Another thread about purchasing garb from a shop made me want to pose this question.
Does it bother you to see someone else at faire that has the same garb as you? I purchased some last year and have seen it show up at a couple of faires. Kind of bugged me a bit, so I am now having some custom garb made.
What say 'ye?
A whole bunch of people wear the same shirt I do, a bunch of people wear the same bodice. However they didn't make many of my tights. Some people are simular to mine but never quite the same. If someone copied my DH's I'd be a bit miffed as his is custom work done by me.
If you buy something at a shop that is made in large quality of multiples, don't be surprised to see other's in it. However they can never wear it quite the way you yourself do.
just my 2 pence
One piece shouldn't be an issue. You most likely put it together differently then every one else. I actually make everything I wear but the hubby does have a shirt that many others have as well. but that is the only thing he has that I did not make for him.
There are always easy ways you can customize your garb as well. Think of adding trims or replacing the laces to mention a few.
how does it go: " The shirt does not make the man, the man makes the shirt"
My favorite bodice is a Pendragon ... and I have seen other people wear it, but it doesn't faze me. I made my own captain's coat, but I borrowed ideas from others I had seen. I also made Italian noble garb, since you rarely see an Italian court (which actually means most don't realize the garb for what it is. My next big project will be English court garb. But the main reason I work on major garb for myself is cost, not because I want to be a singularity.
I think that while the main garb pieces can be one of many or custom, it's personal choice. I really believe that it's the person, and all the personal bits they add that makes an outfit truly unique.
I'd be a pretty arrogant monk if I expected my habit to look like everyone else's. :)
Hopefully once I decide on what I want for noble garb, I'll have something custom-made by one of the brilliant artisans here.
Generally, it doesn't bother me to see someone wearing the same pieces I am.
Most people wouldn't be caught dead in what I wear.
My first real garb was mass produced, I hated that I kept seeing people with the same thing as me or very close to it. I only wore it for one season then bought a sewing machine.
I have seen people wear the same pattern I'm wearing, or using the same cloth. But that's not surprising since I tend to use Simplicity patterns and buy fabric from Fabricland, which is the local fabric chain store.
I've never seen someone wearing the exact same thing as me, though, because I always try and put something unique into the costume, like an interesting stomacher, changing the cuffs, or accessories that I drafted myself.
I made everything I wear besides my short cape and farthingale. I get so many compliments, and I love my fabrics (I've never seen anyone with similar fabrics) that I can't imagine wearing anything mass-produced. And since that was the first garb I have ever made, I would say there's no going back.
That said, when I see other people's garb, it definitely inspires new ideas in me.
I have seen variations of my garb at faires. However, last year I decided to trim out my gown - so no one will have the exact same gown that I do ;D. The color choice of my gown is also not one most people order. I have a hunter green gown with black and gold brocade. Most people order the gown in either black or purple with the brocade. I also think I started a trend by buying the dress. I can't help that people want to look like me LOL. :D
Since I am...well goddess sized, most of my garb is custom made. However, last summer I went to Joann's Fabric to get cloth some new key garb pieces for Pennsic. I found a great deal on a purple linen and bought 10 yards. I think that Joann's must have ordered a surplus of that fabric because I saw about 50 other people at war wearing garb made of the same fabric, even one of my closest friends! lol I enjoyed seeing the different ways that people used the fabric. Personally I wear a pair of slops and a viking apron. Easy to wear on a hot day but looks awsome.
It drives me nuts in the real world when other people have the same stuff I do. Its one thing to have like the same chemise...but if its like the same set of stuff (bodice and skirts from moresca for example) I can't stand it. I make most of my own stuff anyway...No one else (as far as I have ever seen) has ANY of my garb! except my shoes, but thats ok...
Quote from: dragongirl on March 12, 2010, 02:56:45 AM
Since I am...well goddess sized, most of my garb is custom made. However, last summer I went to Joann's Fabric to get cloth some new key garb pieces for Pennsic. I found a great deal on a purple linen and bought 10 yards. I think that Joann's must have ordered a surplus of that fabric because I saw about 50 other people at war wearing garb made of the same fabric, even one of my closest friends! lol I enjoyed seeing the different ways that people used the fabric. Personally I wear a pair of slops and a viking apron. Easy to wear on a hot day but looks awsome.
There were three of us in my Barony who made garb from that purple linen and accented it with the mustard gold linen- one Viking, one Russian, and one Italian. It became kind of a joke for us to wear them at the same event.
I saw a couple people wearing the same coat as me at TRF last year, but their aren't too many around and I take solace in knowing that I got the 1st or 2nd one of its kind. Also, like someone else said, it's as much about how you wear it and what you wear with it as it about individual pieces. My coat is a majority of my costume and as it is a full length coat it is what most people see so I definitely notice when other people have them. I guess I think of other people who have similar costumes more as my highwaymen brethren and try to talk to them about how they like the coat and how it fits into their character.
