Purchasing garb from the faire-size question...

[JJames]

So my wife is attempting to put together/sew her own skirts and chemis..., and we will likely purchase a bodice from a merchant at the faire. She was concerned about "getting the right" fit. I assured her that I would believe they would have sizes that will accomidate various sizes... but she is still concerned... What are your expereinces w/ purchasing bodices from the faire??? I would think it would be the best place as you can try it on and assure its going to fit.. and if it doesnt surely one could find one that does.

Futhermore more, she also has a concern w/ hair. The reason being is that she has short hair, kinda like Kate Gosselin (before she grew it out). My wife has had this short style for years, and of course it looks great, but she is concerned how it might affect her look in ren garb. I suggested a hat, but, I dont know that she is open to that idea so much!... Any ideas? Suggestions? Thanks in advance!....

James~

[Delireus]

I've never purchases a bodice at faire before but I've certainly looked them all over. I absolutely love Damsel in this Dress and I got to see her shop in person at the Oklahoma Renfest this past season. I was so shocked to see how many options she had that I had never seen on her etsy shop! However, even though she had so many bodices in many different styles, sizes, and colors, I didn't see the one I have been wanting for a long time there. Which might have been a good thing since I didn't have enough money for it in the first place. (not to say that I wouldn't have dropped some serious cash in there on just about everything if I could though!)

Anyways, it was great to see her shop in person because then I could be measured by a professional and again, see all the different options I wouldn't have known about from online. What I'm getting at is the faire is probably the best place to find a bodice and talk to people who really know what their doing. I have no doubt that your wife will find ones in her size, no matter her size, but since there are so many different sizes, colors, and styles out there, she may possibly not find the perfect one, you see? However, she will most certainly find a great dealer who can help her design the perfect one for her in any color and style she wants. But, seeing as how there are many different vendors at any faire, I'm sure things will go great and she'll find something she loves.

I also think her hair sounds cute! I love little short hair cuts on girls. Sure doing your hair in braids can be fun, but anyone can dress up any hair style for faire. Maybe she could do a pixie persona? Or little hair clips or a flower circlet. But like you said, a hat is always nice. If she's really wanting to change her hair for the faire (_rhyme!), she could also try clip in hair pieces and style those in any way she wants, you know?  Plus side: doesn't take years to grow yourself

[Lady Kett]

If nothing else, trying bodices on at Faire will give her a good idea of the different styles to get a better idea of what she likes. I've always seen tons of sizes!

I have short hair too. I have one hat that I needed to get a snood to wear with otherwise my hair flies out strangely but otherwise, no worries! If you go to faire and actually focus on people's hair, I think you'll find a lot of short styles out there. We've spent days studying shoes, skirts, kilts, jackets, bodices, hats, hair, weapons...you name it! Anyway, that might make her more comfortable to just walk around and focus on who does what, and she'll see that short hair is perfectly fine.

[Rowan MacD]

  By all means, try on and purchase a bodice at Faire if at all possible!  You know what your getting, how it fits, and if you buy from a vendor like Damsel in this Dress or Likely Lotus, you get plenty of good advice along with it! 
  Periodically, I get tired of my long hair and get it cut to shoulder length, so I have a collection of long muffin hats to stuff the short pony tail into, so it kinda looks like a velvet snood with a fancy headband. 
  Beaded snoods are also fun, cooler than the velvet hats and look good with a flowered head wreath.  If you don't want to fork over $20-$30 for a beaded snood, it's not hard to bead a $6 plain version yourself.
  Your Mrs can also wear a veil or kerchief on the back of her head to hang down, giving the illusion of long hair that is covered for modesty's sake. I have seen both short and long kerchiefs used this way since it looks more HA for a wench.
   Clipping in hair pieces works too.  Since I color my hair, it's not hard to find decently close color matches at Sally Beauty for under $20, and I have some elaborate beaded and banded braids that are made from a pair of costume pony tails I bought for $5 from Nobbies (those were fun to make!)
  Enjoy!
~Rowen

   

[gem]

1. No idea who Kate Gosselin is. Too lazy to Google.

2. Well, tell her to get used to the idea of a hat post haste! LOL  Nothing makes garb look more "unfinished" than a bare head! (Or, um, no head, as in another recent post in this forum. )  Besides, they're ridiculously fun. Show her the "Show me your hats!" thread in this forum, and that will convince her!!

