fantasy on this, it doesn't matter much. but yeah i'll look into my plans and see if those shoulder straps would work.

[gypsylakat]

eric from trueblood? My favorite northern man!
http://www.alexskarsgard.net/wordpress/wp-content/upLoads/2009/08/viking11.png

[TKM]

nah, not going with the chainmail thing

[TKM]

ok, here's something I was thinking... get boots like these


(from medievalmoccaasins.com)

and make a sort of shin guard with my white fur to wear under the boots, so it will be visible under the laces. how would that look?

[ArielCallista]

I HIGHLY suggest those boots. They aren't cheap, but no good faire boots are. Medieval moccasins are sooooo comfy and due to the way they are constructed they have a completely customizable fit! I think it would be awesome to have fur underneath them so its shows through the lacing. I have 3 pair of shoes from them and wear them all the time!

[TKM]

yeah... i just did a cheap little mockup of fur under those boots (it's very half-assed, nothing worth posting for everyone) and it looks pretty much exactly how I had imagined in the beginning. I was considering maybe getting MM's high-top mocassins instead, since they're considerably cheaper, but i think the tall boots work a lot better for my purpose... so i don't know yet.

[ArielCallista]

they have long laces available. you could get the regular ones with long laces and extend the fur up with just laces wrapped around it up to a boot height. If that makes sense. If they don't have long laces with them (it says they have them on the site but i dunno how that works) you can buy leather lacing at most craft stores.

[TKM]

yeah, i know they have knee-high laces which is what i would get, i was just saying that the tall boots still work better. but yeah, i suppose it doesn't work an extra $150 better, so i'm probably going with the high-top shoes

[ArielCallista]

I totally understand the financial thing. Every year I try to convince myself to get them, but I either actually don't have the money or manage to talk myself out of it...

[TKM]

haha... i know all about the finances when it comes to garb and stuff. When I had the money to spend on my first garb (the garb you see in my pic) i was actually about to spend a good chunk of it on a sword i just loved to death instead... but i decided i needed a better garb first =p