As can be seen in my pic, I have a Pendragon doublet. I like it a lot and when I see others wearing Pendragon I congratulate them on good taste. I have multiple tights and britches to wear with it as well as a couple of other doublets and a kilt so I never get concerned if someone else is wearing something similar that day. I know I'll have something else on tomorrow or next weekend.
Yes and no. I have enough pieces that are OOAK that I know no one will ever have the exact same garb, but close is almost irksome at times. I do have a friend who wears similar colors (and I love her to death!), and thankfully she was kind enough to start throwing other colors in as well. She started adding pink to her blues, and I've started adding purple lol!
Although I know no one will have the same FABULOUS frock coat I have! It came from a theater in London (and a steal for me on ebay. ;D )
(http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2627/105/91/506768922/n506768922_2304821_6472729.jpg)
Nope don't bother me one little bit. OH Maybe that's because I don't have a single thing anyone else has or close to it. But then again I wear nothng but custom made garb. It may cost me a little more money, but in the long run, it's original, it fits me better than anything I can buy off the net, and it will last far longer.
Yea, Faye, my husband loves the cobalt blue and black, but at least he will never have the same type of garb being male and all...
I have to have all of my bodices custom made because of my back (scoliosis). It's kind of fun to see people at OHRF and KYRF (and soon TXRF) wearing the same style bodice but with different fabrics or trimmed differently.
Recently, one friend bought a bodice from my preferred seamstress in a fabric that I had been eyeing for awhile, I told her and we decided that when I do get it, we will just say that we fought over it and she got the most of it (I am going to have a cropped bodice made of it later on)
When I started, the garb that I had was bought from a company that had actual stores up here in Canada, and were based out of Montreal. The website was done in French, too, so the language and the geographic barriers made the vests and pants I bought fairly unique to the Faires I visited South of our Border. Now, that company has gone out of business so I can rest assured that those items I will most likely never see on anyone else at Faire.
I like being unique, so when I bought my leather armor, I bought from an armorer in Georgia the I really liked, but had never seen before. Then that company stopped making armor for public consumption for a while as they were contacted by a couple movie studios to make armor for several movies. I saw a brest plate similar to mine at a Faire once and immediatly stiffened, but the person wearing it did not have the pauldrons, bracers, legs or spaulders, so I felt better. It was the closest I can get to relating to my wife's fear that someone at a formal event may be wearing the sasme dress as her.
I used to wear a chain maille hauberk under my armor, but saw that others were as well and had to do something different, so I had the scale maille made, which I hae not seen before and thankfully have not yet seen. I know that eventually I will, and then I will have to figure out something else to go to.
I guess the shorter answer would be that I fear seeing someone wearing what I am. When not in the armor, I will bring two sets of garb to the Faire - my first choice, and then a backup should someone be wearing something too close for comfort.
Enjoying Faire, but not really a playtron, I don't dress H/A or anywhere near it. I wear a simple gown (purchased from a CA vendor and I'm in TX) so I haven't seen any like. I do make my own headdresses and have been stopped more than once with inquires as to where I purchased them.
We did have an instance with Granddaughter aged 4 at the time. She wore a ren-style Halloween gown purchased at Wal-Mart. At TRF early morning we passed another girl, maybe 8 or 9, wearing the same dress. Those two little girls did the glare, slow head turn, burning holes in the other person eye contact stare! Funniest thing I've seen in years.
On a side note (not Faire), when my Son (her Dad) married, it was a casual dress, at the Bride's home wedding, no coordination on colors, etc. Before the wedding I went upstairs to find the Bride to give her a gift of pearls. Her mother opened the door with the Bride, her maid(s), etc. behind her. We looked one another up and down – we were wearing the same dress, me (goddess sized) in turquoise, she (runway model slender) in dusty rose, both purchased at Montgomery Ward. We had both removed the tacky pinned on ribbon decoration. The girls were shocked when we started laughing and discussing who got the better deal. We locked arms and descended the beautiful white staircase to join the other guests who all really thought we had coordinated our outfits.
Not me, not faire, but another wedding...
My younger sis was getting married one February. Big Sis scored a bargain in winter wedding finary at a charity shop round the back of Harrods somewhere... Some poor love had bought her winter wardrobe and then dropped dead, and my sister got the lot for a song, and the cancer charity shop made money! To the wedding she wore an ankle length sunray pleated black skirt and a large black and white dogtooth checked jacket, both from Jaeger. In church this lot was hidden by her mink coat.
My cousins wife (whom we had never met until then) slid out of her mock mink coat (just as she caught sight of Big Sis), and Lo! SHE was in the Top Shop (high street budget chain!) version of the same jacket and a black skirt.
Big Sis turns round to see cousin's wife looking thoroughly chagrined at being completely outclassed as Big Sis sheds the mink to reveal Jaeger! 'Oh!', says Big Sis, an amused glint in her eye, 'Don't we have wonderful taste!' It was such (evil!) fun to see the jealous cousin's wife have to swallow her green-eyed monster and respond graciously.