3. Any garb merchant worth her/his salt will be able to properly fit your wife in a bodice, and I would go so far as to say it's almost CRITICAL to do it in person. If you've never worn a bodice before, the fit is very unfamiliar. It should be very, very snug. You should not feel it move *at all* when you turn your body side to side. None of my bodices appear as if they'll close fully when I first put them on--it takes lacing and adjustment to close the 3-4" gap between the laces.  If you don't have a pro walking you through this, you won't know what to expect and might think the bodice is the wrong size/doesn't fit, or you won't adjust your assets properly, you won't necessarily know whether the designer intended them to be worn with a modern bra (like Ophelia's or DiD, IIRC) or *without,* and that's a really important distinction that will critically affect the fit.

Seriously. We know whereof we speak. 

[raevyncait]

Also,

When you try on your bodice, do a 'macarena kinda thing... put your arms out and bend side to side, also bend over and try to put your arms through your legs, to be sure you can comfortably reach what needs to be reached when in the privies...

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

I couldn't agree more - purchase the bodice at the faire.  When I purchased my Pendragon bodice at Bristol, the saleswoman spent one and one half hours with me.  I must have tried on a dozen sizes/styles until we found the perfect bodice and the perfect fit.  Now I have 3 of them, and part of the reason is the great customer service.  She not only showed me the proper way to bend and "fluff," but she showed my husband how to lace it up, since it was back lacing.  It made such a difference.  We never knew that how you lace can matter so much!

When we went to RenDezvous is Texas this year, I went into Moresca with the idea of buying a bodice.  Again, the saleswoman was great.  I ended up buying a bodice and a skirt, just cause the garb was so cute.

Otherwise, I suggest going custom, if you want to spend the money.  If you renmail me, I'll tell you has made a lot of custom garb for my husband and for me.  Absolutely gorgeous, but not inexpensive, so I don't know if you want to do that for your first garb.

Every time I've ordered through the mail (3 times before I knew better), the garb never fit.  Two bodices I had to have altered to make smaller to fit, and one I gave up and sold the bodice.

Definitely, try it on!  She will be so much happier.

[Harlas]

My wife bought her bodice at Bristol a couple of years ago--and she spent quite awhile in different shops looking and the service was great. She learned quite a bit--and this year we'll probably add to her garb from a vendor at Bristol.

We looked at online shops--but TBH we are hesitant because w/o seeing firsthand--she may not be happy with the fit--or how it looks on her. You know--women stuff 

It looked like the shops have items for every size-so I would not be too concerned. PLus--if the shop has an online front-she will be able to make future online purchases knowing what size is for her.

It is funny how different shops have different definitions for sizing. 1x=3x or med=large depending on where you are buying.

[Dayna]

Try different vendors, I know some people swear by Moresca, but I tried on size after size and bodice after bodice, none of them came close to fitting my apparently strange combination of waist, bust, shoulder and torso length.

Pendragon fits me well, I have 4 or 5 of their bodices now in various styles.  Do be aware that a back-lacing bodice may have a gap of an inch or two.  This is normal in off-the-rack, where the difference between a small and a medium or a medium and a large is 4 inches.  You get the one that fits best with the least gap or the least amount of "slightly too big". 

Also, lace loosely at first, just get it on, Then begin to slowly tighten so that the flesh has a chance to decide where it wants to go, and be sure to bend over and adjust the acreage about 1/2 way through and again before the final tightening.  You may need to tighten about 1/2 way through the day as the body adjusts and the bodice accommodates.

[Annastina]

Try as many bodices before purchasing as possible.  If there are multiple vendors, do NOT buy from the first place you see.  When my daughters bought their garb, they walked our Faire several times and tried on bodices in several shops, until they found one that fit properly (and looked good).
Do MOVE in the bodice as much as possible after you lace it up the way you want it.  We all have body parts that are hard to fit.  For me, I HAVE to do the reaching-forward and crossing my arms across my chest test, as many bodices are just too snug in the front of the armhole.  But that's me.
And don't feel you must buy that day, unless you find something you could wear for years.  We're talking investment here, not a casual purchase.

[Queen Bonnie]

 I think I tried on every bodice at Scarby- but I found that Moresca fits me the best and is the most comfortable!( No I don't work for them- but should!-LOL!)
Hats or flower wreaths or- try a wig- solves the short hair problem for faire!