I hope this is the right forum for this thread, if not let me apologize in advance.
Try not to laugh too hard at me. A giggle is fine, but a full belly guffaw might hurt my feelings. :P
I'm a newbie in the world of RF and taking on a character persona and such. I've loved the "idea" of Faires for years, and love the costumes very much! But my actual knowledge of the "do's and don't's" is very limited.
I guess the only way to learn to to jump right in and ask questions, even if it manages to embarrass myself. ::) I'll try to ask these in a way that won't get anyone hating on me, but if I use any insulting words (actors, costume, etc) please correct me!
First of all, I do plan on hitting as many Faires as I can this year, starting with the one in Wentzville MO/StLouis. I'll be going plain clothes for a while, most definitely, until I get a feel for the Faire and the people therein.. but I was curious if there is an unwritten rule against people showing up in garb, even if not a paid actor or crew member? I'd be terrified of stepping on someones toes or being a big outcast that doesnt fit in anywhere, so is this allowed/never-allowed or would each Faire have to be asked if they allow garbed visitors?
Second, I notice some of you have multiple pesonas; such as fairy, peasant, nobility, etc. I'm unsusre if those people are faire crew and are asked to portray certain roles or if one just "chooses" what they feel comfortable with? Like I myself have main interest in elves, and I'd love to portray an elven archer. But I also have high interest in gypsy, tinker and barmaid/wench positions. Would it be proper for me to personify multiple stations, or would I only choose one and stick with it?
How does one get the privledge of portraying nobility? I would never fit into the role, I am sure, but the costumes are absolutely breath taking to my eyes. I love them. Absolutely gorgeous! Can one just "decide" to be a Lady of noble blood and show up in the garb for it, or are these positions only for crew of the Faires?
Ok, I think I will stop at 3 silly questions for now. I have many, but I'll save them for another day to embarrass myself with my ignorance. :D
Again, if I used any words that are offensive in ANY way, PLEASE CORRECT ME! I'm fascinated by this hobby/passion and want to learn as much as I can.
In answer to all three questions....if you aren't on cast, there are no rules. You can wear what you enjoy ("danes"/civilian clothes, noble, gypsy, whatever), take on whatever persona you'd like (I've seen patrons show up and claim to be a king/quen, even a couple that claimed to be Queen Elizabeth or King Henry when we are an Elizabethan faire with our own queen - I don't recommend going THAT far), and you can talk however you'd like. If you decide to join their cast, you will likely be given a character but that varies from faire to faire.
As a patron - someone paying to enjoy your day - you can do whatever you'd like without rules. From the side of an actor - just be respectful to the cast and they will play with you. You'll probably meet some friends and form a group once you start attending. Faire people are mostly good folks. If you head down the forums page to the regional forums for each faire, I'm sure you'll find lots of people from the faire you want to attend who will be willing to show you around and help you learn the ropes if you just ask.
Enjoy yourself!
One thing I would like to add is that if you wear garb, then people dressed in "mundanes" (regular clothes) usually think you are part of the cast, so you will probably get asked lots of questions, like "Where are the privvies," "What time does the joust start," "How do you get to this shop," and things of that nature. So you need to be prepared to help them if you can, or politely tell them you don't work for the faire but are just there enjoying the day.
Ok, I guess there are more things to add. As mentioned above, you can wear whatever you want. When we first were going to faire, my girlfriend offered to make garb for her and me. When I decided I wanted to be a wench, with a bodice & skirt, her response was, "Not me. This is my fantasy. Who wants to be a servant. I'm going to be nobility." And she was! So you can be whatever you want, whenever you want, and you can be different from day to day when you go to faire. It might just look a little weird if you took elf ears and wore with a noblewoman's gown! lol
Also, we've found at the very beginning, we were so excited about faire and we wanted to dress up so much, that we just bought whatever we thought would work. I suggest you take your time about buying garb. Almost nobody ends up loving that first garb as much as they thought they did when they got it.
I don't mean to sound snobby. I'm not talking about historically accurate, heaven's, we are not historically accurate in the least and don't care to be, but spending a lot of money on something that looks nice but when you wear it, it doesn't breathe and you're just about passing out from the heat, or gets ruined if you get a stain on it, or the material shreds, can add up the $$$$ and become an expensive mistake.
