Family Member and Garb

[Lady De Rue Rue]

Hello,

I was wondering how to get my husband to wear garb.  My daughter and I go to the Ren Faire as Ren Faire enthusiasts in full Elizabethan nobility costumes whereas my husband comes as a patron.  He has no problem attending the faire and he enjoys the activities and sites of the faire, but for him to wear any type of garb is unthinkable to him.

I have offered to sew him a doublet that he can wear over his shirt and he can wear his cargo shorts and walk around, I figured start small and slowly get him use to the idea of wearing garb.  I have showed him several examples of some cool garb but, that has done nothing.
 
Next year our daughter wants to go a lot more therefore, it would be nice for him to wear something.  I have thought of leaving him at home but, our daughter is a daddy's girl so, that is not an option right now.  What can one do to convert their husband into wear faire garb

[Becky10]

So we have the same problem with my dad and a half arsed attempt to get him to dress actually worked. I grabbed a pair of blue linen pants and a white linen shirt that could pass for peasant garb and handed it off to my dad while everyone else was getting dressed. Didn't say anything, just handed it to him. Apparently it was close enough to regular clothes for him to be willing to put it on. Half way through faire he was complaining cause his hat didnt match his outfit and was talking about how either the hat or the clothes needed to be improved. Funny thing is we talked to a lady who does dickens and she said she did the same thing with her husband, she made him wear a top hat, then a regular black jacket, then one more period, then added the pants and now his wardrobe is more expansive than hers!

Maybe you can work him up to nobility slowly?

[Stasiakatt]

He may not feel comfortable wearing noble garb. Have you talked with him about why he doesn't want to wear garb and asked if there is a style or look he would wear?
I can't get my husband on board for noble (not yet anyway and it's been 7 or so years since I discovered MDRF was close by) but he owns and wears a Wolfstone kilt every time we go. He picked Scottish garb since he has a few Scottish ancestors up his family tree.
Ann

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

The Earl and I started wearing garb to faire in the latter 90's, starting simple, then graduating to Noble. He wears what I make and has a great time. Patrons stop him all the time and ask where or who made his garb.


Times when we have dressed down. Our Granddaughter in her garb I made her in 2004.


In Noble garb with the imfamous Pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow!!!

[gem]

Lady K, I think your DGD's gown is my favorite thing by you yet. So pretty!  (And that second shot wouldn't be from KCRF, would it? He looks a lot like our Jack Sparrow!)

I'm sure it's harder when you're talking about somebody who lives in your house--but when we have visitors, we just dress them. They don't get to complain. Well, they usually *do* complain, but we are insistent and get them in the clothes--and within about 30 minutes of stepping through the gates, they're happy they're garbed.

I also recommend starting slowly. My SIL and nephews won't dress up entirely, but they'll wear cloaks and hats/headpieces (and, for some reason, fake ears). If you want him garbed for family pictures, see if he'll wear a cloak/hat, and position him in the back of the shot.

Lastly, if your fair allows weapons, I've seen a sword transform many a stubborn mundane fellow into a garb-flaunting Rennie!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Both photos were taken at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, gem!

The first one of my granddaughter, was taken in 2005 when she was 8. She was able to wear her garb for 3 seasons before she began her growth spurt at 11. She will be 14 in March!


Here she is in less Noble, but well dressed in garb she designed and had fun in this year. I made this large enough for her to get another season out of.

My how time flies by fast when you're having fun.

[Harbinger]

Lastly, if your fair allows weapons, I've seen a sword transform many a stubborn mundane fellow into a garb-flaunting Rennie!

This is exactly it, I think you're starting from the wrong end, buy him a beautiful sword,
and he will want to show it off, but it would seem unseemly, for such a magnificent weapon
to be displayed without proper attire, and so he will begin to look for clothing to accentuate
the blade.

Of course it could just be he'd rather be a barbarian then wear a doublet

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Maybe he could start out wearing a pair of black scrub pants (there's a whole thread about where to get scrub pants) & a billowy shirt with a sash around his middle, with sandals.  That way, it isn't too far from ordinary clothing, but enough that he will still be wearing garb.  Or if he doesn't like the sash, he could wear a belt & hang a pouch from it.

If he didn't want to wear any type of hat, he could go bare-headed, or else tie a scarf around his head, bandana style.

[Lady De Rue Rue]

Lastly, if your fair allows weapons, I've seen a sword transform many a stubborn mundane fellow into a garb-flaunting Rennie!