That marriage didn't last long... Little Sis's is still as strong as mine. But then I made the wedding dress... ;D
It doesn't worry me if someone wears the same thing I have one. It doesn't happen often as I tend not to buy many high street clothes, and make a good few of my 'better' things such as posh frocks and coats.
You reminded me of my friends wedding where me and one of the other guests were wearing the same top, sitting at tables right next to each other (200+ people at the wedding). We just laughed about it.
I think the only time I would get upset if someone wore the same thing as me would be if they were intentionally trying to copy me.
I make my own, and that of my family. I don't think it would bother me to see someone else dressed like one of us!
I'd love to see another thrum cap.
I've never even thought about someone dressing like me. But then, I make all of my own garb! ;)
If another man is wearing the same garb as my rogue....the guy better have the cahones to back it up. ;D
Seriously, If anyone is wears the same color scheme as my DH he loves to play off them. We made friends with a perform at Scarby that way. To be honest outside of one performer I don't think I have ever seen anyone with the same theme as me, and hers was more Elizabethan than pirate wench.
Quote from: Merlin on March 11, 2010, 03:47:47 PM
Most people wouldn't be caught dead in what I wear.
You are too funny Merlin. I love your style. :-*
With my garb I find it HIGHLY inlikely to find ANYTHING similar. I have, thus far, never found someone with the same color combinations as I. SO i have never had this problem...though i would be more than perturbed to find a copy somewhere in this world...
;D ;D ;D
You are unique: one of your many charms!
I pride myself on finding as many amazing pieces in pink and putting them together to make one rockin' pink outfit. I've noticed more and more people wearing pink and, while I've never seen anyone in the same pieces I have, it irritates me when they don't know how to put it together (hot pink + mauve = GROSS) or are wearing some version of lingerie OUTSIDE of their garb. My friends know to steer me away from these pink disasters and to a looking glass to ogle my own garb that I'm so proud of. :)
I just read all the posts and find it interesting that, for the most part, the men don't mind, but the ladies don't like it.
I have never seen anybody wearing the exact same garb as me, just pieces. I have 3 Pendragon bodices, because they are at Bristol and I love their bodices, and I used to have an Odd Bodkin, so of course, others also had them. But I wore different skirts, different hats, boots/shoes, so nobody looked like my Bobsey twin, but I do prefer to not look identical to anyone else.
Quote from: Kate on March 31, 2010, 05:21:30 AM
I pride myself on finding as many amazing pieces in pink and putting them together to make one rockin' pink outfit. I've noticed more and more people wearing pink and, while I've never seen anyone in the same pieces I have, it irritates me when they don't know how to put it together (hot pink + mauve = GROSS) or are wearing some version of lingerie OUTSIDE of their garb. My friends know to steer me away from these pink disasters and to a looking glass to ogle my own garb that I'm so proud of. :)
Kate, you haven't meat the pink pirate Jean Flamingo. He has a whole monocromatic Pink outfit, and the one for this year is even more over the top.
I have to say it would irk me if I saw some one in the same garb as me but the way I see it they have as good of taste as I do. :D
Quote from: LadyStitch on March 31, 2010, 09:20:47 AM
Quote from: Kate on March 31, 2010, 05:21:30 AM
I pride myself on finding as many amazing pieces in pink and putting them together to make one rockin' pink outfit. I've noticed more and more people wearing pink and, while I've never seen anyone in the same pieces I have, it irritates me when they don't know how to put it together (hot pink + mauve = GROSS) or are wearing some version of lingerie OUTSIDE of their garb. My friends know to steer me away from these pink disasters and to a looking glass to ogle my own garb that I'm so proud of. :)
Kate, you haven't meat the pink pirate Jean Flamingo. He has a whole monocromatic Pink outfit, and the one for this year is even more over the top.
I have to say it would irk me if I saw some one in the same garb as me but the way I see it they have as good of taste as I do. :D
MUST SEE PICS!
Quote from: Kate on March 31, 2010, 09:51:29 AM
MUST SEE PICS!
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/shanntarra/100_7242.jpg)
Then on of him with his "Brother". (http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/shanntarra/100_9713.jpg)
Love it (except for the red.. I'm NOT a fan of red+pink.... to Valentine's-ey to me). What faires does he do? I'd loev to run into him sometime!
LOVE the cape!
We typically do Scarby and TRF. We are wanting to visit more but we shall see.
I still say that they need lawn flamingo canes lol.
Quote from: Adriana Rose on April 02, 2010, 11:40:44 AM
I still say that they need lawn flamingo canes lol.
That gives me quite an idea.... :)
Quote from: LadyStitch on March 31, 2010, 03:01:17 PM
We typically do Scarby and TRF. We are wanting to visit more but we shall see.
We will be at Scarby the 16th and 17th - will you be there then - I need to see this in 3D!! :)
Actually we are working with a wood carver to actually get good quality pink wood flamingo head canes made. ;D Belive it or not it has been difficult to find good canes.
We are planning on being there every weekend with our FOF passes. Trust me he isn't hard to miss. :)