Go slow, look around a lot and see what you like, and what you don't like. Go through these threads and look at what people wear. And ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable. I am willing to bet that nobody on this forum will treat you with anything but respect and dignity. After all, we all started once, and it's wonderful to have another Ren faire addict in out midst! ;D
Welcome to the Forums and welcome to the Ren Fest addiction! =D I think (hope) that Renee and Colleen answered your questions! So my little extra to add in is that don't feel as though you need to stick to the same character every time to Fest. That is part of the fun of being a playtron. You can do pretty much whatever you want character wise. =) Example, I love to go as Noble but there are times (when I have all three of my children with me or when it is super dang hot) I go as a fairy. I have more fairy garb than I do Noble garb (though I'm trying to remedy that, especially now that my girls are all old enough to walk and not be carried the entire time!) I'm starting to think of pirate and wench garb to make as well because I LOVE to have options! Now, if you find a character that you love and you want to stick with that all of the time, that is great too, you can build up your garb wardrobe with variations for that character and her background. =)
QuoteWhen I decided I wanted to be a wench, with a bodice & skirt, her response was, "Not me. This is my fantasy. Who wants to be a servant. I'm going to be nobility." And she was!
I thought the same thing then I discovered that someone who likes to run about and get in the dirt and rough house is not meant for a giant hoop skirt at all! Currently working on wenchie garb. Its fun to get all fancy every once and a while but I find it to be a bit of a pain most times and have gone to admiring others instead. :D
I also recommend dressing for the weather! Noble's garb may be awesome, but when it's the height of August, a wench's outfit might save you from extreme misery! Also, make sure to tip at the shows you go to. As a playtron, I try to be polite and throw a dollar or two in each hat per show. Otherwise, just enjoy yourself!
You can portray whoever you wish as long as you are a paying patron. However, it would be considered good manners if you do not adopt a persona that is already on cast at your local faire. Usually a quick perusal of their website will tell you which characters are there.
Portraying a member of the nobility is not something to be jumped into lightly, any more than other personas. A full set of garb and accoutrements can set you back a pretty penny even if you portray a wench/peasant type. Go to a few faires....rent some garb if there is an outlet. This will give you an idead of what garb fits your conmfort level.
Most of all, relax and have fun!
Oo so many great replies, thank you very much everyone! And no one laughed at my newbie questions, so I was worried for nothing. :D
Also, the freedom to experiment with different personas is right up my alley! Now the question is, just "who do I want to be today?" lol
Great points about dressing for the weather... too bad females can't be Monks, as those cloaks keep pretty cool underneath.
And very good point about tipping the shows. Having never been as of yet, I wouldn't have thought to keep cash or coin on me. I'm a plastics kind of girl. So that is a very good tip I will definitely keep in mind!
Quote from: Exiled Archer on April 24, 2011, 05:03:02 PM
Great points about dressing for the weather... too bad females can't be Monks, as those cloaks keep pretty cool underneath.
No they don't... Nor do kilts. At least, not in the hot, dry weather of a Colorado summer.
As to the newbie questions... We all started at the same place.
Quote from: Exiled Archer on April 24, 2011, 05:03:02 PM
And very good point about tipping the shows. Having never been as of yet, I wouldn't have thought to keep cash or coin on me. I'm a plastics kind of girl. So that is a very good tip I will definitely keep in mind!
I would suggest bringing cash to Wentzville for food and drink too...most of the vendors take plastic, and there is at least one ATM on site, but it is persnickety at best and has a habit of either being out of service or out of cash (although that is getting better). I think most other faires are pretty cash-only for food and drink too.
When you come to Wentzville, look for R/F pins...there are several forum members there...er, here...er...at Wentville! :D
Most food vendors I know are cash only. Keep in mind not all the vendors besides the food may not take plastic. And a good chunk of vendors dont take checks either.
Wear comfy shoes!
And Rennies are some of the most easy going people I have ever met so dont worry about ruffling feathers
Quote from: Adriana Rose on April 24, 2011, 06:41:33 PM
Most food vendors I know are cash only. Keep in mind not all the vendors besides the food may not take plastic. And a good chunk of vendors dont take checks either.
Wear comfy shoes!
And Rennies are some of the most easy going people I have ever met so dont worry about ruffling feathers
Ladies, I didn't even think of the cash-only thing. That's a great suggestion. It saves on hassle, AND ATM fees! Another thing- those mugs that most people carry are as utilitarian as they are decorative. There are a lot of water fountains, at least at the Colorado festival. I spend all day walking around with a tankard full of water. I've never been to a Ren faire outside of Colorado so I can't speak for the others, but here it's really easy to get dehydrated.
Quote from: Becky10 on April 23, 2011, 11:17:43 PM
QuoteWhen I decided I wanted to be a wench, with a bodice & skirt, her response was, "Not me. This is my fantasy. Who wants to be a servant. I'm going to be nobility." And she was!