Dear Gem,

I think you hit the hammer on the nail - I remember very clearly that every time we left the ren faire my husband would talk about all the cool weapons the men had.  The last weekend of the faire there was one patron who dressed all in black and had several swords and other weapons on him - and my husband watched as security tried tell the man his swords must be peace tied and only one sword was allowed.  He did like telling that story to our friends.  So, a sword may be a start, and a really cool sword may get him to wear one piece of garb!  I can only hope that he becomes the garb-flaunting Rennie as long as it does cut into the budgets for the gowns 

Thank you for the advice!

[Lady De Rue Rue]

The Earl and I started wearing garb to faire in the latter 90's, starting simple, then graduating to Noble. He wears what I make and has a great time. Patrons stop him all the time and ask where or who made his garb.

Dear Lady Kathleen,

I do so envy you with these wonderful pictures, your husband is truly a very lucky man to have his grab custom made by his wife.

With the ideas that have been posted, I think I will try to get him to wear a weapon of some sort - I need to research.  Then I hope that will lead to conversations of what kind of garb would go with my weapon/sword?  One can only hope, even our dogs have Elizabethan ruffs.

But, I do agree I thought I was being simple with just having him wear a doublet but, I now see that I should go a little bit slower with the garb.

Thank you for posting such wonderful pictures!

[Lady De Rue Rue]

So we have the same problem with my dad and a half arsed attempt to get him to dress actually worked. I grabbed a pair of blue linen pants and a white linen shirt that could pass for peasant garb and handed it off to my dad while everyone else was getting dressed. Didn't say anything, just handed it to him. Apparently it was close enough to regular clothes for him to be willing to put it on. Half way through faire he was complaining cause his hat didnt match his outfit and was talking about how either the hat or the clothes needed to be improved. Funny thing is we talked to a lady who does dickens and she said she did the same thing with her husband, she made him wear a top hat, then a regular black jacket, then one more period, then added the pants and now his wardrobe is more expansive than hers!

Maybe you can work him up to nobility slowly?

Dear Becky,

I love it about your dad and the garments you used to get him to wear for the faire, and the funny part I found was how he discovered on his own he need some serious looking faire garb.  I tired at the first two faire to point out my husband examples of simple garb and would he be interested in wearing something like that and of course the answer was "no". 

If I can get him to wear a weapon and incorporate some modern clothing that could pass for faire grab he might feel the same way your dad felt.  And then my dream will come true my husband will want match grab and everything.

Thank you for the ideas, this really helps when dealing with a grab challenged husband! 

[Lady De Rue Rue]

Lastly, if your fair allows weapons, I've seen a sword transform many a stubborn mundane fellow into a garb-flaunting Rennie!

This is exactly it, I think you're starting from the wrong end, buy him a beautiful sword,
and he will want to show it off, but it would seem unseemly, for such a magnificent weapon
to be displayed without proper attire, and so he will begin to look for clothing to accentuate
the blade.

Of course it could just be he'd rather be a barbarian then wear a doublet

I could not agree more, weapons and swords I think will encourage him to get the proper attire and then he will get the true feel of the faire. 

Thank you for the advice.

[Lady De Rue Rue]

Maybe he could start out wearing a pair of black scrub pants (there's a whole thread about where to get scrub pants) & a billowy shirt with a sash around his middle, with sandals.  That way, it isn't too far from ordinary clothing, but enough that he will still be wearing garb.  Or if he doesn't like the sash, he could wear a belt & hang a pouch from it.

If he didn't want to wear any type of hat, he could go bare-headed, or else tie a scarf around his head, bandana style.

Dear Lady Renee,

Thank you for some more great ideas.  The black scrub pants would work well and he could not complain "I am too hot".  I think he has stuck in his mind the pirate shirt from Seinfeld when I have mentioned how about..... But, I think by adding a sword and slowly mixing modern garments with a pirate shirt may work to my advantage.  The head scarf may be a challenge but, I am sure he will come around once he receives a sword.

I hope I did not offend any pirates in forum, I personally like the pirate garb a lot and I even had a pirate shirt in the early 90's (I find them very distinguished)! 

[Lady De Rue Rue]

Thank you everyone for all the great advice on getting my husband into faire garb.  I did ask him at one point do you want to go as nobility, or a middle class man or even a pirate?  He really did not respond because I think he was just taking in everything that goes on at the faire.

I now have a starting point which is get a cool sword and slowly mix modern garments with one or two pieces of garb and hope for the best.

Looks like I am now going to be researching swords, and reviewing the ren faire guidelines/policies for carrying a weapon/sword and going from there.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Don't know if you celebrate Christmas, but a sword could be a great Christmas present (or Solstice or birthday, just that Christmas is closer).  That way, if he has a sword beforehand, it might get him interested in finally getting able to wear it to faire. And maybe more receptive of the garb to wear it with.