How does one hide a brace?

[Breandan]

Courtesy of the incompetence of a particular NCO, I wound up with severely damaged knees back in February. Well, I can walk again (after four months of the craptastic medical care in IAH at Knox... bastages), but I still require leg braces. While I am hoping the treatment I have been getting will allow me to ditch the damned things by the end of June, since I feel like some sort of freakish cyborg, the doctor has forewarned me that I will probably need them again if I stand for more than a few hours. Thankfully I no longer have to wear the hip-to-ankle leg immobilizers, but the current braces are from mid-thigh to mid-calf, and have bulky hinged bars on the sides that stick out about an inch on either side (yeah, I waddle, first one that laughs gets hit with a pie  )

So, this presents me with a problem- how do I wear the braces while working in the blacksmith shop, conceal them, but not layer up so much that overheating becomes a problem? I was thinking thin harem pants or the like, but I would be worried that the inevitable ejecta of flaming coal, slag, embers, apprentice-flung clinkers, etc. would turn them into smoldering confetti rather quickly. Thoughts?

[Celtic Lady]

Well since you mentioned working in the blacksmith area, what about some leather coverings? I'm not sure if it would be H/A but perhaps it could work. What do you think?

[act2redux]

I saw someone at our home fair that was using big strips of muslin to cover her shoes...must have needed to wear like tennis shoes - she looked like she had just wrapped her feet -sort of that "begger" thing happening!

[limey_tech]

When I had to wear a knee brace this year after developing burcitis, I loosened the top part of the leather boots and wore then completely flipped up.  I could check with Thorvik, the blacksmith at the St. Louis Faire and see what he suggests if you want me to.

[Adriana Rose]

I wear a knee brace alot at fair and I cover it up with a silk scarf if it shows but I have the adavantage of wearing a long skirt..

Maybe you could put your braces under your pants? Ya know get a pair of cheap pajama pants and cut them up and wear the chopped pant legs under the brace, so you dont chafe the peas out of your legs, and you can still wear your fair pants..

Hope your legs feel better soon!

[gem]

I was thinking thin harem pants or the like, but I would be worried that the inevitable ejecta of flaming coal, slag, embers, apprentice-flung clinkers, etc. would turn them into smoldering confetti rather quickly. Thoughts?

Well, wool and leather would be options, since both should withstand sparks.  Leather might be too hot; you can find lightweight wools but I'm not sure if wool's fireproof-ness is affected by its weight.

[Kate XXXXXX]

It is, but so long as it's tightly woven, a lighter one would still work in that it might smoulder rather than go up in flames!

Personally I'd go for what's safe and comfortable on the legs and ignore the braces showing.  You have sound medical reasons for wearing them, so the fair cannot complain.  The only folk who are likely to comment are the sympathetic, kids (along the lines of Coo!  What happened?), and the incredibly rude, who you can safely ignore.

[RenRobin]

I do not think anyone would laugh at you.  I thank you for your service to our country.

I know there is a spray that you can purchase that makes fabric fire retardant, but can not for the life of me remember where we purchased it.  I was a co-chair for a gala here in Austin and we hung a cloth back drop, which were near flood lights.  During the fire marshal's inspection he said we had to spray the fabric, in order for it to pass instection.  He even went as far as to test the stuff by holding a flame up to it.  I bet you could call your local fire marshall and find out what the stuff is called and where to get it.  If memory serves me correctly it was way stinky and possibly toxic during the application process and respirators were needed.

[Marietta Graziella]

Perhaps I'm being too simplistic about this but...

As a blacksmith, don't you wear a leather apron, anyway?  Wear thin pants, then your braces, then another pair of thin harem or wrap style pants to cover them (if you feel that's really necessary).  Your apron should cover sufficiently to protect you from going up in flames.  Which, I think we're all in agreement, would be bad.   

[KeeperoftheBar]

I have worn something similar but they refered to it as a "Knee Cage".  I wore a pair of cheap baggy black sweat pants over it which disguised it.   You might also consider lining the inside of the brace with a suede or something because if yours is like mine the leather slides when it gets a little sweaty.  And around a forge, it will get sweaty.

[LadyShadow]

I hated having to wear those braces as well.  Evil, horrid things.  When need be I had always cut a small strip of fabric to put where the braces landed and then would put my normal clothes over it.  It still bulged a bit in places if I moved just right.  But for the most part they couldnt be seen.

[Baroness de Vale]

I would try to contact escherblacksmith, member and blacksmith here on our forum. He might have some ideas.

[Breandan]

Got some good ideas to work with, thanks everyone 

And Marietta, I only wear an apron when doing forge-welding due to the occasional slag-spittle if I tap it too hard. Usually wear a sleeveless leather jerkin, which protects from sparks while still looking somewhat sexy 

[Gwen aka Punstergal]

My suggestion would be to go with the harem pants for the light weight/not too hot option, but to try and pick up a piece of cheap leather somewhere and fashion a knee length apron to wear as an accessory. The leather apron IS historically accurate, will help protect your britches from the smolders in front of you, And, can look damn sexy, on the right fellow (hell, any man in a apron will get most gals excited )

Whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out for you, and best wishes on being brace-free as soon as possible!  (Send them to me, imo, I need a good knee brace to destroy in the interest of steampunk costumery, hehe)

[Trillium]

Another style option instead of harem pants could be gi pants (karate pants).  Being open on the bottom would help bring in a little more air circulation and less possibly less fuss with the elastic getting stuck on the braces.