I thought the same thing then I discovered that someone who likes to run about and get in the dirt and rough house is not meant for a giant hoop skirt at all! Currently working on wenchie garb. Its fun to get all fancy every once and a while but I find it to be a bit of a pain most times and have gone to admiring others instead. :D
rofl i tried the hoop with a sword mind you. yeah not so great and idea i soon forgot the hoop and kept my sword. Have fun with it like others have said look before you start spending tons of money on garb. i've changed outfits through the years starting with a dress then shirt bodice and skirt no hats to hats and now onto a corset you can always change an modify your costume as you perfect a charatcer or change charatcers never be afraid to ask questions about things this forum is a great resourse
The other option is to go to Goodwill and spend about $5 on stuff that is close enough. That way you can wear garb and feel "in" but you really haven't put any money into garb so you can save it for when you choose good stuff! ;D
What she said!
Look around and see what rings your bell and then go bonkers.. Warning its like potato chips you just cant stop at one piece of costuming.
Great replies!!
Nighthawk, I've had good experiences with cloaks staying cool... but then again, perhaps it wasnt period cloth on mine? And it was a very dry climate; Las Vegas Nevada. Probably made the difference.
Food is another one of my interests with the Faires. I hear the food there is the absolute best. Making me hungry just thinking about it. I might search the forums and see if I can find some photos of ren faire grub, actually. I'm SO lining my pockets with cash. Eat, drink and be merry.
Most comfortable shoes I have happen to be moccasins. lol. I find the warmth of them keeps the muscles in my feet loosened up quite well, perfect for lots of walking.
THANK YOU ALL for the replies! The tips and info here have been invaluable to me!!
Welcome! This is a great place to start and feed your faire addiction. Folks here will help with anything you might need-sometimes more than you want! LOL
Key things for faire:
CASH-small bills: The gold dollar coins are fun but bills are much easier for performers to deal with. ATM fees are often around $5.00 because they can.
SHOES: Better to wear "non-period" comfortable shoes than something that looks right but gives you blisters. Don't skimp or sacrifice your footware!
WATER: I do love to imbibe in my favorite adult beverage at faire but follow the minimum of 1 water per 1 other drink. It's easy to forget or get caught up in the day. Hydrate!!
SUNSCREEN: Ditto above! It's easy to forget to do this. Chances are you are exposing parts of you that are usually covered so sunscreen is important. Nothing ruins a faire weekend like getting burnt.
Get involved with your local faires board on here. Attend meet-n-greets and introduce yourself. We're an easy going bunch and enjoy sharing this fun with new people. You won't click with everyone but chances are you'll find a few folks that put a skip in your step. Attending with friends magnifies the fun. ;D
"CASH-small bills: The gold dollar coins are fun but bills are much easier for performers to deal with. ATM fees are often around $5.00 because they can."
Yes!!! Thank you MG!!!
I can't tell you how aggravating it is to have someone pay for 6 beers using those stupid gold coins!! Are they fun? Sure they are, but we can't even deposit them with our regular cash and have to wait till the end of the run.. We try to "get rid" of them as best we can, but most dane's don't want them for change...
Welcome to the addiction Exiled Archer!! You will find that R/F is a great place, with a lot of very helpful people! ;D
I second the ick on the gold coins. I had someone pay for a $28 garland with the damn things yay for the money but boo for the fact that they are a pain in the bum!
Please use paper money!
We once had someone pay a gate fee in pennies because they were ticked at the price increase. sheesh.
One another note:
If you're going to be an archer, a leather covered water bottle is probably a good investment to keep from dehydrating in the ehat.
A couple of key things for St. Louis (Wentzville) when you come out...
1. Sounds like you live close enough that you are more than familiar with our lovely humidity, so plan for that with light clothing. Unless that is, we get one of our random cold snaps in May/June...bring a cloak just in case...it can stay in the car if it's warm. ???
2. The GSLRF grounds are hilly and slightly rocky, so unless you are used to that in moccasins, you will want shoes with hard soles.
3. It will rain. It's inevitable...or tradition, depending on how you look at it. More than likely on Memorial Day weekend. When that happens, the grounds can get a bit muddy. Not horrible, but something to plan on.
4. If the same vendor is back this year...Check out the Jugged Fish for their Fish-n-chips and Shepherd's Pie...Nom, nom, nom!!! :)
5. Check for ticks at the end of the day...We have a wooded site and the little buggers show up sometimes.
Hopefully we will get a chance to meet! I'm always happy to help enable a new ren-addict! ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: Amyj on April 26, 2011, 06:10:42 PM
A couple of key things for St. Louis (Wentzville) when you come out...
It will rain. It's inevitable...or tradition, depending on how you look at it. More than likely on Memorial Day weekend. When that happens, the grounds can get a bit muddy. Not horrible, but something to plan on.
That reminds me. If it has been raining hard and the paths have been thoughtfully patched with cedar wood chips, keep in mind that those things
float.